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I knew a friend once who described it as marital activities. Hanky panky was apparently too graphic for her environment and the notion of pre-marital too radical to be considered. In contrast she was very open and tolerant in just about every other way.
Odds are greater than the probability… so you are sayimg that there are 9 total chances and in 8 of them she has beer on her breath? Seems like pretty good odds there.
I’m picturing an unending cycle there. Ruth would only kiss harder the madder she got, thus tasting more alcohol, getting angrier…it could only end with firemen arriving to find the two of them mostly naked and half the dorm wrecked.
I was the same way honestly. Discovered the fan fiction way before I started reading the manga or saw an ep of the show. I do recommend reading the manga tho.
I had forgotten those strips. Probably because they were only three and the sexxings were only implied. But I remember now. And here I thought Ruth/Billie was an original concept for the Dumbiverse. Silly me.
It’s annoying, I’ll give you that. But people tend to latch onto random details and run them into the ground a lot around here anyway, so if not this then it’d just be something else. I’m still waiting for the day when we can get a strip that has Ruth in it where trucks are not mentioned in the comments.
I don’t mind the trucks yet. I think I’ll be fine with the occasional FAAAAAAACE for as long as the comic runs, and I might regret saying that. Femur. But “Amazi-Girl is obviously [anyone but Amber]” has outstayed its welcome, and “Danny Danning it up again”? I was tired of that before it was even a thing. *hipster points*
Your mom. With his penis. For a nickel. Faz is great. I’m sorry, where was I?
dude I did not even CONSIDER that. he could have cut it off after the fourth panel. oh my god I would have died I would have JUMPED OUT MY WINDOW, ok I would not have, I would just eat the pizza that is coming to me and salt it with my tears
Yeah — I was totally worried that she was going to tell Ruth *why* she doesn’t deserve it! But no. That’s for Billie to know and for Ruth to find out (after Ruth is totally and completely in love with her).
Yeah, I was like “OMG I SAW THEM KISSING IT WON’T BE A SURPRISE ANYMORE” and I actively tried to forget it in the ten seconds it took to read the strip.
First of all… YES! I have been shipping them for ages! So it’s about damn time!
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!
Now that we’re past that… I wonder what is going on in the third panel? Is she whispering in Ruth’s ear? And what is she saying? Is she expressing reciprocation? Is she confessing her slip-up re: alcohol?
This is still kinda messed up, but their whole relationship is messed up, hopefully it’ll stop being quite so messed up now? Maybe? Maybe they’re on the same page of kissing is good now?
So I think Billie’s plan here is to bang Ruth silly and then when she’s all loopy in post-coital bliss, mention the backsliding on the drinking thing, so Ruth’ll be all, “Yeah, wow, sure, whatever.”
Also, public service announcement: There is nothing left of the “perform a sex” horse but a bloody scrap of well-tenderized leather. You can stop beating it now.
Ahem…. FAAAAAAACE. Danny really Danned it up. Joe is about to Joe her in the butt. Amazigirl is really . Sexual reference involving your mother and a nickel.
John, I feel you here, but this is DOA. We do nothing but beat dead horses.
Yeah, that’s probably the second most annoying thing about the fandom. Seriously, people, beating the memes to death just wears them out. It’s a lot funnier if you only whip them out occasionally!
If anything, it’s really more the other way around (Ruth manipulating Billie)…although the fact that you could construe the manipulation in the other directions speaks mountains for how broken this relationship is.
However as of panel five everything is good. all things.
It’s kind of hard to see it as blatant manipulation given that Billie has been teetering on the edge of confessing everything since Ruth started her, uh, favors.
Yeah, I think you’re giving Billie too little/too much credit here. Her personality and background suggest somebody with a pathological need for affection/validation, and she’s spent a lot of time trying and failing to get that on campus since the strip began. Ruth is not only the first person on campus who’s expressed an attraction to her (admittedly after Billie made failed passes at Joe, Tony, Sal, and even Danny), but the first to actually do nice things for Billie and try to understand what makes her tick. Billie strikes me as somebody who really needs this sort of thing too much to be cynical or manipulative about it.
I’ll give ’em this: it feels very genuine that the best and worst parts of them are all tangled up together. It’s not every day that someone can make vigilante theft– with just a hint of emotional blackmail (“I’ll keep stealing stuff until you tell me you like some of it, uh huh”)– into something weirdly charming. And Billie herself probably doesn’t know how much of this is trying to pay Ruth back for the way she’s wronged her by not sticking to their agreement and how much of it is genuine attraction. All that said, I’m in the “ticking time bomb” camp, here. Neither of these two are good enough at managing their emotions for this to look stable.
You’re looking at it the wrong way. Yes, you don’t have a “special someone” to be around for Valentine’s Day. BUT, that’s a bunch of money saved. And hours you can use doing whatever you want. And you can just buy yourself candy if you want to.
I’m not say be forever alone, but one thing to do is not give a fuck about others habing significant others while you’re on your own, praying for someone to be at your side. Because that’s not cool. That’s self-pity. Don’t sweat having someone for one day of the year, because chances are a lot of people that DO have someone are burning holes in their wallets.
If you ARE afraid of being alone on Valentine’s day, then ask someone out. Simple as that. Walk up to a girl in a restaurant in Philadelphia, ask the cute waitress if she has a boyfriend. She don’t? Ask her out. On the spot.
Forget trying to know someone before you ask them out on a date. Screw what’s conventional. Do not allow some holiday that’s supposed to be built around buying someone an expensive-ass diamond necklace but is supposed to be about one of the bloodiest massacres in human history that SOMEHOW never gets mentioned, coincidentally enough.
None of this “Oh, it’s Valentines day and I’m by myself” stuff. No more.
Hey man, do your thang. I think what Ragnal was mainly saying is that people in your situation seriously need to stop complaining and acting like they’re helpless (not necessarily you).
Many people with the “Valentine’s day makes me sad” outlook have depression/social anxiety that interferes with them landing dates. On top of that it’s a horrific vicious cycle – you ask a girl out, blow it because you’re too inexperienced with relationships/too anxious, and then get even more depressed, more worried about next time.
Your comment can be read as directed at those people. Then you use phrases such as “do not give a fuck”, “don’t sweat”, “forget trying”, “do not allow”, “none of this”, “no more”, that all read as “knock it off”
To put it another way, someone who is emotionally healthy probably doesn’t need any of the advice you gave, but it was possibly too stern for the people who would benefit from it the most.
Btw, every time someone says Ruth/Billie are wrong and not healthy make me remember this is the begining of Billie’s (and most of the cast) college life. I remember the people of my first semester and… god, it’s like prehistory.
Kids, remember Mrs. Keener and his words of wisdom!
And thus, after a significantly delayed launch due to catastrophic engine failure a partial flooding of the decks, the SS BillieRuth sets off on its second maiden voyage. Let’s all wish them the best of luck and ignore the giant ass hurricane clearly storming there on the horizon just a little past the ten thousand icebergs strewn across the seas.
