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CH10P29
Posted on 16 May 2022 by rustyhearts

Canonical thoughts of Alexis in that 2nd panel:


Another special thank you to @arbustorum on tumblr for pushing me to try using colouring tools available on CSP instead of trying to do everything all manually. The fourth panel originally did not have the tree shadow overlay, i couldn't make it work in my brain and was going to leave it. But I'm happy with how it looks :3 Who knows how much I'll enhance colours in the future >:3

13 thoughts on “CH10P29”

  1. tenbelow

    NOOOOOO I’m so afraid for what will happen!!!! I’ve been trying not to get too attached to Alex because of the knowledge that SOME THING will happen and I’m afraid she’s going to do something really mean but uuugghhh UUGGHHH

    I was prone to liking her right away I have to admit that πŸ™ I like that she has those dark circles under her eyes. I have them too, and people usually only use those for character design choice to communicate illness or stress or some sort of… freakishness, and I don’t think (???) you’re doing that here, it’s seems like just a normal feature trait she has. And this is the only time I’ve ever seen a character with those dark eyes who is just. NORMAL ha! I’ve really been thinking about it a lot. Even when I design characters I’ve been known to add those dark circles only to tired characters, despite having them myself! It makes me think how normal traits get so stigmatized in women. It’s a natural part of some of us! I’ve always loved my own dark circles, thought they’re cool, and people never give me guff for them (tho I wear glasses and that hides how dark my circles are ha) but I think about how uncommon that is. Women feel like they need to cake chemicals on their face so they don’t look sick and sad and stressed. So I like seeing them on Alex a whole lot.

    She has a really gorgeous and unique hair style too. Her hair so pretty. look at them curls.

    and then u add that little “I’d finger her in a heartbeat”… dangit rusty, dangit alexis. I’m still trying to restrain the love that threatens to pour out of me but you’ve really built such an endearing character here. Even when a person is TRYING NOT TO FALL HEAD OVER HEELS LIKE POOR JADEN… I just find myself going OOOHHH πŸ™ >_< <3

    I think more then anything I'm afraid she's going to ditch Jaden for a pathetic SCROTE. I'm so sick of bi women who do that, bi women who prioritize males over women, despite the fact women have way, way, way more to offer. I'd understand it if that was the story choice tho. Bi women DO that…. And it can be valuable to write stories to examine that specific kind of hurt. I'm a bi woman who always feels so suspicious and mistrustful of other bi women and it sucks to be that way. like right when I saw dear Alex was bi, I'm getting nervous, I'm wondering how much she likes men ugh. But like, at least Alex seems to have some sincere interest in Jaden. That's more then can be said for a lot of bi women who really REALLY prioritize and focus on males.

    i mumble softly and caress this page with quivering hands…. Alexis what are you going to doooo. With Blair I think a lot of super obvious hints have been dropped about what sort of trouble she'll stir, but with Alex I ain't seeing nothing so far. (tho that could be me missing something important)

    ALSO………………… Josie's smile in the final panel means SO MUCH. I love the contrast between that smile, and the frown we got pages ago about the concept of Jaden having a boyfriend. Oh a webcomic can feel so personal sometimes. It reminds me of my mom. She never got worried about me having a girlfriend when she found out about mine (I wasn't sure if mom was okay with that kind of thing). My mom was only ever worried about society being homophobic to me and got all fired up about me joining LGBT groups haha. But she didn't worry about my girlfriend hurting me.

    And then pair this smile, along with how quickly Josie brought up THAT GIRL in the argument she and Jaden have earlier…. really makes me think, Josie were you rooting for these two? Josie are you still feeling hostile over Alexis breaking your babygirl's heart? I just have to wonder…….

    phenomenal work as always… now i'll go walk back and comment on a few of the other pages that have come out since i needed an Internet break…..

    1. rustyhearts

      Oh man!! I hope your internet break was restful and fulfilling! It’s always a pleasure to see your name ping in my notifactions though, absolutely love your analysis.


      Re: Alexis’ dark eyes
      While I got several anons guessing that it was the case that she was ill, or on drugs, or going to die, they’re very much there for aesthetic reasons. I also have dark, dark circles under my eyes and have had many people assume the same of me, lmao. I’m glad you can appreciate them on her too, dark circle eye gang rise up!
      Her hair is an absolute treat to draw too. So so relaxing and fun.


      Re: The Breakup
      I’ve been very coy about not giving away what’s happened in Jaden’s past, but I will say I absolutely HATE cheating plotlines, it completely cheapens a characters likeability for me. So rest assured, Alexis isn’t going to cheat, and she certainly isn’t going to leave Jaden for a scrotebag <3 Plus, i never wanna portray m/f relationships as something desirable so. double no dice >:3


      I feel bi women get a really bad wrap in media in terms of their sexuality too. It’s like either they’re ‘not into labels’ whenever they show a genuine interest in women, and/or it never lasts and they end up with a scrote. So I thought making Alexis bisexual while having, and acting upon genuine, strong feelings for another woman, was the rep bi women need more.


