#If you can't help you can not harm

[dmcoffee]

Just to be real a second...

If you give people crap for being homeless and trying to stay safe while they navigate out of a very terrible set of circumstances...You're objectively a bad person.

Case in point I've been playing parking lot bingo between stores the last couple of days. (IDK how many. Time is starting to lose it's meaning a little, which is a very bad sign for me...) I use parking lots for the simple safety reasons. (Lights, cameras, and some other boondockers or truckers.)

One of my part-time jobs was merchandising. (AKA I go into big box stores and put up the specialty merch. Like that display of kinderlike eggs that has a toy on one side and pudding on the other? It was for the second AVATAR movie) Unfortunately this means they know my face at some of these big box stores. And someone complained about me to my bosses and my lack of professionalism. So I'm out a part-time job. I'm already very tired from poor sleep, and busting my liquid brain trying to find a way into housing after the RV bust. (Also I had to find someone who wasn't going to charge me to tow it. I'll give that big box store it's credit, their people were gems who worked with me as far as they could.)

My point is....I'm very tired of people who see this and think punching down is funny, (A previous boss dressed up as homeless person for Halloween last year.) or professionally sound??? (Seriously. No one spoke to me, they just called my boss.)

I wouldn't wish this on anyone--and I'm not a nice person. I've wished ill on a few people in my life. But this is beyond anything a person should have to deal with.

At least I go to one of the housing offices tomorrow to get a case set up. My lost job gives me more time for that. Though it's gonna make paying for gas a nightmare...

[fun-esta]

[natjennie]

getting some responses on my post about kristen and her parents conversation, specifically the "isn't it kinda funny that helio chose you and you were the one to bring the daytime back" and I think it's really interesting how different people responded to it like. maybe it's because I live in the southern united states but. there is a lot of religion, specifically christianity, as that is the obvious analogue to the helioic faith, that is downright evil, I agree. and obviously the prevalence of it is harmful to a lot a lot a lot of people, just as it's harmful to kristen in fiction.

but you have to understand that the individual people are deluded, they genuinely believe what they're doing is right. it's really easy to be like "ugh they sicken me it makes me so mad" in a theoretical sense but. do you have drive through workers wishing you a blessed day. do you have people see your kt tape and offer to pray for your pain to go away. like. idk I just think we have to have a little bit of compassion and understanding for people that are so entrenched in their faith that they do truly believe from the bottom of their heart that what they're preaching is true. especially in a world where divine magic is real!! kristen TALKED to helio. she makes literal miracles happen on the daily. so faith in that world is gonna be heightened to a crazy degree.

obviously I condemn their human-supremacy and their cult practices etc etc etc but in that little moment I felt for the applebees. it didn't make me mad or disgusted or annoyed. it made me sad. because they saw their daughter perform a miracle of the sun and it meant nothing to her. that "that doesn't feel special at all to you?" wasn't from a place of arrogance. they weren't lauding it over kristen. they were pleading. begging her to see it from their eyes: she is the chosen one. she is a prophet of helio and has been doubting and they want what's best for her. she's their savior. she brought the sun back from the endless night. that doesn't feel special at all to you?

[smile-files]

a blackhole of happiness, greedy for the light it cannot give back

[ancha-aus]

RealAgeAU Drabble - Reminiscene

Hello everyone :3

You all know what time it is!! I think... It is time for another Dream drabble :3 @spotaus I know how much you like having dream be put through the ringer :33

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Not much to say this time. You guys ready?

*-------------------------*

All things considered? Dream had been doing okay lately.

The worst part was that he wasn't sure if he felt good or bad about it.

At least Core didn't call him every 5 minutes anymore. Seems like the outcode child finally accepted that Dream had changed. That Dream had moved on.

Hah.

If only they knew how little he had actually moved on.

Dream stands in the greyed out forest. Waiting and listening. Not even a slight breeze. No sound.

A dead AU.

He used to blame Nightmare for that, for killing their AU.

Nowadays?

Dream figures it was just the end of their AU.

Dream leans against a tree and sighs. He tries to reach out but no sounds.

On his solo trips and, as Blue liked to call them, self discovery trips. Dream had learned he could speak to trees. Though maybe calling it speaking was a bit generous.

The trees didn't use words. Just sounds and whistles and whispers that could almost have been words. Dream had still been able to understand however. He just had to listen.

Seems like that was a theme for him. He just had to listen to be able to understand.