On the one hand, I’m excited because LESBIANS! (and I love enemies-become-lovers type romances) but….. I’m really just waiting for Billie to be found out and things to go sour. This happening is just going to make that moment all the worse so please let it happen soon…
Billie has seemed Bi from the beginning regardless though, she was very interested in Sal, and when Ruth kissed her the first time it seemed like she shoved her away with some hesitation.
Hrmmmmmm…
I don’t know about that one.
This didn’t happen just because of Ruth’s persistence, and Billie isn’t really changing her sexual orientation (we could go into what she ‘identifies’ as, and that this could be temporary [“experimentation] etc.)
Billie, over the course of this comic, has asserted that she’d rather do Sal than Walky, blithely recommended trips to Lesbian Bone City as a solution to interpersonal problems, tried to kiss Sal, told Joyce that everyone is bi-curious, and her first reaction to Ruth kissing her that first time was to kiss her back. And the objections she’s expressed to that have never had anything to do with the fact that Ruth’s a girl, but only, “bongo shouldna shoved me.”
I was worried about things re. Walkyverse comics getting spoiled for me since I haven’t read those comics yet. I know they don’t affect what happens in DoA. I had thought you had said to avoid spoilers, but I was thinking of rule #3, and found you said elsewhere that rule #3 wasn’t about spoilers. Again, my mistake on the spoiler thing.
Mostly rule #3 exists because folks will think stuff from the other comics are spoilers when they are not. It’s to avoid confusion.
The Walkyverse comics we’re talking about are nearly a decade old, have been printed in books, and have been republished online recently, so I kind of think they’re fair game. At some point, the onus is on the reader to read old stuff if they care about being spoiled about it.
Billie was literally the poster girl for Bisexual Awareness Day in Walkyverse, and orientation holds across universes (Pretty much the only constant, it seems).
Dude, if things are that bad, just stab the people you made the bet with and take their money. You get back what you lost, and significantly less stabbing involved.
Now that I think about it, Billie was basically indirectly responsible for every major shift in relationships we’ve seen today. She’s like the sex-whisperer or something.
Cute! (Well, a bit unorthodox how the relationship plays out but eh. Either way Billie’s becoming more tolerable. *shrugs*)
Uhm, I’m probably going to sound super dumb but whats this about Billie and a DUI? Was that mentioned before and I was dumb and missed it or is this a first mention…?
I feel as if Billie might have mentioned this to Ruth before…
Billie told Ruth about it back here, during their chat in Ruth’s room after Billie pulled the fire alarm. Though Ruth already knew, which possibly explains her behaviour towards Billie from the beginning.
As much as I’d say ‘And Ruth tastes the beer in the kiss’ I doubt it…Billie’s smart enough not to drink in the open where adults and goody-two-shoes like Joyce would see, and she -just- got back to her room, sober. Buuuuuuut I’m sure somehow the booze will be discovered soon…maybe not tomorrow…but soon…
I’m sure no one calls the place University of Indiana, but Willis, you missed an opportunity at a really subtle joke there. You have the setup and everything.
Did you know that it’s endearing and humorous to write ” ___ and ___ PERFORM A SEX!” every time anything romantic happens in the comic that clearly was neither written or drawn for the purpose of titillation?
I don’t know if titillation is exactly what Willis had in mind, but the alt text implies he is aware of the keen interest in Billie/Ruth intimacy.
You know what, scratch that. One of the DoA banner ads was Ruth slamming Billie into a locker and then kissing her. Titillation is absolutely part of the equation here.
The alt text, to me, suggests “you’re welcome – I finally made a popular pairing canon.” I mean, it could be, “you’re welcome, I showed you girls kissing,” but the former seems more likely considering we’ve seen them kiss before.
And titillation =/= interest in their relationship/drama.
I really do like how, in spite of how incredibly messed up this is (I’m not complaining!), Willis manages to avoid the uglier aspects this could have had.
There are obvious issues of abuse involved when we consider both their relative power-imbalance (Ruth being a RA with access to Billie’s records) and Ruth’s history of physically, verbally and psychologically harassing Billie.
Yet, at the same time, Willis has made sure to always draw Billie as taking an active part in the two of them making out. Here we see her (insofar as action can be conveyed by static pictures) take the initiative in kissing Ruth and directing her head. Likewise, in the comic after “Recalculating”, Billie’s hand was on Ruth’s chin and directing the action.
If Ruth had been the one holding onto Billie in that comic, or Ruth being the one to initiate here, the overtones of sexual assault would be much stronger. However, by showing Billie as taking an active and participating part, we can know to some degree that Billie does enjoy and desire what happens.
(Lest I blame victims of sexual assault for enjoying it too much, there’s obviously a tangle of very serious issues of hate, self-loathing and guilt involved that makes this pretty messed up. But we knew that already. I hope.)
Well, having slept on it, I’m still all “Squee!” about this.
(This almost makes up for another big ship of mine, that was already floundering dangerously, totally sinking yesterday… Stupid Finn the Human. He totally Danned up things with FP! Of course! That explains why Dan’s actually acting all competent now! He and Finn switched mojos!)
Anyway, here’s hoping that something in the next strip or two doesn’t totally mess this up. Billie, please don’t have beer on your breath or obvious bottles lying around! And please tell Ruth about your slip up, and redouble your efforts! You had three days, you can do it again!
That’s as may be, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t still use this situation (if a canon consummation is forthcoming, and you don’t ruin this for us all and make us all scream a cry of, “Damn you, Willis!” that will be heard throughout the heavens) for a future one.
(Heck, could almost be enough to make me consider getting a Slipstream account… Pity you can’t include these in the books, placed where they’d go in the chronology… If I had to spend money on Dumbing of Age, I’d rather it be on a physical product, rather then on an paid website I’d rather not have an account with. Ah, well…)
Oh… By the way, don’t take, “If I had to spend money on Dumbing of Age…” as an implication that your works have no value and are not worth spending money on… Someday, I probably would like to have a few of your books on my shelves. They’re just not in my budget at the moment!
I didn’t read all the comments but did anybody note that this caring is a side to Ruth that needed to come out. This shows that there is goodness in everybody – it just needs the right circumstance to be drawn (hehe) out. Except, of course Amber’s Dad – he is just scum and should be put down (incarcerated) like the rabid dog he is.
While on the whole I continue to find “killing with kindness” much less satisfying than my usual methods, I am rapidly becoming a fan of the fringe benefits of doing so. In related news, Billie has proven to have a far more diverse skillset involving her tongue than being a snarky bongo. Far, far, far more diverse!
All in all, I may be satisfied with just one of her femurs in regards the beer I tasted on her breath. We’ll see how the night goes.
First time around: Billie challenges Ruth point-blank to define what the hell their relationship actually is. Ruth starts out pissed off – Billie has been a convenient target for all that residual rage, a selfish alcoholic who’s shown no remorse or inclination to kick her bad habits.
