hello! don't mind this lil note too much, I'm just crossposting stuff from my ao3 to here !

"Last week, Heather, former Total Drama reality star, made over 3 million dollars following an announcement that she would be on OnlyFans, the most amount of money earned at one time by any starting creator!"

Harold listened to the news from his parents' basement. She was finally getting that money she deserved, good for Heather, he thought. Almost ten years had passed since Total Drama Island first aired, and so much had changed since then. Harold moved out to a big city with the Drama Brothers, which quickly broke up again when they realized that they simply could not tolerate living with each other. Someone, usually Justin, would bring some random hookup over or invite a bunch of people to their apartment and keep the whole band up with their noise. The lifestyle came before the music for some people. It was much simpler living together on the show when outsiders weren't allowed.

Harold was the first to leave, and he tried to start a solo music career, but that never took off either. Something about how the market for white rappers was way too saturated. He thought about moving in with Leshawna, but surprisingly, he found that he wasn't really attracted to her anymore. Leshawna was happy on her own, and Harold was happy for her. He was happy to just be friends. However, tabloids ran with a story about Harold being rejected and perpetually in the friendzone, a delusional nerd who desperately craved a woman's touch. As if the friendzone was a bad thing, as if he couldn't be just friends with someone of the opposite gender. The gossip was frankly false, and Harold had attempted to clear the air, but it was always framed as if he was just being defensive. Fine, he thought, let them believe what they wanted. If the media didn't want his truth, then he wouldn't try to change their minds.

Harold ended up moving back in with his parents and starting college as a physics major. He was pretty content to be out of the limelight and now able to be a somewhat normal college student with a part time job and his hometown friends. He worked as a freelance karate instructor, teaching kids too young to know about Total Drama, with parents too old to know about Total Drama.

He wasn't that surprised when his mother knocked on the door to his room and handed him an envelope. Harold recognized the handwriting immediately and glanced at the pile of Total Drama related papers cluttering a table. The same type of envelope arrived addressed to him exactly five years ago, inviting him to a Total Drama reunion. This one read the exact same except for the dates and the fact that it was titled "Total Drama Ten Year Reunion" instead of "Total Drama Five Year Reunion." He knew he would have to go. Last time, Courtney had announced that she would not be going, but somehow she was tracked down and forced to go anyways. There was no way he was getting out of this reunion. But Harold supposed it wouldn't be that bad, enough time had passed that most people would probably be civil, so maybe he could rekindle some old friendships.

Harold paid and thanked the driver and approached the building where the reunion would be held. It was the same place as last time, and he remembered the food being really good, or maybe he'd gotten so used to Chef's food and his taste buds never fully healed so he thought that almost anything was good food. Another good thing he remembered was that neither Chris nor Chef was allowed to attend these events, they were only responsible for setup and cleanup and making sure that all contestants were in attendance. There was also no filming except what the former contestants themselves decided to film. And last time it was an argument between Courtney and Duncan. He wondered if another fight would break out this time. It was unlikely, he thought.

As soon as he entered, he was greeted by Leshawna with a hug, a side hug, and she ushered him towards Gwen and Bridgette, who she had been talking to. They made pleasant conversation, and he learned about Bridgette's current veterinary work. After the five year reunion, she and Geoff had gotten married, and they had one kid. Harold didn't attend the ceremony, but he sent a gift. He also learned that Bridgette had retired from competitive surfing after an injury and was now a full time vet.

Gwen was still an artist but had recently taken up photography, and she was taking official pictures for Trent and was also managing his social media. She did a lot of other photography as well, even taking pictures for Bridgette and Geoff's wedding. Gwen insisted on not being paid, but the couple felt it would be wrong not to. Gwen also made it very clear that she was not Trent's manager and absolutely detested the idea of having both a professional and personal relationship.

Leshawna continued to appear on different shows, now mostly as a guest judge. She talked about the different vibes of each of the shows she was on and how some people who looked friendly on TV were most definitely not pleasant off screen. Unlike Harold, she seemed happy with being on camera all the time.

Harold excused himself to find some other friends, maybe Cody or Tyler, or maybe Ezekiel - he wondered how he was doing. Ah, he had an idea: he would challenge himself to talk to every single person, or at least say hi. He really didn't want to talk to people like Duncan, but he'd at least acknowledge him. He spotted Ezekiel and DJ sitting at a table. They were talking and watching a small bunny hopping on the table. Harold approached them and took a seat. "Hey."

