From August 7th, 2020 to January 12th, 2021.

Bereft and reeling from their recent discovery that they have Dissociative Identity Disorder, Xanthe is homeless for two weeks before moving into their new apartment and begins preparing it for life with their long-time partner, Alex Lovelle, aka AJ. It was Rowan’s suggestion that AJ move to Rochester to be spared from the likelihood of dying in the streets, but AJ’s care becomes solely Xanthe’s obligation.

Xanthe finds solace in the early days of this very blog as it gains unexpected traction. However, the Faerie House is still on the attack, relentlessly stalking, harassing, and lying about the Living Fiction System. And to make matters worse– bed bugs are discovered in the new apartment.

Xanthe’s goal: To stick around long enough for AJ to get a job and their own apartment, then shuffle off the mortal coil once and for all. But as Xanthe digs into their past and comes to understand their system, they begin to learn that they’re not the Faerie House’s first victim.

Through the Faerie House harassment, Xanthe relies on old and new friends and familiar vices for comfort. Their ordeal has left them with a profoundly-reduced ability to front and a deep distrust of Xhaxhollari. It turns out that their most immediate problem is that the flat is taken over by a life-sucking money-pit that that seems to live to cause irritation and violate boundaries. Not to mention, there are bed bugs.

• August 7th, 2020: Xanthe begins to realise that they have DID. Not everyone is a fan.

  

• August 10th, 2020: AJ expresses worry about Xanthe’s condition causing random switches involving Littles during sex, a bizarre and specific concern. AJ clarifies that when they agreed to move in with Xanthe, they only agreed to move in with just Xanthe. https://living-fiction.com/2022/10/28/i-think-i-might-have-did-august-of-2020-xz-and-xii/

• August 18th, 2020: After two weeks of homelessness, Xanthe moves into the new apartment and begins to prepare for AJ’s arrival.

• September 4th, 2020: Xanthe reconnects with Casey, who had been cancelled in very much the same manner as Xanthe was. The two friends are able to vent and support one another.

  

  AJ expresses that they don’t wish to ever speak to any of Xanthe’s alters. Xhaxhollari expresses that he doesn’t feel comfortable sharing a home with AJ.

  https://living-fiction.com/2022/11/11/dread-i-mean-excitement-august-10th-to-september-5th-2020/

• September 10th, 2020: AJ, telling Xanthe of a mysterious rash, journeys the last stretch before arriving in Rochester, New York.

  

• September 11th, 2020: Xanthe and AJ celebrate AJ’s birthday. AJ begins to worry that the rash may be MRSA while they’re unpacking.

• September 16th, 2020: AJ discovers that the apartment has bed bugs. Xanthe calls an exterminator later that week and they’re told that the infestation would cost $1300. Xanthe offers AJ $400 to get rid of the infestation themselves.

  The house is quickly packed up into plastic while AJ begins to steam and spray the house. A week into this, they dump Diatomaceous earth all over the house, not understanding how it’s supposed to work.

• September 29th, 2020: Xanthe discovers that bedbug infestations are something the landlord will cover! They wait a while more until AJ can be added to the lease as to not get in trouble for an unlisted tenant.

  

  Xanthe asks AJ to begin hiding the evidence that they’ve tried to get rid of the infestation themselves. AJ refuses, saying that they want to handle the infestation on their own.

• Early October, 2020: AJ begins taking their dysphoria out on Xanthe again, even yelling at Xanthe about how they ‘pass.’ Xanthe begins to hang out at The Spirit Room to cope.

  Xanthe begins to seek out counselling for AJ and finds a free trans counsellor. AJ refuses, as they realise they would be one of this counsellor’s first clients and felt insulted by the prospect of being a ‘guinea pig.’

• October 16th, 2020: A homeless man yelling on the street convinces AJ that they’re built undoubtedly feminine.

  At a loss, Xanthe asks what AJ wants them to do. AJ demands that Xanthe ‘fixes it.’

• Later in October: AJ continually passes along the abuses Arkady has posted about Xanthe. Xanthe announces a boundary not to hear of the household unless it was something that would endanger them.

  Feeling dysphoric, Xanthe buys a baggy sweater and expresses relief that it helps. AJ snaps at them, saying, ‘What are you dysphoric about? You don’t have tits!’

  

  AJ contemplates going to Affinity Place, but worries over being misgendered. Xanthe tries to tell them that Affinity is good at remembering pronouns, but AJ shouts at them, “YOU. PASS.”

  Sparrow, newly awakened, hears this exchange and is disgusted, comparing AJ to Kirra.

• Halloween, 2020: Xanthe posts the state of affairs to Coping, a private Facebook group.

  

  Vali is told about this and unfriends AJ, saying that AJ had been ‘dismissive.’ AJ tells Xanthe, “I’m glad you’re having fun with your blog but you have to think of how this effects me.” Xanthe comes to the conclusion that if they had to choose between the blog and AJ, they would choose the blog.