Then, the strip title: “Recalculating”. We’re not privy to her inner monologue, but it’s easy to imagine her realizing that, wait a minute, in a messed-up sort of way, this girl is actually closer to me than anybody has ever gotten before. She knows about my alcoholism and depression. She’s expressed concern for my well-being, despite my crappy treatment of her. She may be the only person on campus I can be myself around. We could actually be friends, or even…
This time around, Billie’s the one doing the recalculating. Unlike Ruth, she’s had a couple of days to wrestle with the topic, but again there seems to be that moment where she suddenly realizes, you know what? This girl is closer to me than anybody else in my life right now. She’s genuinely grateful for my help. She’s trying her best to make amends. Trying to understand me. Forgives me for what I’ve done. Would move heaven and earth just to do something nice for me. And we both know she finds me attractive. So…
I don’t know whether those parallels are intentional or accidental, but it works pretty beautifully when you think about it like that.
Their relationship is heavily based on being the only person there to satisfy each other’s needs for love, respect and understanding. Ruth feels alone and alienated, having no friends or parents. Billie is the only person who shows her any kind of sympathy and concern for her dead parents.
Billie feels alone and defeated, having few friends, absent parents and having lost her social standing and cheerleading position (which is core to her self-worth and self-image). Ruth is one of the few people who has tried to be her friend.
Frantically they enter her room, both racing to get undressed, but then as they make their way to Billie’s bed Ruth slips on an empty bottle and breaks her collar bone. What hurts her even more though is that Billie has been lying to her. She never trusts again and burns the dorm to the ground.
Ah Guilt and Emotional Fragility, the best form of aphrodisiac.
And you can’t buy it bottled at the grocery store, well I can but only because as a Wizard I have certain contacts.
On one hand… awwww.
On the other hand… cuteness does not resolve the concerns about a relationship. She’s given us enough to worry about here to be interesting. There’s displaced rage and an urge for vengeance, risk taking, getting her to share in a crime and leaving her with the evidence…
I wanted this to happen way back when Ruth threw Billie into a couch. It all got rather psychotic after that, and I think they both need therapy, but I’m going to cheer anyway. Yay smoochies!
Cops are overgrown children cosplaying War, with all the rest of us forced into their stupid, childish game without our consent, consuming vast funds from the public treasury and ruining lives by the hundreds of thousands.
unknown@collie.bsky.social ⋅ 18h
I cannot get over these cops wearing night vision to arrest a dude on a Southwest Airlines flight in broad daylight.
a woman posted a pic in a group chat of a baby turkey she bought thinking it was a chicken. She captioned the pic "IS THIS A TURKEY?!?"
Anyway, I haven't been here because I've been yelling IS THIS A TURKEY at everything. You should try it
y'ever figure, hey, i should put joyce in bisexual flag colors for this storyline, but you also figure, hrm, that might telegraph things 8 months in advance, so you... add orange stripes and... it works, somehow it works, nobody points out the pink/purple/blue
Jonathan Joss being shot outside his home while protecting his husband after being sent a threatening and distressing package is WHY we need Pride
It's 2025 and people are still being shot and killed for being queer
This is why we march and why we fight
the thing about white liberal Americans is that they'll argue to accept bigots into their tent before accepting the bigots' targets.
the targets that have been on the same side as white liberals from the jump.
John Redcorn was pretty much the only contemporary Native representation I had in comedy growing up. Probably the funniest Native character in cartoon history and a lot of that was on Jonathan Joss' pitch perfect rezzy uncle performance. RIP to one of the best to ever do it.
today in #9chickweedlane i learned that, yes, lolly is so edda 2.0 that she's even wearing her mother's wedding dress as she gets married to Her Dad (But Taller)
unknown @collie.bsky.social ⋅ 18h
ETPC @etpc.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
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(Digi Desktop Vtuber)
⚧️
How cute
Now, Billie and Ruth performs a sex?
please yes
I wouldn’t push your luck
I’ve already pushed my luck past the breaking point, otherwise I’d lend you guys some.
Hello, Parnifia?
This is Michael calling from the Luck Insurance company. I’m afraid we’re going to have to triple your premiums.
Parnifia! Imagine meeting you here! (from dynasty scans).
MAKE IT SO!
Full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes.
The torpedos being dicks, yes?
Probably means Shipping Torpedoes: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ShippingTorpedo
Yeeeessss
Ruth has a hockey uniform and Billie has a cheerleader uniform. It seems like a logical next step.
A hockey sweater might be nice, a full uniform – not so much. It would take too long to get out of.
Please?
No, because the acronym’s too weird. BaRPaS!!!!!!
ROMANCE!
With a side of bromance!
Eeeeeeeee~
MY EYES SKIPPED ALL THE BORING DIALOGUE
WHAT’S BILLIE’S HAND DOING
seriously all the “fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff”s
Left hand is still visible in panel 4.
Well, going by the first panel (yes, there were 5 panels, not just two), her right hand is (probably) still holding Ruth’s hand.
Which, quite frankly, makes this even more adorable.
There was dialogue?
all I see is smooches
(all I ever see is smooches)
((I get arrested a lot))
Quick summary: “‘Blah, blah, blah.’ ‘Blah,blah,blah.’ ‘Blah, blah-SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Yeah, pretty much.
http://thesounddefense.tumblr.com/image/76298889084
Subtitled for your convenience.
PERFORM A SEX
Pre-marital hanky panky!
We need to turn that into a verb somehow, so we can tell people to do it.
“Pre-Maritally Hank-a-Pank!”
PERFORM A PRE-MARITAL HANKY PANKY
I knew a friend once who described it as marital activities. Hanky panky was apparently too graphic for her environment and the notion of pre-marital too radical to be considered. In contrast she was very open and tolerant in just about every other way.
Woot
Yes. W00T indeed. W00T! damnit!
Nine tails saying that is pretty funny actually
I think you mean WiiGii!
Well, that took long enough. How long before something goes wrong? Do I have bids?
I give it a week. Either comic time or real time. It’s a 50-50.
Within the real-time year.
I put the odds at 3:2 something goes horribly wrong within a year.
Sure, hedge your bets.
I put four Internets on tomorrow. Real-time.
BOOM, called it! One day, real-time.
Also,
Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?
Next strip. Either that or we cut back to Danny.
Which definitely counts as something going wrong.
Next strip is Danny interrupting them. He’s stopped Danning up his own relationship for now so he might as well Dan up someone else’s.
It could be as soon as 12 hours from now.
I put we switch to a different subplot tomorrow at 15:1.
At most, a year in comic time
I’ll take the, “nothing goes wrong and danny never messes up again” at 1000000000000000:1, I’m daring…and danny-level stupid.
30 seconds. This is actually a decoy strip.
If it takes 3 days, absent a time skip, I will be shocked.
Billie turns out to be Faz in a full-body suit.
I’m gonna go with “five seconds, because someone has booze breath.”
Oooooh, good job!
uh oh…
I thought the next Slipshine was supposed to be Leslie and Robin, not these two.
It’s Billie and Ruth cosplaying as Leslie and Robin. Halfway through they switch roles.
Two words: FOURSOMES!
Cross-dimensional foursomes?
Crossing the streams… what is the worse that could happen?
Right now I could make a potty joke. It would be awful. I’m not going to do that. Never say I never did anything for you.
That’s one word. Are you keeping one as backup?