      Re: Josie
      Ohhh I’m so glad Josie’s moment of soft smile for potential female relationship vs ‘tell me it’s not true you have a boyfriend ?!” was relatable! It’s exactly what I was going for. Especially if you consider, Josie spent her adult life depending on a man financially, and that trust was rewarded with years of struggling and turmoil after his passing. That’s the last thing she wants for her daughter.
      Love love love your theories re: their argument/heated discussion in chapter nine. So on the ball! love love love <33

      1

      1. Emma

        Ooh, Alexis will never leave Jaden for a scrote! That’s good to know! My next installment of “wacky, tongue-in-cheek guesses for what the date on Jaden’s wrist means that will hopefully make you laugh” was going to further the drama of Alexis dating M&M, only for her to break up with him for obvious reasons.

        Jaden was going to cheer, glad Alexis stood up for herself, and also celebrating her developing boundaries and romantic standards for herself. Jaden would think, “Now’s my chance! She’s single again! I can’t hesitate this time, I’m going to ask her out RIGHT NOW!!” Only for Alexis to immediately announce she’s leaving Earth to be one of the first people to colonize Mars. “How can this be?” Jaden asks herself. “Alexis has never trained to be an astronaut… has she??” Alexis announces it’s because Elongated Musk has taken a fancy to her.

        Back home, Jaden tearfully watches the news on tv as Elongated Musk and Alexis kiss before they blast off into space together, consoling herself by telling herself that Alexis is still amazing and she’s so happy for her to live out her dream of becoming the first dentist on Mars. Also, Elongated Musk blasts Jaden’s First Love, the monster truck, into orbit, because he was jealous of Alexis’s fondness for the vehicle. I’m sure we can all relate to Jaden’s pain. :'(

        It’s one of those scenarios when someone you love and deeply care for keeps dating horrible man after horrible man and you try to get her to see she is worth so much more than being cheated on and treated like a “mommy bangmaid”. But gently telling her she deserves someone better only makes her upset because you’re dissing her man. πŸ™ She subtly accuses you of not “supporting” her enough because this new man who has cheated on her 15 times already is her TRUE LOVE and being treated like dirt is part of the “bumps” in the road to love that you apparently just don’t understand. You don’t agree but you don’t want to upset your friend any further, so you drop it and listen to your friend day after day complain about each new cheating situation. You cry with her but bite your tongue about what a nasty, cheating, lying, lazy-ass bum her boyfriend is.

        Your heart aches but you feel stuck, the best you can do is be a shoulder to cry on to get her through these rough spots in her life while hoping she wakes up or at least remembers your words of warning. You lie awake at night for months, for years hoping and praying she wakes up one day because you’re so terrified for her, not only for her physical health because of all the cheating from her boyfriend, but her mental and emotional health knowing she is being treated like garbage. Then one day she calls you, excited, asking you to be their maid of honor at their wedding because Captain ScroteBag finally proposed. Not that that’s ever happened to me. lol. ha. haha.

        1. rustyhearts

          ELONGATED MUSK!!!!! New way to describe that smell scrotes carry around LMAO

          Also playing one out to you with taylor swift’s ‘You belong with me’

        2. Emma

          LOL thank you! I’ve never wanted to date my friend, I just thought she deserved to be with someone who didn’t regularly lie and cheat. I want the best for her, so my heart breaks for her. It’s impossible to convince someone they’re worthy of marrying a person who treats them with basic human decency and respect, when she believes the price a woman must pay for romantic love is accepting abuse.

  2. carpathxanridge

    AAAAAAAA i just got caught up on the past few updates, i haven’t really been on tumblr since the ban spree that hit you and forgot to keep up with leasebound and i’m so glad i remembered, i just had to leave a comment here for the first time lol. i love the shift in your art style these past few updates, it’s perfect for capturing that wide-eyed puppy love jaden’s experiencing. i will not think atm what will go wrong agakdkdka i’m just focused on how freaking adorable they are. thanks for sharing your work <33

    1. rustyhearts

      God I totally feel you there re: the banning spree. I’ve tried twice more to recreate my blog on tumblr, but it’s been very fruitless :/
      Thank you for leaving your first comment though, and checking in on Lease Bound again! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed reading and the style shift! I think puppy love is a very fitting description XD <3

      Hope you continue to enjoy reading - no matter what other sites I get banned on, I don't plan on going anywhere >:3

  3. Plum-headed Parakeet

    I really love how your art has evolved since the first few chapters. Always so happy to see you update each week! It makes my Mondays something to look forward to 😁

    1. rustyhearts

      That makes me so happy, thank you <333

  4. SilentReader

    They are SO FREAKING CUTE OMG

    1. rustyhearts

      :3 <3333

  5. janeclarejonesisgod

    this relationship is only 4 pages old–why am I crying??
    I just want our normie queen Jaden to be happy ｑο½₯ﾟﾟο½₯(>Π΄<)ο½₯ﾟﾟο½₯ｑ

  6. Crypty

    Panel Four. That mother fucker right there. That’s the moment I fell in love with this comic. Idk if it’s the style or the shading or the vibe or general sense of peace between two women in love but it got my ass hard. It’s inspired me to maybe try and make my own woman-focused comic. Idk where to start but I and going to TRY just to make something as deeply engaging and wonderful as that panel

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