Even so, he takes a deep breath and leaves the forest and walks towards a familiar hill.

He kept returning here. Dream wants to say he doesn't know why and that it is just his home calling back for him.

He knows the truth.

He stops by the old cut down stump and focusses on the two familiar graves.

Seems like he hadn't been the only one visiting. There are once again fresh flowers. All beautifull yellows and orange coloured this time.

Dream smiles as he sits by the graves and gently touches the flowers. Part of his soul grieves at the two graves, once of which is meant for him. But another part of his soul sings in joy.

Because there is only one monster who could have made these graves and left these flowers.

Dream chuckles as he glances at the stump "Nighty came by... didn't he?"

No answer of course. Nim has died a long time ago. Even so Dream leans back against the stump as he keeps looking at the graves, most of his focus is on his own.

Dream keeps staring at the graves as he speaks "I know you won't answer me... with you being gone.. But... I want to at least think you are listening to me. Just this once."

Nim never listened to him. Neither to Nighty. They just had to listen to her.

Look at where that lead them.

Dream watches over the grey fields and the village in the distance. "Had you already decided near the start? Which one of us you would love and which one you wouldn't?"

No answer but Dream didn't mind. He watches the village in the distance. He can't help but wonder how often Nightmare would have had to do this alone. Keep watch alone.

"Or was it an in the moment decision? Had there been a moment were you held both of us and loved us both? Or had you decided the moment Nightmare formed that you would hate him?"

How often Dream would rush off, ignoring the quiet pleas to stay wiht Nightmare.

"I think you decided from the start. Why else would you give him the name you did? Say the only thing that matters about him is how he was different from me."

Would he have seen those angry people coming? With weapons? Had Nightmare been afraid? Wondering where Dream had been? Why Dream hadn't stopped them?

"It has to be the reason. Why else would you tell me to make friends with the villagers and help them? While telling Nightmare to stay put and send them away? You must have known. Known that by making me help them and by making Nightmare deny them that they would grow angry with him."

How often had Nightmare believed Dream had abandoned him? Only for him to end up mortally injured?

"You don't deserve the grave he made." Not that Dream thinks he truly deserves one himself. Even if he returns each time to see if new flowers are left for him.

Dream once again wonders if he should leave a message for the next time Nighty visits... Just something that he wishes to talk.

But then that ever present fear returns. What if it meant Nightmare wouldn't visit this place anymore instead of answering? What if he decided it was better to completely cut their past lose from him instead?

Dream hugs his legs as he tries to remember how colourful everything had been. How beautiful it had been.

But... Dream now realises that it had just been a prison of responsibility... For both him and his brother.

A golden cage... but still a cage.

Drema snorts as he nudges Nim's grave "Yet here you are! immortalised by a grave your son made you! You know. That same son you aparently never liekd or wanted? That son made you a grave and keeps said grave clean and brings you flowers. I bet you wouldn't even be thankful for it."

Dream knocks the stump with his fist "After all! How often did you tell me that I should focus on myself? How i should focus on making the villagers like me? How i shouldn't bother to wait for Nighty to return from the river?" Nim had been trying to seperate them from the start. A dream had never realised.

Dream sighs as he hugs his legs "We were children. Little babybones and you gave us adult responsibilities...." They should have just ran. the two of them should have just disappeared into the forest.

Nighty had asked him a few times if they couldn't just leave together.

Dream should have realised something was seriously wrong. Nighty had been the one who took their jobs so seriously.

But... Dream had just said he didn't want to leave his friends in the village behind.

"I wish i could turn back time... get a redo... I would stay by Nightmare's side. I would convince him that the job you gave us wasn't our job."

Dream wonders why Nightmare had been so set on doing their job so well... Dream has ideas but none of them are happy reasons.

"What... waht did you tell him? That made him desperate to do this job well?" Which lies had Nim told Nightmare in Dream's absence...?

Dream hugs his legs "Why did you never bother to tell me?" Dream grows angry as he huffs "Why did you never bother to tell me the same? Or tell me when Nighty was near? Or tell nighty when I was near? What was it you were trying so hard to protect?!"

A memory. from so long long ago. It had been raining and Nightmare hadn't been around. Ligthning had been flashing and Dream had been so afraid. His mother had help him within her branches. protected him. reassured him he would be safe. told him...

told him that Dream just had to protect himself. protect the hope he represented...