My bad, I should have said two syllables.
Daaawwwww.
Vegas odds Billie has beer on her breath? 8:1?
No bet. I think you’re underestimating the odds.
Odds are greater than the probability… so you are sayimg that there are 9 total chances and in 8 of them she has beer on her breath? Seems like pretty good odds there.
(Gravitar irony time)
“Billie! Have you been drinking?!?” XD
well, at least someone’s having a good day.
Yeah. Walky.
everyone but Danny, Blaine and Amber. hell, Sal got a damn free DS!
THEY’RE GOING TO PERFORM A SEX
WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE PERFORMING SEXES ALL OF A SUDDEN
THEY’RE IN COLLEGE. IT’S LITERALLY THE PERFECT PLACE TO START SEX PERFORMANCES. THERE ARE GRANTS AVAILABLE.
I WISH SOMEONE WOULD PAY ME IN SEX…
DONT BE RIDICULOUS THEY’RE GETTING GRANTS FOR SEX NOT OF SEX
I’D TAKE THAT TOO.
WHY ARE WE ALL SHOUTING?
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Let’s all just tone it down a bit. Maybe listen to some jazz.
SO, THEY PERFORM A SAX THEN?
-runs away.
I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT WE’RE YELLING ABOUT!!!
why are sesame street characters teaching me about sex?? >=O
The real question is, why do they not usually do that?
I’d be lucky to get a hold hand
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
That is all.
MINE EYES HAVE BEHELD THE GLORY
Time to fess up Billie. :C
Tune in tomorrow when Ruth tastes alcohol on Billie’s tongue!
That’ll only make her kiss her HARDER. And then be mad.
“Dammit! Now I’m addicted to Billie!Tongue.”
And Billie’s plan has come to fruition.
Plans within plans…
Fitting Gravitar.
Was that a… «Deltora» reference?!?
Odds are, it’s Dune.
I’m picturing an unending cycle there. Ruth would only kiss harder the madder she got, thus tasting more alcohol, getting angrier…it could only end with firemen arriving to find the two of them mostly naked and half the dorm wrecked.
Then the firemen join in…
wait, I’ve seen this porn before.
only mostly?????
When you’re in a hurry, sometimes socks just take too much time to remove.
Ragesex ensues!
Awwwwwwww!
GIVE ME AN OH
GIVE ME AN M
GIVE ME A Y!
oooooooooooh myyyyyy!
Hello Kasumi!
I just want that to be cosima
YES! finally someone else who associates “OH MY” with Kasumi Tendo instead of George Takei.
It’s one of my favorite mangas. The anime isn’t nearly as good
As strange as it sounds, I have read a shitload of Ranma 1/2 fanfiction but only a few chapters of the manga and only a few episodes.
I was the same way honestly. Discovered the fan fiction way before I started reading the manga or saw an ep of the show. I do recommend reading the manga tho.
Hello Nurse!
There is no way this isn’t going to go wrong somehow.
On an “unrelated” note, where’s Joyce?
I think we’re on Sunday again. She might be at church.
She already walked in on Sal mostly naked in this room after church today. I don’t think even Joyce goes to church twice a day.
By the same token, she’s now avoiding the room in fear of more nakedness probably.
Avoiding in fear, or lurking about in hope?
I feel that we need to make a timeline to track the comics. I wonder what The Willis thinks of this.
Watching through the closet door.
Blah blah smooches.
Aw yeah. Hot Glasses on Glasses action. Also known as pain.
The worst kind of pain.
Mine just get super smudgy.
This is so adorable.
billie and ruth perpetrate a cunnilingus
belly laugh
Sensible Chuckle.
Bring me more Amber!
Just kidding.
Actually, that’s not a bad idea.
Amber could stand nearby, saying “Now, KISS!”
FINALLY!!
I KNOW RIGHT?!
Yeah, I still see them both as far too fucked up to ship it.
I thought that was a reason to ship it.
The chief reason!
How do you ship anything in this comic besides maybe Dotty/Walky?
Who said I did? Well, Joe/Roz is okay but I doubt they’ll become an actual couple.
You ship it by wanting it to happen and then declaring your desire in the comments. That’s how you do it.
I love you, Willis.
YES. SO MUCH YES.
And then came the “Billie’s still drinking” comic.
Fuck you, Willis.
Then came the guilty sex, the “what’s wrong, Billie”, and then the “Billie’s still drinking”.
Yesssss ruth and billie perform a sex next please!
I say shamelessly and disappointed in myself
I hate that Willis drew porn if only because it has turned the comments section of every strip since into “OMG DO A SEX”
yeah seriously, what happened to a good ol’ imaginarium appointment
He’s drawn things since before then. There are a couple pictures of Billie and Ruth going at it, Walkyverse though. Still. Look it up.
Looking up not fast enough. URLs are required.
Starts hereabouts, and continues through the next couple of strips and into a couple of images linked in Willis’s commentary on the last one.
The actual Roomies! strips are probably SFW, but the images linked in the commentary aren’t.
You are my hero.
I had forgotten those strips. Probably because they were only three and the sexxings were only implied. But I remember now. And here I thought Ruth/Billie was an original concept for the Dumbiverse. Silly me.
I love this avatar.
Semi-seriously, yes, this.
Hopefully the novelty will wear off soo- what am I saying.
It’s annoying, I’ll give you that. But people tend to latch onto random details and run them into the ground a lot around here anyway, so if not this then it’d just be something else. I’m still waiting for the day when we can get a strip that has Ruth in it where trucks are not mentioned in the comments.
I don’t mind the trucks yet. I think I’ll be fine with the occasional FAAAAAAACE for as long as the comic runs, and I might regret saying that. Femur. But “Amazi-Girl is obviously [anyone but Amber]” has outstayed its welcome, and “Danny Danning it up again”? I was tired of that before it was even a thing. *hipster points*
Your mom. With his penis. For a nickel. Faz is great. I’m sorry, where was I?
Oh yeah. HOT HOT SEXXENGS!
Seriously. When do we get DoA Hooper?
I blame the catchy title. But regardless, now it’s becoming a -thing- and just as arrows to the knee, it shall (hopefully) pass in time.
It beats Amazi-Girl identity jokes filling the comments.
I disagree. Those at least were an attempt at being funny. All of the “now have a sex!” posts don’t strike me as jokes at all.
All aboard, this ship is setting sail for… wherever these terrifying ships go to.
So, mid-copulation admittance to the drinking then, yes?
And there was much rejoicing!
yay
More like rebilling and reruthing, but yeah ^^
They then have sex. The sex is so good it turns every woman in the college into a lesbian.
It’s amazing.
Did she whisper something or kiss Ruth on the cheek??
I can’t tell!
dude I knoooooowwww it’s killing me
maybe she licked her ear
I GOTTA GO
I can’t be sure either. I’m thinking the lack of any text whatsoever (not even a “whisper”) means it’s a kiss.