"Hey," they both responded.

DJ spoke up first, "I was just talking about my newest bunny, his name is Bunny the Fifth." He scooped up the tiny rabbit and held him out to Harold. "Want to pet him?" Harold nodded and touched his fingers to the bunny's unbelievably soft fur.

They caught up for a bit. DJ was working at an animal shelter, to no one's surprise. Ezekiel was still helping out on the farm, and he had recently gotten his GED. Harold bid goodbye to them and made his way to the refreshment table, where he nodded at Alejandro and muttered a quick "hello." That checked the box for socializing with Alejandro, and Harold looked around for his next target. He saw most of the Killer Bass in one large group heading towards him. Perfect, they would come to him.

"Hey Harold, we're taking a group photo," Geoff said. He waved his hands as if pitching a presentation, "The Killer Bass: Ten Years Later."

"Wicked!" Harold grinned.

"Great, now we just need Eva."

They posed as Gwen took photos, and Harold made sure to greet each one of his former teammates, even Duncan. He hung back with Tyler and caught up with him. Tyler had broken up with Lindsay, which was news to him, and he was currently managing a basketball team. He was a bit bummed about Lindsay but still seemed alright, "Ball is life, bro."

Harold then walked over to Cody, Trent, and Justin, saying "hi" to Sierra on the way. One more person down.

The former band reminisced about their tour, the fangirls and groupies, and Harold's attempt to go solo. Harold laughed along; everything was funnier in hindsight. Noah, Owen, and Izzy then joined the group, and the conversation turned to memories of the very first challenges on the island. The hot tub was brought up, and everyone laughed about how they'd only used it once before Chris took it away to use for himself. They were mostly talking about Screaming Gophers stuff by now, and as soon as Sierra joined the group, somehow with all the knowledge of the Gopher team, he decided to find some other people.

But first, some food. Harold made a beeline to the refreshment table where Lindsay and Beth were. They greeted each other, and Harold busied himself by piling food onto his plate. He couldn't help but listen in on their conversation.

"I kinda think we should talk to her," said Lindsay.

Beth countered, "If she wanted to talk, then she'd talk."

Lindsay was quickly convinced and she agreed, "Yeah, you're right." The two walked off as Harold realized they were talking about Heather. He hadn't seen her this whole time, though he hadn't exactly looked for her either. He looked around the room and saw Heather sitting alone at a table in the corner. DJ and Cody seemed to have just talked with her and were making their way back to the main area. Heather was the only person he hadn't greeted and he thought, as he was at one point somewhat of a friend to her, that he would try to talk to her.

Harold approached the table with his plate of food. Heather looked up, saw that it was Harold and looked back down, not making a move to do anything. Harold sat down next to her anyways and put the plate of food between them. He wasn't sure what to say.

"I saw Alejandro earlier, you guys were all over each other last time."

"So you haven't heard? We broke up," Heather stated, taking a drink from her cup.

Oof, great conversation starter, idiot. "Oh, I didn't know," Harold winced, "sorry to hear."

Heather sighed, "It was for the best anyways. As I said, 'Boys are okay, but a million dollars is way better.'" She mockingly quoted her World Tour finale speech. "He didn't want me to be on OnlyFans because he wanted to be the only person to see my boobs. As if everyone in this room, especially you, haven't seen them before. I don't get why it mattered to him. OnlyFans pays a shit ton of money, way more than this stupid show ever could."

Harold recalled the record breaking six figures that she'd gotten from OnlyFans, "Hmm, that makes sense, but maybe he felt like he had to share you with all those other people, and it didn't really feel special, ya know?" He was playing devil's advocate here, as he still regarded the eyefull he'd gotten ten years ago as very special, not that Heather needed to know.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, I do know, okay. I've heard all that bullshit before," Heather angrily dismissed his words. Inhaling deeply, she continued, "They put my boobs on national TV-"

"International," Harold interjected.

"-International TV when I was sixteen! Sixteen! And now that I do it willingly, and as an adult, it's wrong, it's 'not respecting my body.' They don't get it," she took a shaky breath, "My body doesn't belong to me. The moment I appeared on TV, my body stopped being mine."

Heather looked defeated, and Harold reached a hand on her shoulders and pulled her towards him. She stiffened but allowed the contact and soon relaxed. He never thought of it that way, but now that he heard Heather's reasoning, he somehow understood exactly what she meant. Harold's image had been dragged through the mud and slandered by the media following his failed music career and relationship with Leshawna, and that was completely out of his control. He had "won" by hiding away and attempting to live as a normal college student so that the gossip would have nothing to say about him. Heather fought back by making money off of the hate.