Dream laughs as he kicks the grave of his mother. glaring at it angerly "Was it worth it?! Was it worth killing one of your sons to protect the other?! Was it worth being the cause of all this pain and suffering we both had to go through?!" Dream shakes his skull as he gets up "Nevermind. You are never going to give me answers... and honestly. I am tired of you being a part of my life in anyway. I hope you rot whereever you are now." and he walks back to the forest.

It is silent and he prefers it like that. Things had been loud and hectic.

And well...

Maybe just maybe... He had done the same as Nightamre had done.

He gets to the forest lake and immediantly spots the tiny grave.

Well not grave. Dream shies away from that word. Nightmare is very much alive after all. It is more like a memorial... Wait those can be made for living people right? drema thinks so.

It was nice. It gave him a safe place to grieve and talk about everything. to imagine Nightmare across from him and listening to him. Like old times.

Dream figures that is why his own grave nad Nim's are still up. Dream knows Nightmare has to come by to take care of both graves and Dream snorts as he imagines Nightmare just telling the two graves in all the things they had been wrong in and all the stupid lies they believed.

For now he sits down and pulls out a few little knick-knacks he had collected form across the multiverse.

Dream keeps his voice quiet. Afraid someone will hear and come ruin it "Hey little brother..." he can't forget anymore that Nightmare had been his younger twin. Yet it had always been Nightmare who took care of him. "I am back..."

finally back.

Dream traces the stone and wood structure he had made. all still in perfect condition. With the AU being dead there was no more decay.

Dream organises everything he had left before sitting across from it "Sorry it took me a while. I had a.... I had an identity crisis." he snorts "I know. ironic isn't it? Everyone was always so quick to help and guide me to be what i should be yet it helped nothing. I still ended up unsure about who i was or what i had to do..."

he looks at the snowglobe he had put down "I was always jealous of how you just seemed to have it all figured out. How you were confident in what you did. Both before and after the apples. it felt like i was failing, and i guess in the end i did fail as everything i believed had been a lie..."

Dream sighs as he leans his cheek on his knee as he keeps looking at the structure "It is stupid... I had all the help in the world, and then even the multiverse. and yet still i didn't figure it out. I still didn't figure out i was a god of balance over positivity. I still didn't figure out i was doing more harm than good..."

Dream traces the grey grass under him "I was so against picking a domain Nighty... partly because i didn't want to pick something and get you stuck with something you would be hated for. Not again... but that wasn't all."

Dream hugs his legs and confesses what had been weighing him down "I was afraid of picking wrong. No, I am afraid of picking soemthing wrong. That i will pick something and once again not understand it... How did you do it Nightmare? How did you figure out what you were suposed to do? You didn't have help yet you understood...."

Drema chuckles and rubs his cheek "Not that it matters anymore. aparently i did already pick... Reaper confirmed it for me not too long ago... a god of progress. What the hell does that even mean? What does it mean i should do? I know i aparently helped blue by inspiring him to get out of that loop but still! That was on accident! what if i once again go to far?! what if i..." he hides his face "What if i mess up again?"

Guilt and Dream chuckles "Here i go again... whining about my trouble... I don't even know what my choice and pick do you... what is even the oposite of progress?! regression? Did i make it so you are stuck with like... reset stuff?!" he sighs as he rubs his cheek and rubs the tears away "This shit is so unfair... neither of us ever asked for this. We never wanted this and no one tried to help us before yet expected us to just know."

Dream stares at the memorial. no answers of course but he does feel better after speaking about his worries.

Dream chuckles as he pats the memorial gently "But.... that wasn't why i am here. As you know... today is a special day!" he turns to his pack and pulls out a bottle. it is champagne. and a few cupcakes. he lays the cupcakes between him and the structure before putting a candle on both cupcakes and lighting them.

Dream smiles as he opens the bottle and holds it up to the grave "It is our birthday!"

Dream rubs his neck "I know it must seem weird. after all! For the last i don't even know how many years i had so many people to celebrate with and so many powers and even before that it were the villagers but... well..."

his voice grows softer and softer "I miss when it was just us. After we collected berries and fresh fruits. when we would sneak off together and sit by the river to eat the fruits together and give each other small gifts..." he pulls a small wooden statue from his pack.

Dream looks at it and rubs the wood. He had spend weeks on it. an old familiar skill now unfamiliar and feeling alien in his hands. he managed to make a small owl at least. even if one eye was clearly bigger than the other and Dream now had more splinters in his hands then ever before, even more than he first started.