But, there’s a 5th panel, and it made everything ok.
dude I did not even CONSIDER that. he could have cut it off after the fourth panel. oh my god I would have died I would have JUMPED OUT MY WINDOW, ok I would not have, I would just eat the pizza that is coming to me and salt it with my tears
Yeah — I was totally worried that she was going to tell Ruth *why* she doesn’t deserve it! But no. That’s for Billie to know and for Ruth to find out (after Ruth is totally and completely in love with her).
*whisper* “For your information, Mike and I pound each other every night in the most epic of hatefucks.”
“Who’s Mike?”
BOO-YA!!!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:INSERT HAPPY KERMIT THE FROG FLAILING HERE:
I mean, I suspect it’s not gonna be all smooth sailing, but THIS MOMENT MAKES ME SO HAPPYYYYYY!!!!
THE POWER OF VALENTINES COMPELS YOU
Awwwwww!
I don’t know what I expected.
Is Ruth drunk?
Is…Billie drunk?
…what was I asking? I got distracted by lesbians.
So is this gratitude, guilt, or actual affection?
My guess would be a mix of the first two, but I might be a tad cynical.
Gruiltfection.
I had no chance of stopping my eyes from instinctively skipping to the last panel
And Willis knows! He knoooows.
As far as I can tell, I actually read the whole thing in sequence. Weird, huh?
I did the same
I did the same….I blame manga instinctively making me start at the right now. But it was worth it….
Yeah, I was like “OMG I SAW THEM KISSING IT WON’T BE A SURPRISE ANYMORE” and I actively tried to forget it in the ten seconds it took to read the strip.
And then it became the storyline where everybody banged, the end.
I, for one, have no objection to this development.
Concur.
First of all… YES! I have been shipping them for ages! So it’s about damn time!
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!
Now that we’re past that… I wonder what is going on in the third panel? Is she whispering in Ruth’s ear? And what is she saying? Is she expressing reciprocation? Is she confessing her slip-up re: alcohol?
Sweet… What a fine day to have a Ruth pic!
I think she’s kissing her on the cheek.
*Looks at Gravatar*
You would ship them!
Hey, it was just the one that was randomly assigned to me… Not to imply that I’m not enjoying having it.
Hey! I also totally ship!
….that doesn’t really help this case, does it?
this alt-texts for you (that shipped them)
YOOOOOOOO
Willis how many other sexy encounters did you get set up in the buffer before doing stuff with slipshine
I wonder how many times people have said “perform a sex” in the DoA and SP! comments sections over the last few weeks.
It’s a veritable meme by now! We should take it to reddit!
/r/performasex anyone?
You have broken my mind! It’s like Bizarro World, and everyone’s getting what they want.
Everyone has to get what they want to make all the breakdowns that much more spectacular next time around.
C’mon, you have a Mike avatar, you should understand this.
yessssssss
And I’m glad.
No reason. These two are more of a shipwreck then a ship…but maybe the two of them can rescue each other .. or something.
And yeah …time to put “OMG do sex’ to bed. (awful pun, sorry). Just do it.
I LITERALLY GASPED AND CLAPPED MY HANDS OVER MY MOUTH
This doesn’t have “facebook likes”….so just know I approve of this post.
The shorthand for that is +1
When I first found DoA , the latest strip was Ruth kissing billie and being told “Fuck off.”
The circle is now complete.
Their second kiss missed the first anniversary of their first by a week.
(Real-world, I mean. In-comic, it hasn’t even been a whole week.)
Next up — Sarah and Jacob?
Becky and Joe.
Sierra and Joe.
Mike/Walky’s mom/Dorothy’s mom.
Sal and Amber.
Well now. The veritable “licky-style”, as it were.
(Now’s a great time for Joyce, or dare I say it, Mary
to come by.)
It worked?!
It’s like magic!
I’ll bet that kiss blindsided Ruth like a truck…
…oops.
Too soon, dude. Way too soon.
It’s always too soon.
Like in “joyce and walky”?
Hot damn yes. Hope it turns out good for Ruth.
Ruth: Hmm… tastes like beer.
This is still kinda messed up, but their whole relationship is messed up, hopefully it’ll stop being quite so messed up now? Maybe? Maybe they’re on the same page of kissing is good now?
Also, maybe Billie can stop drinking for real now. Because that’ll screw things up faster than you can say “Amazi-Girl needs therapy”.
Called it, and wow…it worked!
Score!
“Oh, Ruth! Hang on a sec, I just have to clear these beer bottles out of the bed.”
So I think Billie’s plan here is to bang Ruth silly and then when she’s all loopy in post-coital bliss, mention the backsliding on the drinking thing, so Ruth’ll be all, “Yeah, wow, sure, whatever.”
Also, public service announcement: There is nothing left of the “perform a sex” horse but a bloody scrap of well-tenderized leather. You can stop beating it now.
“Plan?”
Billie is all about the stupid plans! She’s cunning and stuff!
Billie and Ruth started kissing. I’m don’t think they can stop bea- oh you mean….Gotcha.
Ahem…. FAAAAAAACE. Danny really Danned it up. Joe is about to Joe her in the butt. Amazigirl is really . Sexual reference involving your mother and a nickel.
John, I feel you here, but this is DOA. We do nothing but beat dead horses.
Yeah, that’s probably the second most annoying thing about the fandom. Seriously, people, beating the memes to death just wears them out. It’s a lot funnier if you only whip them out occasionally!
I’d auto censor it like I do the name of a certain lady robot, but it’s kind of the name of a product I’m selling! Blast!
“Blast! Foiled by a trap of my own creation! I’ll get you next time, DOA commenters!”
Paul who is a ghost and Roz perform a sex?
I’ll admit, I kind of suspected this was coming due to the big gap in strip previews on Tumblr. But, uh, booya.
HAZA!!!!!!!!!!
It says a lot about Willis when my first reaction to my OTP actualfax canon kissing is ‘oh no.’
My reaction:
1. YAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY-
2. Oh crap.
gaaaaahhhhh nothing about this is RIGHT
Like seriously wow fuck Billy she’s emotionally manipulating Ruth
I mean I shipped obv but god not like this
*Billie oops
If anything, it’s really more the other way around (Ruth manipulating Billie)…although the fact that you could construe the manipulation in the other directions speaks mountains for how broken this relationship is.
However as of panel five everything is good. all things.
It’s kind of hard to see it as blatant manipulation given that Billie has been teetering on the edge of confessing everything since Ruth started her, uh, favors.
Yeah, I think you’re giving Billie too little/too much credit here. Her personality and background suggest somebody with a pathological need for affection/validation, and she’s spent a lot of time trying and failing to get that on campus since the strip began. Ruth is not only the first person on campus who’s expressed an attraction to her (admittedly after Billie made failed passes at Joe, Tony, Sal, and even Danny), but the first to actually do nice things for Billie and try to understand what makes her tick. Billie strikes me as somebody who really needs this sort of thing too much to be cynical or manipulative about it.
WOOOOOOO!
The feels!!!
Part of me reeeeeeaaaaallllllllyyyyyy wants Sal to walk in.
She’s gonna come through the window and see makey-outeys in the doorway!
*SCREECHES*
Willis – is panel 3 a cheek kiss? My brain thought neck kiss at first…
Yes.
