#I wish I could go back and tell them how far they'll go❤️

[lattes-and-kpop]

Eight years with 3racha ❤️

[qoldenskies]

I have a theory that when Raph was outside Donnie's door, crying, apologizing, and begging for Donnie to love him; Donnie actually wanted to immediately go out and hug him, comfort him, and tell him that he loved him (After all he knows how it feels to beg and cry for love and be rejected, and he doesn't wish that on any of his brothers), but he just couldn't because of fear and trauma (He literally couldn't barely be around Raph without starting to have a panic attack and begging for his life) and he's frustrated with himself for it.

That's why the next day he forces himself and tries harder to be around his siblings, interact with them and try to physically touch them or let them touch him, even if it still terrifies him, because he is able to notice that his siblings also need comfort, and he can't fix it in his situation... (When his brothers realize this, he's going to break their hearts again 😭)

It's very much his character to try to improve because others need him more than because he needs it...

I also think that one of the keys to his healing is for his siblings to show vulnerability and how this situation has also broken them emotionally, and how they need him 🥺.

Of course, the ideal is that he would take the time he needs, focus on his healing at his own pace and because he needs it, but they don't have the privilege of "time heals all", so it can be forgiven ❤️.

yep!!! essentially!! :3

donnie especially around the second half of caged lungs HARD pivoted to focusing on nothing but their happiness and contentment, because in his work there'd always been an underlying desire to prioritize it (you know. as their breadwinner and provider. and theoretically he does every job around the house just short of easy chores; he was even the one to teach medic work to leo in CC. even if splinter was a more active parent, its not like he'd magically turn into a carpenter lmfao), but still his desire for praise was such a driving force. it wasnt complete selflessness before- i'd say it probably is now.

really its a little painful that guilt tripping is the thing that backed him into this corner, and it's the thing that's actually successfully been coaxing him out of it up to this point. he's developed a very extreme fawn response (that was almost like a worst case scenario of behavior he was ALREADY falling back on before all this happened) and so far exploiting it has been the most successful play, which uhhhh sucks!!! lol. poor dude

this'll probably be a huge problem even once they're in the clear, too. leo recognizes his assessment of not really wanting him to do his job is selfish but its also kind of fair, because i could genuinely see donnie RELENTLESSLY throwing himself into chores until his hands bleed when he thinks someone's upset with him, or is experiencing a delayed trigger he cant identify the source of, or even on days where he wakes up upset after bad dreams (which are about to become very regular, actually). as much as it sucks they'll probably have to keep an eye on him, they'll probably want him going to them before he decides to do something like that because it is a form of self-harm. no matter how necessary it may be, they dont like the idea of him having to ask permission to do things, but oh well.

[walkingstackofbooks]

DS9 5x04 Nor The Battle To the Strong thoughts (I’m re-watching, so beware spoilers for future episodes!) [9 Sept ‘23]

"Aren't you going to take notes?" Oh, Julian. 🤣 I mean, to be fair, Jake is the one who asked to write a report on him, so it's not outrageous for Julian to think Jake might want to listen to him.

Jake's internal monologue is great

"These people need you." That is the way to get Julian to do a thing, how does Jake know how to manipulate Julian so well? (I guess tbf it's a solid shout for manipulating any of these Starfleet types...)

Although, looking at Julian, I don't really think that he is listening to Jake, it seems more as though he's just trying to calculate what the right call here is.

"You're being ridiculous. Why does pregnancy always make men hysterical." "Excuse me. This is not the first baby I've had." "Excuse me. Keiko had Molly." "It's not up to you to tell Kira what she can and cannot do." You tell him, ladies!

When Quark is agreeing with you, you know you're on the wrong side, Miles XD

"That means they'll be home by Thursday. Doesn't give you much time to snoop through Jake's things." Dax is just sometimes so good. Poor Sisko, though, that cannot have been an easy decision.

I love the way this field hospital scene is shot, allowing Bashir to blend straight into the background of the confusion, and leaving the focus on Jake just standing there, completely out of place.

"I was planning to change form midair and become a Tarkalean condor." "Ah, that would have been impressive." You get the impression Sisko is clinging onto any distraction he can in this conversation.

"Humanoid bodies are so fragile." "Yes they are." OHHH, Sisko says that so softly. 😭😭 Bless him. He's so aware Jake may not be okay. 💔💔

"But Jake is 18 years old. Does your father still worry about you?" Awww, Odo <3 my heart that you don't realise parental worry is normal.

Julian, you idiot, how did you think "I'll start with a lateral incision across the thigh joint" was going to make Jake feel?! ... I guess he has been around field medics who have probably been making those sort of dark jokes all day.

oH, he chases after Jake so gently <3 :3

"There are many situations in life that test a person's character. Thankfully, most of them don't involve death and destruction." :3 I love him

"Medical personnel are fair game as far as Klingons are concerned. They'll even kill wounded right in their beds." Every time this sort of thing comes up I can't help but think of the outrage manufactured over Worf "killing civilians" back in his trial episode.

Oh, Jake. This was not the exciting experience you thought you were going to find, is it...

"And now you think bringing me back is going to make everything all right." Oh Jake. *You are not a soldier.* You're an untrained kid. This guy is dying and knows nothing about you. Of course he's judging you more harshly. But it's really not true that your actions were "wrong", you're not meant to be in this situation in the first place.

"If this story has an unhappy ending I would never have forgiven you." <3 Dax and Sisko friendship is always so important to me

"I'm so sorry." "It's alright." "No it's not. I should never have brought you here." Ohhhh these two ❤️❤️❤️ I wish we saw more of them interacting, there's barely any Jake & Julian fanfic 😭 [yes, I could write one, but shhh, I have a long to-do list, okay? 😅]

"I'm a coward." Oh noooooo. Jake. Baby boy. It's okay to be scared.

"Something's eating at you, I can see it." Julian is SO gentle and I cannot, I love him for this just so much 😭

"Leave me alone." "Okay, if that's what you want. But if you want to talk, you know where to find me." Ohhh. Julian looks so stressed -- he doesn't know what he should do to look after Jake, and I'm sure he's not feeling like he's doing the best job.

Oh, Jake. If your dad was here he would have ignored you telling him to leave you alone, wouldn't he? But Julian's not your dad, he's not going to force his way in.

The way Julian is stroking Jake's head as he comes to :333

"I'm proud of you, son." Ahhh, yes, Jake FINALLY gets that hug he's been needing all episode, and is able to accept that praise and smile about it. Ohhh, my heart <3

(Now can Julian get a hug from Sisko, please?)

(Please?)