He places it carefully in front of the memorial "I know it... it isn't my best work... I am going to be honest, it is porbably my worst..." he just hadn't had time to try again. He tried so many times but none of them have looked right and as time went by it just kept getting worse and suddenly he didn't have time anymore.

Dream chuckles "It sucks that i.... i didn't keep up with the hobby... I hope you kept reading at least... that you had the chance to keep reading... your picture and castle seemed to reinforce this at least... there were so many books in there! and the picture of you reading..." he rubs his arm as he keeps sitting right there "I am sorry... that you felt like he had to leave and run from your home... again..." he glances down adn chuckles "look at me... rambling... lets blow out the candles okay? I will blow out both. Don't forget to make a wish."

Drema leans down and blows out the candles on both cupcakes before putting his hands together and making his wish.

A silent whisper in his mind.

please.

please.

Just give him the chance to meet Nightmare again.

To talk to him one more time.

If only once to tell him he is sorry and that Dream loves him.

Dream opens his sockets and smiles at the grave, ignoring the tears that are leaving his sockets "Did you make a wish nightmare? Remember. No telling! otherwise it wont come true!"

Dream takes the two cupcakes and eats both before opening the champagne bottle and drinking straight from it. He isn't a fan of stuff like this but champagne is suposed to be for celebrations and well... celebrating himself and his twin seems like a good reason.

He spends his afternoon like that. just being in his old AU thinking back.

Fitting. a god of progress... stuck thinking about the past.

Dream chuckles and sighs "Blue said it is fine you know? To take time and get used to everything... I just hope... that you are doing the same... taking your time to rest after everything. I can only imagine how exhausting it would ahve been to have to do everything you did while everyone was actively working against you..." he smiles up "Good news for that though! I managed to visit pretty much everyone who knew either of us personally or about us! And i managed to explain the situation! so.. hopefully... whever you are or are planning on going, people will let you be and do your thing..."

Dream smiles at the memorial with the raised bottle "to us. to the future... and... I miss you... I am sorry i didn't make it obvious how much you mean to me..."

That had to be the reason why Nightmare hadn't searched him out yet... because he beleived that Dream hated him.

And that is on Dream. On dream for not doing a good job as brother and making it obvious that he loved his twin.

Dream hums as he leans against the stone structure "I love you nighty. And I promise you, I will make it up to you once we meet again."

Maybe that is why he is the god of progress. Because he is willing to move forwards and make it up. progress towards a new future.

Dream blinks and laughs "I bet you would have heard my title and figured it out immediantly." he giggles as he leans against the stone "Happy birthday Nightmare."

Happy birthday to me.

Dream sips the expensive bottle and enjoys the peace and silence.

*-------------------------*

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[lgbtlunaverse]

Life as a JGY stan is so hard because sometimes I want to make posts about the ways his very justified paranoia turns against him sometimes, rare moments where I think being more trusting or vulnerable would have helped but he felt like it couldnt, or talk about how his brutal survival instinct intersects with society's existing bigotries in a such a way that most of his violence is actually aimed at people lower on the ladder than him, with people like Jin Guangshan being the exception not the rule. Because he's a fascinating character and these parts of him are interesting!

But when I do that I have to live in perpetual fear of the moment that it escapes its target audience and someone takes it to go "Yeah he's a monster who fucked over everyone and is incapable of love! I wish he was killed earlier and his death was a thousand times more painful 🤪"

I mean, take my last example. Due to existing hierarchies it is, at any point, easier and safer for jgy to harm people less powerful than him instead of more powerful than him, even if the more powerful are the ones threatening his safety in the first place. Even knowing how it harms him and while working against it, Jin Guangyao is not immune to internalizing the mindset of the world he lives in. Even when killing Jin Guangshan- one man- it ends up costing the lives of 20 sex workers. You think I can bring up the sex workers in this fucking fandom? You think that will go over peacefully? The well has been so thoroughly poisoned here it feels like any conversation around morality automatically turns into a courtroom to determine a sentence for this fictional fucking character who's already dead.

[spotaus]

Hi guys, this is usually what a doodle page ends up looking like <3 (oh, and @ancha-aus thought you might like this! Not writing but certainly fuel to my fire lol-)

This one is New Age filled!!! (Close-ups abd Lore beneath the cut!)

1) Night and Cross!