"So I took what little autonomy I had, and at least I'm getting paid. No student debt for me, woo hoo!" she rolled her eyes.

Gosh, Harold was a bit jealous of that. He paid much of his tuition with leftover Total Drama money and money from his job, but he was still left with thousands of dollars of student debt. Sensing an opportunity to change the subject to something lighter, he asked about her studies.

"Oh, I'm majoring in business with a minor in math. I'm going to a small community college because I can be more anonymous there, but there's still people who recognize me, even some professors. Gosh, it's kinda weird and creepy thinking that some old dude might have bought my pictures," she shuddered. "Honestly, I'm considering online classes. You?"

"Well, I'm majoring in physics-"

"Of course you are," she smiled, nudging his side and leaning closer.

He smiled back, "and I have a part time job as a karate instructor. School's actually pretty good: classes are good, job pays okay, and I get to see a lot of my hometown friends."

Heather looked distant and her smile faltered, "Friends, wish I had those."

Harold wanted to say that he was her friend, but was he really? He hadn't even known about the breakup and they hadn't really talked in years. What friend he was, isolating himself and tuning out any Total Drama related stuff and not keeping up with the relationships he formed with his Total Drama castmates. But he supposed he could be a better friend moving forward. Yes, he was her friend, he decided. "You have me," Harold asserted.

"I guess," she trailed off. "Is it sad to consider the commenters on OnlyFans as friends? Gosh, I'm so fucking lonely, and I can tell they're just as lonely as I am. They think they really know me because they've seen my boobs. And some of these people want to 'save me' from OnlyFans like it's not a real job and I should be ashamed, but those people are the closest thing I have to friends." She paused, "Ugh, it totally is sad."

"You have me," Harold repeated, more confidently this time.

At the same moment, Heather spoke, "At least I have money." She forced out a hollow laugh, but then turned to Harold who was not laughing at all. If anything, he looked a bit sad.

"Heather, I'll be your friend - I am your friend," Harold spoke seriously.

Heather countered in a similar tone, "Are you really? Or are you going to slut shame me? It's one thing to just talk about my work, and it's another to actually know and see it, okay? I've had friends before who say they're fine with it when they're really not."

"I know you feel like you can't trust people, but Heather, I just want you to give me a chance. I want to be your friend. And honestly, I'm happy that you're getting the money you deserve. I'm still a broke college student living with my parents, but you're making millions! Plus, you said it yourself: I've seen your boobs, everyone here has seen your boobs, and that literally doesn't matter."

"Yeah?" Heather looked hopeful.

"Yeah," Harold confirmed. He continued, "There were times when I thought of subscribing actually. I never did though, I thought it would be too weird, and also the fact that I've already seen your boobs, I already know that they're nice, it kinda felt unnecessary." He kept rambling, not knowing when to stop, "Did you know there's porn of us - well not you and me as far as I know - but of a lot of the people on Total Drama, of people who look like us, I mean. I've never watched it, and don't think I could ever watch it, but sometimes I search for this shit to remind myself that people out there really do this shit and make up their own realities of us. It's fucked up. You're right, we don't have control of our bodies, and it's so fucked up. So I guess I'm proud that you turned all of this into money."

Heather's cheeks were pink and her lips were quirked into a small smile. "Alright, I guess I will consider you a friend." Harold beamed. She plucked a cookie from Harold's plate of forgotten food and took a bite. "Ack," Heather spat out the cookie. "This is disgusting. Why do you have so many of them?"

Harold broke off a piece from Heather's cookie and placed it in his mouth. He chewed for a bit, not tasting anything weird, when suddenly he tasted something off and spat it out too. "Hmm, I remember these being really good last time?"

"I sure don't. Your memory must suck," she retorted. "I remember going to some sushi place with Alejandro after the stupid reunion for some real food." Heather blanched when she mentioned Alejandro. "Maybe we could go later?" Heather tentatively offered.

"I would love to. But I'm paying, m'lady," Harold smiled.

Heather scoffed, "No way you're paying."

"Then we'll split the bill," Harold declared.

Heather doubled down, "I said you're not paying. This isn't about your manhood or whatever. I'm the one with more money, so I pay."

"As you wish, m'lady."