Cool. Thanks for answering!
Thanks Walky. Was wondering if she kissed Ruth on the cheek or whispered something into her ear.
I’ll give ’em this: it feels very genuine that the best and worst parts of them are all tangled up together. It’s not every day that someone can make vigilante theft– with just a hint of emotional blackmail (“I’ll keep stealing stuff until you tell me you like some of it, uh huh”)– into something weirdly charming. And Billie herself probably doesn’t know how much of this is trying to pay Ruth back for the way she’s wronged her by not sticking to their agreement and how much of it is genuine attraction. All that said, I’m in the “ticking time bomb” camp, here. Neither of these two are good enough at managing their emotions for this to look stable.
Maybe at their five-year reunion?
+1
WIN.
You’re missing the “yet!” Sure they’re screwed up now… But- but- but maybe they’ll work out their issues!
Plus they’re both super stubborn and determined people.
Willis, be honest. Was Billie taking that small swig at the end of Parent’s Day weekend just a red herring?
You know this fits well since its valentines day week, but also depressing because its a reminder that some of us are alone this week
You’re looking at it the wrong way. Yes, you don’t have a “special someone” to be around for Valentine’s Day. BUT, that’s a bunch of money saved. And hours you can use doing whatever you want. And you can just buy yourself candy if you want to.
And the candy goes on sale the day after!
Yanno what you do then? Do something about it.
I’m not say be forever alone, but one thing to do is not give a fuck about others habing significant others while you’re on your own, praying for someone to be at your side. Because that’s not cool. That’s self-pity. Don’t sweat having someone for one day of the year, because chances are a lot of people that DO have someone are burning holes in their wallets.
If you ARE afraid of being alone on Valentine’s day, then ask someone out. Simple as that. Walk up to a girl in a restaurant in Philadelphia, ask the cute waitress if she has a boyfriend. She don’t? Ask her out. On the spot.
Forget trying to know someone before you ask them out on a date. Screw what’s conventional. Do not allow some holiday that’s supposed to be built around buying someone an expensive-ass diamond necklace but is supposed to be about one of the bloodiest massacres in human history that SOMEHOW never gets mentioned, coincidentally enough.
None of this “Oh, it’s Valentines day and I’m by myself” stuff. No more.
Yes, because “stop it!” is such a good way to help people deal with depression and social anxiety.
Thank you! +50 heaven coins for you, good sir
I am definitely not trapped in the DoA comments to avoid thinking about life right now…
What if we were supposed to have a date on Valentine’s day and blew it earlier in the week? WHAT THEN?!?
Both realy genuis ways of turning V-day around, but I’m not ubset about it I just use it as an excuse to hit on someone
Hey man, do your thang. I think what Ragnal was mainly saying is that people in your situation seriously need to stop complaining and acting like they’re helpless (not necessarily you).
I should introduce you to some women I’ve hit on to tell you about how helpless a man can truly be.
Yeah, that was it. Not sure where the “stop telling people with anxiety to knock it off” came from because that wasn’t even close.
I just hate people, myself included at some point, complaining about having nobody to love on one day out of the year. It just feels so “woe is me”.
Many people with the “Valentine’s day makes me sad” outlook have depression/social anxiety that interferes with them landing dates. On top of that it’s a horrific vicious cycle – you ask a girl out, blow it because you’re too inexperienced with relationships/too anxious, and then get even more depressed, more worried about next time.
Your comment can be read as directed at those people. Then you use phrases such as “do not give a fuck”, “don’t sweat”, “forget trying”, “do not allow”, “none of this”, “no more”, that all read as “knock it off”
To put it another way, someone who is emotionally healthy probably doesn’t need any of the advice you gave, but it was possibly too stern for the people who would benefit from it the most.
YES!
Now kis….wait, nevermind.
Good job Billie…I’m just gonna sit back and enjoy panels 3-5!
Shouldn’t you use a Joe avatar for that post? 8~P
Unfortunately…I don’t have the ability to change my gravatar
So I have to work with what I got.
Plus, I like my Walky gravatar!
Oh my god. You just made my night.
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
This! Exactly this.
I would be snarky about that note.
But…
…thank you. Because fucking finally.
Oh, yessss *_*
Btw, every time someone says Ruth/Billie are wrong and not healthy make me remember this is the begining of Billie’s (and most of the cast) college life. I remember the people of my first semester and… god, it’s like prehistory.
Kids, remember Mrs. Keener and his words of wisdom!
“…at least they had fun, right?”
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/04-just-hangin-out-with-my-family/footforward/
Am…am I going to not cancel my Slipshine account?
Wow that sounds awkward. What I meant was: Does this mean I’m not cancelling Slipshine?
Good idea, ehh execution.
You’ll get em next time
And thus, after a significantly delayed launch due to catastrophic engine failure a partial flooding of the decks, the SS BillieRuth sets off on its second maiden voyage. Let’s all wish them the best of luck and ignore the giant ass hurricane clearly storming there on the horizon just a little past the ten thousand icebergs strewn across the seas.
Better late than never, I say.
Bon voyage.
On the one hand, I’m excited because LESBIANS! (and I love enemies-become-lovers type romances) but….. I’m really just waiting for Billie to be found out and things to go sour. This happening is just going to make that moment all the worse so please let it happen soon…
Yeah, their relationship has been pretty close to textbook Tsundere
YESSSSS!!!!
Well, I predict that this strip will get so many replies that they’ll break this board :3
If you are persistent enough you can change somebody’s orientation.
Billie has seemed Bi from the beginning regardless though, she was very interested in Sal, and when Ruth kissed her the first time it seemed like she shoved her away with some hesitation.
Keep in mind, booze was present in one or more of the aforementioned corsumstances
….I’ve gotten pretty severely drunk a time or two. Never really got the urge to kiss dudes while so.
Or not.
Hrmmmmmm…
I don’t know about that one.
This didn’t happen just because of Ruth’s persistence, and Billie isn’t really changing her sexual orientation (we could go into what she ‘identifies’ as, and that this could be temporary [“experimentation] etc.)
Sorry, I didn’t mean to be all cray about it. Just wanted to shine some light
Nah, Billie’s been confirmed bi since she made a drunken pass at Sal.
You can’t spell “Billie” without “Bi”!
Billie, over the course of this comic, has asserted that she’d rather do Sal than Walky, blithely recommended trips to Lesbian Bone City as a solution to interpersonal problems, tried to kiss Sal, told Joyce that everyone is bi-curious, and her first reaction to Ruth kissing her that first time was to kiss her back. And the objections she’s expressed to that have never had anything to do with the fact that Ruth’s a girl, but only, “bongo shouldna shoved me.”
I’m invoking #3: http://www.dumbingofage.com/about/
(though the introduction is also a good read for those freaking about so-called “spoilers”)
I was worried about things re. Walkyverse comics getting spoiled for me since I haven’t read those comics yet. I know they don’t affect what happens in DoA. I had thought you had said to avoid spoilers, but I was thinking of rule #3, and found you said elsewhere that rule #3 wasn’t about spoilers. Again, my mistake on the spoiler thing.