Night is actually very clingy once he's a teen. He doesn't usually realize it, but around the castle he'll snake to be closer to his Knights so long as there's no one he needs to keep his composure infront of is nearby. Cross is the one who's not used to physical touch (when it's not Ink ofc) so Night in his personal bubble makes his heart melt but also scares tf out of him <3

2) Error and Night's Meeting!

Error was carrying his whole life on his back and trying not to get arrested for unintentional property damage at this point, so when he saw the chance to get back at his brother and prove he was strong enough? Yeah, he got that on chance instantly. And was VERY smug when Nightmare chose him. (Also, Error is wearing gloves, so less Haphephobia)

3) Dream and Blue designs!

I think these are good tentative designs! Dream probably has a more regal fit, but he likes to play up that rugged exile look- He's inspired by Archers, while Blue takes on that classic Knightly-vibe. Their equipment is mostly stolen from Night's troops or brought with them from Blue's home kingdom.

Also, Dream is approx Killer's height at this point, shorter than Cross and *much* shorter than Apple!Nightmare. (Hc that Skeletons tend to be tinier in stature thanks to weird monster beauty standards. Horror and Geno's fam are outliers.)

4) Horror and Dust designs!

Horror is naturally a very *large* monster. He's very malnourished when Nightmare meets him, but by the time he's a Knight Nightmare has made sure that's no longer the case. He actually loves comfy, simple clothes, but to play up the whole 'strong mysterious' bit he wears a more barbaric Knight's garb. He doesn't mind acting scary, it's more fun that way :]. Dust is very very small, and envies horror sometimes for his size, but his tiny stature let's him control his body and move a lot quicker. He's very much based on a rogue, and usually covers the lower part of his face w/ a black cloth, and the upper part w/ his hood or mask. Dust only removes both to bathe, eat, or relax in a safe location. (Ignore that I can't draw the stupid gaster blaster lmao-)

These last two were space-fillers, but Cross and his Borzoi (Windmill, otherwise known as Milly (Killer named her-)) and really bad first wips of Ccino! I think Ccino was a chubby, happy toddler, but lost a lot of 'weight' (bone mass? Magic?) due to stress and pressure and bad eating habits. So it isn't until a while after the Coronation that he starts to relax abd feel safe enough to eat normal meals (Nightmare used to guilt him into eating snacks together, but as his boss (and younger brother) he can encourage it more often). By the time Killer shows he's still not quite healthy, but he's better. As more weight is lifted off his shoulders, the better he is. (That 'beauty' most people saw was a more stereotypical slimness, but Killer never stopped seeing Ccino as beautiful-) I think he never looked traditionally underweight, so no one noticed, and it was only much later that Night processed it. (And maybe it's why Dream hardly recognized him later on-)

[six-of-cringe]

The "ohhhh fuck dolphins, dolphins are evil they kill and rape, ohh otters are evil they rape seal babies, not so cute now are they" people are like the children who would smugly tell anyone who would listen that ring around the rosie is about people dying of the plague. Like ok. Do I need to explain how high intelligence correlates with complex behavior or can you shut the fuck up on your own

[oidheadh-con-culainn]

had a really interesting convo yesterday about ethics and whether intent or results matters (eg if you tried to make an ethical purchasing choice but the business was actually exploitative as hell, does that "count") and very much came to the conclusion that sure, if you're concerned with your personal immortal soul, as a christian might be, then intention counts. but if what you're focused on is your impact on the world, then intention means nothing if the actions have negative results, right? (that doesn't mean you're to blame for them! you didn't know! but you also don't get "ethics points" for trying, you know?)

and this also got me thinking about the whole christian idea that sinful thoughts are as bad as sinful actions because. they're just not imo. maybe for the sake of your Immortal Soul they are points against you, if that's your jam. but in terms of putting good into the world, in terms of your impact on other people, the ONLY thing that matters is what you choose to do with those thoughts. there is no way that "was kind to someone who was pissing me off, for the sake of community harmony" or "helped an acquaintance with a task even though I felt resentful about the time spent doing that" is a Bad Thing for the world

and it made me wonder how much purity culture and thought policing is rooted in (mostly evangelical) cultural christianity and this idea that ethical choices are an individual thing because what matters is the impact of them on YOUR soul and not, you know, things we do because of what we owe the world around us / because of love for others / because a world where people are trying to put good into it is a hell of a lot nicer to live in than one where people are only worried about themselves

i grew up evangelical but like. fairly mild evangelical and even though there wasn't a big focus on hell and stuff, i definitely fixated on imperfect thoughts and behaviours that were putting absolutely no harm into the world, rather than focusing on what i could do to put good into it, and that individualistic vs outward-focused approach to morality has been something i've grappled with a lot as an adult. but i never really thought about it as simply as this and really that's what it boils down to. are you making the ethical choice because you're trying to put good in the world, or because it would make you a "good person" to do so? because the answer to that 100% defines whether it's the thought or the result that counts