Mostly rule #3 exists because folks will think stuff from the other comics are spoilers when they are not. It’s to avoid confusion.
The Walkyverse comics we’re talking about are nearly a decade old, have been printed in books, and have been republished online recently, so I kind of think they’re fair game. At some point, the onus is on the reader to read old stuff if they care about being spoiled about it.
Billie was literally the poster girl for Bisexual Awareness Day in Walkyverse, and orientation holds across universes (Pretty much the only constant, it seems).
if you are persistent enough you can ignore bisexuality
ITS ABOUT DAMN TIME BILLIE.
Excuse me. I’m going to go squee till I explode.
This will end in tears. sweet, delicious tears of agony. I’mma get a cup!
Agreed… on the first part.0
oh god yes finally
EVERYTHING IS AWESOME
EVERYTHING IS COOL WHEN YOU’RE PART OF A TEAM
EVERYTHING IS AWESOME, WHEN WE’RE LIVING OUR DREAM!
The rest of the song probably counts as Walkyverse Robin’s theme song. The chocolate frosting part is what made me think of this.
Now ki— oh…….right.
Yessss
That is as simple as her kiss gets.
I needed this in my life
200 comments in a little over an hour. Wow.
…I’ll be in my bunk.
See. I’m reaaaaaaaaaaally hoping they don’t bang right now. I made a god awful bet that they would by Jan 31st 2014. If I lose right here…
I WILL.
STAB.
EVERYTHING.
*I already lost but that if I was only friggen 2 weeks away from -winning-… fffffffffffff
Dude, if things are that bad, just stab the people you made the bet with and take their money. You get back what you lost, and significantly less stabbing involved.
Maybe he or she likes the stabbing?
…would it be too much to ask for large versions of all five panels?
I thought the fire alarm was going off. Turns out it was just the entire fandom of DoA simultaneously squeeing.
Not I O.o
yessssssss.
So seems to me Billie was trying to decide all day whether to do this. This just sorta made the decision easy.
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-4/01-the-only-dope-for-me-is-you/simplicity/
Now that I think about it, Billie was basically indirectly responsible for every major shift in relationships we’ve seen today. She’s like the sex-whisperer or something.
Cute! (Well, a bit unorthodox how the relationship plays out but eh. Either way Billie’s becoming more tolerable. *shrugs*)
Uhm, I’m probably going to sound super dumb but whats this about Billie and a DUI? Was that mentioned before and I was dumb and missed it or is this a first mention…?
I feel as if Billie might have mentioned this to Ruth before…
Billie told Ruth about it back here, during their chat in Ruth’s room after Billie pulled the fire alarm. Though Ruth already knew, which possibly explains her behaviour towards Billie from the beginning.
Aaah! Okay, I knew I was missing something!
Thanks so much!
too sleepy to read all the comments what?
As much as I’d say ‘And Ruth tastes the beer in the kiss’ I doubt it…Billie’s smart enough not to drink in the open where adults and goody-two-shoes like Joyce would see, and she -just- got back to her room, sober. Buuuuuuut I’m sure somehow the booze will be discovered soon…maybe not tomorrow…but soon…
For now: SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE~!
“Hey is that alcohol on your breath”- Ruth
THANK YOU WILLIS
If I may add; “Thank you Willis !”
I’m sure no one calls the place University of Indiana, but Willis, you missed an opportunity at a really subtle joke there. You have the setup and everything.
I don’t know what that joke is, but I’m sure it’s not worth getting beseiged by snarky comments about getting the name of their school wrong.
Damn UI = D.U.I
…wait shit he didn’t make that joke!? I totally misread it as that and then LICKY STYLE and I was too busy squeeing to make sure I read right.
^that
And then a truck crashes through the wall!
And passes out Kool-Aid! YEAAAH!!
*comic book guy voice*
Best. Alt-text. Ever!
What’s it say? I’m on mobile.
“You’re welcome”
Thanks Willis!
you’re welcome
Does anyone else think she told her right before the kiss?
Willis affirmed cheek-kiss further up.
UUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_xjBAd5G84
Dammit Billie, no…
Oh god! This is exactly what I wanted to happen! This is awful!
FINALLY somebody managed to shut Ruth up!
What’s going on in the third panel, is she nuzzling?
Looks like a kiss on the cheek to me.
I do like that 4th panel. Probably my favorite drawing in the entire series.
You misspelled 5th.
(“It’s even in my gravatar!”)
Hey, what do you know. Thought I’d screwed that up last night when I went to bed. Sweat.
Did you know that it’s endearing and humorous to write ” ___ and ___ PERFORM A SEX!” every time anything romantic happens in the comic that clearly was neither written or drawn for the purpose of titillation?
Because it’s not.
Seriously.
It’s not.
4th grade humor go!
someguy and a katana PERFORM A SEX!
Shoulda used more lube…
Incidentally, anyone wanna drive me to the hospital? I kinda can’t really sit or use my legs at the moment
I don’t know if titillation is exactly what Willis had in mind, but the alt text implies he is aware of the keen interest in Billie/Ruth intimacy.
You know what, scratch that. One of the DoA banner ads was Ruth slamming Billie into a locker and then kissing her. Titillation is absolutely part of the equation here.
The alt text, to me, suggests “you’re welcome – I finally made a popular pairing canon.” I mean, it could be, “you’re welcome, I showed you girls kissing,” but the former seems more likely considering we’ve seen them kiss before.
And titillation =/= interest in their relationship/drama.
your username is basically “ninja rick”
why are we listening to ninja rick
Ninja Rick has good ideas sometimes. Like stabbing that one guy
I just realized that that could be construed as a threat, when it was intended as entirely facetious, and I apologize.
FINALLY!
And the crowd goes wild, sceaming “Thank you Willis”!
It’s about time
…Ruth is totally going to taste the alcohol Billie’s blatantly just been drinking and EVERYTHING WILL GO WRONG.
Yay for pessimism.
I really do like how, in spite of how incredibly messed up this is (I’m not complaining!), Willis manages to avoid the uglier aspects this could have had.
There are obvious issues of abuse involved when we consider both their relative power-imbalance (Ruth being a RA with access to Billie’s records) and Ruth’s history of physically, verbally and psychologically harassing Billie.
Yet, at the same time, Willis has made sure to always draw Billie as taking an active part in the two of them making out. Here we see her (insofar as action can be conveyed by static pictures) take the initiative in kissing Ruth and directing her head. Likewise, in the comic after “Recalculating”, Billie’s hand was on Ruth’s chin and directing the action.
If Ruth had been the one holding onto Billie in that comic, or Ruth being the one to initiate here, the overtones of sexual assault would be much stronger. However, by showing Billie as taking an active and participating part, we can know to some degree that Billie does enjoy and desire what happens.
(Lest I blame victims of sexual assault for enjoying it too much, there’s obviously a tangle of very serious issues of hate, self-loathing and guilt involved that makes this pretty messed up. But we knew that already. I hope.)
Well, having slept on it, I’m still all “Squee!” about this.