[sergle]

btw while I’m still being annoying, my favorite example to bring up in the “hygiene products that you can just pick up off the shelf at the store can have KNOWN carcinogens in them” conversation is coal tar. This one’s still crazy to me. It’s used in anti-dandruff products for its “anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties" but it’s also LIKE. a hazardous substance... but it can still go in your shampoo bc “aww but it’s only SOME poison, it’s not like, a LOT of poison, so we can still sell it and it’s ok”

[imagionary]

Ah I really love your au and all the little details you wrote about in the tags!! Especially the little tidbit of chip painting scenery :-] I can't wait for more !

Thank you!!! 💚💚 I think Chip has a soft spot for nature, despite having worked in deforesting

[uncanny-tranny]

Harm reduction is important because people do not deserve to die or become gravely injured because of addiction, accidents, or improper care. The existence of harm reduction sights, free needle exchange sights, drug testing locations, and education is not endorcing the behaviour - it is making sure people do not die, contract bloodborne illnesses, or otherwise be put at risk. These are human beings we are talking about, addiction or no.

[dayvan]

no i sent that because right wingers (esp the agro crowd in brazil) like to repeat that vegan products contribute to it as if that was all there was to it, which unfortunately actually has people thinking soy crops are meant for vegan products (have had to argue with multiple people irl about this - it's somehow not that obvious to everyone as you might think) so i think it's important to shed light on what actually matters. vegan products are not the root of the problem so pointing out they contribute to it does not help solve the problem so much. however if people are vegan for environmental reasons i agree it's coherent to seek out products produced locally etc (i assume that's why you mentioned that then?)

i did not mean that ask to attack you in any way tho just thought it's worth pointing out.

i understand where youre coming from but i am not a right winger agro person and neither is anyone that follows me on here, i don't know what would make you assume otherwise. you are pretty much preaching to the choir. the fact of the matter stands that you'd be doing much more to help the environment by donating to environmentalist and food security orgs in brazil with your dollars than by choosing grocery chain international vegan products over, say, local farmer's market meat. (yes, that is why i mentioned it)

[lilacerull0]

i feel like reading/watching mbf immediately means knowing who i am as a person and... i cannot allow this

[monstermoviedean]

at the end of my fucking rope with "conversations" about k12 chronic absenteeism.

[everybodyshusband]

I can't help but wonder, how do you imagine the other ghouls reacting to a regressed Rain, Dew and Phantom sh-ing? And if so, (specifically Dew) do they accept the help or try to fight it?

ohhhh i also have so, so many thoughts about this, thank you for the ask, dear anon !!! (although to be honest, most of my thoughts are just unintelligible mess of Thought Soup that i can't put into words but i'll do my absolute best !!)

under the cut once again. cw for blood, discussions/descriptions of self-harm (numerous methods) in relation to regressed ghouls, INCLUDING GHOULS SELF HARMING WHILE REGRESSED

as i said in my original post, i think phantom and rain are much more easily distracted from their negative thoughts once they're regressed. that's not to say that neither of them have acted on these thoughts before, but it definitely happens less often with those two than it does with dewdrop. or... maybe not less often, but definitely more subtly.

for instance, when phantom is "big" enough in their regression to be able to talk (or at least, nod and shake their head to communicate their wants and needs), they have a tendency to refuse food because they know it will make their stomach hurt after a while. this is quickly picked up by the other ghouls because phantom never usually has any issues with food, so it's a sure sign that their regressed headspace is an upset one. in these events, the pack make sure to swaddle them up nice and tightly in their favourite nicely textured blanket and cuddle them so gently, whispering words of reassurance and love as they fall asleep. they're fairly accepting of the coddling and the help provided by their pack, but that may be because they're just so little that they can't do anything about it. the pack get worried about phantom when they're like this, naturally, but they know phantom's danger levels are fairly low when regressed; there are much bigger dangers to their health when they're in a regular headspace compared to going a few hours without a snack.

(obviously their sporadic refusal of food has the potential to turn into a bigger issue than it is currently, and the pack know that and are keeping an eye out as best as they all can. at the moment though, it's never progressed to anything worse than phantom refusing the cut up fruit cirrus and mountain offer them every few hours)

rain is a little bit more obvious in their self harm than phantom is. they do their best to hide it, but their regression makes it hard to be as subtle as they'd like. don't get it twisted though, sometimes they can be quite sneaky (they're a water ghoul with a very low body temperature; if they snuggle up with dew (or swiss) long enough when he's purposefully cranking his internal body heat up to warm rain up, they can get some pretty serious burns, and they don't even have to lift a finger to cause the pain) but most of the time they're almost incapable of being subtle about it. whether its a slip of the mouth when they're chatting away to aether, telling him that "my legs really hurt from earlier," or "wow, cirrus, i really don't feel good after drinking every single drop of that funny, burning liquid from the pretty bottle." after confessing what they've done to one of the ghouls, they're instantly bundled up in someone's arm to keep them from wandering off and doing themselves any more damage. depending on what they've done, they'll be cleaned up and gently and painlessly as possible (cutting/hitting themselves), or given a somewhat stern talking to about not drinking or eating anything unless one of their pack has given it to them (alcohol/drug consumption). whether they accept the help gratefully or try to resist it depends entirely on the complexities of their headspace. some days the pain/worry/stress that self harming causes to their regressed self is enough that they'll accept any help offered to them easily, and they want nothing more than to be looked after and loved by their packmates. but some days they're very reluctant; they don't believe they deserve the help their pack wants to give them, so they do their best to hide away and isolate to avoid being taken care of (the only downside to this is that they have the same hiding place every time, so it's very easy for the other ghouls to find a freaked out regressed rain).

and dew... my favourite little guy... oh, how i love to make him suffer :) i've actually talked about little dew, his relation with self harm, and the other ghouls' reaction to it in length with @cirrus-ghoulette, so WOW, am i excited for this opportunity to spill forth my thoughts, haha !! thank you once again, anon ! (a lot of our discussions have been centred around dew being in constant residence at the abbey's infirmary due to chronic illness things, so most of my thoughts revolve around that, for some context !!)

dewdrop does his best to fumble around with his collection of blades in a coordinated enough manner to be able to carve some damage into himself while he's regressed. over his time in the infirmary under omega's watchful eye, dew gets progressively better at hiding his self harm from omega (because he knows that omega won't hesitate to place him under intense observation if he thinks dew is in serious danger, and dew Does Not Want That), and that includes when he's regressed. he's been known to mess around with his blades under the blankets while omega's been talking to him and keep a relatively neutral face, even as he cuts little slices into his skin (he can never manage to cut very deep when he's regressed), and the only thing that gives him away are the little splotches of blood that stain his sheets. eventually, omega learns dew's quirks and mannerisms that let him know that dew is self harming while regressed and he puts measures into place to stop that from happening as much as possible.

the easiest way to prevent dew from harming is to take away his blades, but he'll always question it when he's regressed. he'll ask omega in the softest, smallest, most heartbroken voice where his "sharp fings" are when the quintessence ghoul comes in to give him a checkup, insisting that his skin feels all tingly and the only way he can stop it from feeling like this is to make himself hurt. every time this happens, omega has to gently explain that he's taken the blades away to keep dew safe because he was hurting himself, which makes dew quite distressed; he knows he's hurting himself when he does this, but when he's regressed, he doesn't always acknowledge/understand the magnitude of it until someone else puts it into words for him. he asks for his blades back every single time and omega has to insist that "no, dove. he can't give them back, he's got to keep dew nice and safe, okay?"

there are absolutely times when dew refuses to accept omega's help until he's literally kicking and screaming with tears running down his cheeks as he sobs about his meggy being so mean and nasty to him. but as much as i love putting dew through pain, i also think that regressing can also have that aspect of safeness for him. if omega offers dew help, he might not accept it right away, but if omega nudges dew in the right way, he'll practically beg to sit cuddled up on omega's lap with a plushie in his arms and a pacifier in his mouth, sleepily watching an episode of a kids tv show. and because primarily, regression dew's way of keeping himself safe (despite the fact that it's not usually a conscious decision), he's able to find comfort in that safer headspace if someone else is there to help and guide him, and move away from the one that tells him he needs to self harm.