(This almost makes up for another big ship of mine, that was already floundering dangerously, totally sinking yesterday… Stupid Finn the Human. He totally Danned up things with FP! Of course! That explains why Dan’s actually acting all competent now! He and Finn switched mojos!)
Anyway, here’s hoping that something in the next strip or two doesn’t totally mess this up. Billie, please don’t have beer on your breath or obvious bottles lying around! And please tell Ruth about your slip up, and redouble your efforts! You had three days, you can do it again!
Willis, don’t make me say, “Damn you, Willis!”
Enter Sal walking in on her roommate and Ruthless going at it.
Well, so much for going to bed early tonight.
Once you got the taste of that sweet sweet porno cash, there’s just no stopping you, huh?
This was written and drawn before the porn even was.
That’s as may be, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t still use this situation (if a canon consummation is forthcoming, and you don’t ruin this for us all and make us all scream a cry of, “Damn you, Willis!” that will be heard throughout the heavens) for a future one.
(Heck, could almost be enough to make me consider getting a Slipstream account… Pity you can’t include these in the books, placed where they’d go in the chronology… If I had to spend money on Dumbing of Age, I’d rather it be on a physical product, rather then on an paid website I’d rather not have an account with. Ah, well…)
Oh… By the way, don’t take, “If I had to spend money on Dumbing of Age…” as an implication that your works have no value and are not worth spending money on… Someday, I probably would like to have a few of your books on my shelves. They’re just not in my budget at the moment!
But someday… Oh yes, someday…
The most unmasculine sound of glee just erupted from my face.
DAMN YOU WILLIS (also thank you Willis).
THANK YOU WILLIS
*squee*
I didn’t read all the comments but did anybody note that this caring is a side to Ruth that needed to come out. This shows that there is goodness in everybody – it just needs the right circumstance to be drawn (hehe) out. Except, of course Amber’s Dad – he is just scum and should be put down (incarcerated) like the rabid dog he is.
I sense glasses clacking.
That would be hot.
D’AWWWW.
*NOW* THE SEDUCTION IS COMPLETE
“Dear Diary,
While on the whole I continue to find “killing with kindness” much less satisfying than my usual methods, I am rapidly becoming a fan of the fringe benefits of doing so. In related news, Billie has proven to have a far more diverse skillset involving her tongue than being a snarky bongo. Far, far, far more diverse!
All in all, I may be satisfied with just one of her femurs in regards the beer I tasted on her breath. We’ll see how the night goes.
Ruthless”
Memoirs Of A(n) RA-sha?
Coming back to this a couple of hours later, I’m actually struck by how neatly it parallels the first time these two ended up kissing.
First time around: Billie challenges Ruth point-blank to define what the hell their relationship actually is. Ruth starts out pissed off – Billie has been a convenient target for all that residual rage, a selfish alcoholic who’s shown no remorse or inclination to kick her bad habits.
Then, the strip title: “Recalculating”. We’re not privy to her inner monologue, but it’s easy to imagine her realizing that, wait a minute, in a messed-up sort of way, this girl is actually closer to me than anybody has ever gotten before. She knows about my alcoholism and depression. She’s expressed concern for my well-being, despite my crappy treatment of her. She may be the only person on campus I can be myself around. We could actually be friends, or even…
This time around, Billie’s the one doing the recalculating. Unlike Ruth, she’s had a couple of days to wrestle with the topic, but again there seems to be that moment where she suddenly realizes, you know what? This girl is closer to me than anybody else in my life right now. She’s genuinely grateful for my help. She’s trying her best to make amends. Trying to understand me. Forgives me for what I’ve done. Would move heaven and earth just to do something nice for me. And we both know she finds me attractive. So…
I don’t know whether those parallels are intentional or accidental, but it works pretty beautifully when you think about it like that.
Their relationship is heavily based on being the only person there to satisfy each other’s needs for love, respect and understanding. Ruth feels alone and alienated, having no friends or parents. Billie is the only person who shows her any kind of sympathy and concern for her dead parents.
Billie feels alone and defeated, having few friends, absent parents and having lost her social standing and cheerleading position (which is core to her self-worth and self-image). Ruth is one of the few people who has tried to be her friend.
At least, that’s my interpretation.
I am so happy right now.
This is gonna end in tears and yet I can’t stop squeeing.
DAMN YOU WILLIS!
Can’t believe I didn’t check this last night, because now I’m hyperventilating at the office. Whoops.
“Love…look at the two of us…strangers, in so many ways…”
OMG yaaaay finally muh ship!
Thank you Willis!
I sense a lesbian porno coming this way.
… please please please make this happen, willis..!
Frantically they enter her room, both racing to get undressed, but then as they make their way to Billie’s bed Ruth slips on an empty bottle and breaks her collar bone. What hurts her even more though is that Billie has been lying to her. She never trusts again and burns the dorm to the ground.
Ruth breaks her collarbone?
Not her femur??
Willis.
Thank you. This is why I’ve reading this comic for four years now.
(Well, that, and many other things.)
Have I ever mentioned before how I admire everything you do?
This will get a hell of a lot worse before it gets better, so here’s a preemptive “DAMN YOU WILLIS!” for the inevitable heartbreak
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*breath*
SQUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
My take on the last three panels:
3: Ruth system overload.
4: Ruth bluescreen.
5: Ruth reboot.
Minor complaint Sir Willis, your last button isn’t working properly. I am using Explorer 9, if that is of any relevance.
“Daisy….Daisy….give me your answer….do….”
I thin Daisy would love to see what these two do.
*think
About time! Now it’s time to see everything crash and burn :’)
And the fandom rejoices!!!!
Shipping couples, they’re everywhere!
This is breaking my heart because once she finds out Billie hasn’t been as sober as she thinks she’s been shit’s gonna get ugly…maybe.
Sure, they’re happy now, but what’ll happen when Ruth discovers Billie’s still drinking?
Also, 10:1 says this is a dream sequence.
Cue appropriate sensual music!
Ah Guilt and Emotional Fragility, the best form of aphrodisiac.
And you can’t buy it bottled at the grocery store, well I can but only because as a Wizard I have certain contacts.
“cant buy it bottled”
It’s called whiskey. Sure some states only have wine at the grocery, but the point stands.
more like ABONED amirite?
I wonder how much booze was involved.
ALL THE ROMANCES ARE HAPPENING IN ALL THE COMICS AT ONCE. I literally squee’d out loud at this one. Help.
Smooth, Billie. Smooth. Who needs words… Shall the “squee” commence now.
Ruth and Billie – chronically RIGHT.
On one hand… awwww.
On the other hand… cuteness does not resolve the concerns about a relationship. She’s given us enough to worry about here to be interesting. There’s displaced rage and an urge for vengeance, risk taking, getting her to share in a crime and leaving her with the evidence…
AAAAWWWWWW YUUUUSSSSSHHH
Greetings from the future: y’all are fucked.
I’ve been waiting for that last panel for SO long. I really hope Billie can earn back Ruth’s trust somehow.
I wanted this to happen way back when Ruth threw Billie into a couch. It all got rather psychotic after that, and I think they both need therapy, but I’m going to cheer anyway. Yay smoochies!