#especially if they just experienced brain damage

[hammerhead-jpg]

Redacted demons if running at the speed of sound while carrying an injured human was a competition

[sisterdaniela]

so nowadays ive been watching some vids from 2017 and . if i speak

[howtofightwrite]

Is it possible to punch someone in the face in a way that causes visible damage, but doesn't impair them much in the long term?

It's extremely possible.

Your face is, mostly, a lot of soft tissue positioned directly over bone. This means that blows to the face, even relatively minor ones, are likely to produce disproportionately nasty looking injuries, without inflicting any meaningful impairment.

The first two are bleeding. Either from splitting the skin open, or via bruising. When there is bruising, there's also going to be some swelling (because there's relatively few places for the blood to go), so the victim has extremely visible injuries, which will be painful, but are otherwise mostly cosmetic.

Of course, bleeding from the face will look incredibly bad, whether that's from the nose, a split lip, or from simply from the skin tearing during the punch, but, again, that's going to be mostly cosmetic.

Cuts in the mouth can be a bit worse, but again, this can result in symptoms that look much worse than they are. Normally, if you're coughing up blood, that's an extremely bad situation, however, if someone has punched you in the nose and started a bleed running back down your throat, or if you've bitten your tongue or cheek, you may be literally spitting up blood, without being in serious peril.

Cuts to the cheeks and lips can also be caused by your foe driving the soft tissue into your teeth. This can also result in injuries that have difficulty clotting. The actual blood loss isn't serious, but it can be annoying if you've gotten a gashed lip that refuses to stop leaking blood for hours. (I'm speaking from personal experience here.)

A broken nose is a bit more serious. Not because they're particularly dangerous, but because it's likely to permanently alter the angle of your nose. This will also result in a lot of blood making the injury look worse than it actually is. Again, you're not going to lose a meaningful amount of blood, but it'll look exceptionally bad.

While it's less likely to occur with a punch, cuts to the forehead, even relatively solid gashes, are another cases where it will look far worse than the injury is. Your forehead is one of the most heavily armored portions of your body, and cuts there are likely to cause a lot of visible bleeding, without resulting in a meaningful loss of blood. If your body works the way it's supposed to, bleeding from the forehead should get into your eyebrows and flow around your eye, without obscuring your vision. In practice, you absolutely can get blood in your eyes, depending on your facial structure. I can't really speak to that experience, though I'd be inclined to say it's probably not especially pleasant.

Now, a lot of facial injuries hurt. Your face has a lot of nerve endings, and those are quite happy to report to your brain, when something's just caused it harm. This is especially true of your lips and tongue, as you use those organs extensively to evaluate the safety of the food you consume (even if you don't think about it.) (Chewing off a portion of my own lip to get the bleeding to stop still ranks as one of the most unpleasant bits of field care I've every experienced, and I strongly recommend not seeking out that experience.) So, this isn't without any impairment whatsoever, but in general, these aren't going to be life altering injuries, or even wounds that require weeks to fully recover from. Facial injuries are singularly unpleasant, but they are rarely serious. (Unless we're talking about damage to the eyes, or broken bones. Both of which are unlikely outcomes from punches.)

In a somewhat perverse way, blows to the face is ideal for inflicting injuries that look far worse than they actually are.

-Starke

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[twilightkitkat]

Hear me out y'all, I've been talking about multiverse shenanigans lately so what if Wade literally became Spiderman?

The TVA sent Wade on a mission to protect the anchor being of another universe, Spiderman. Except... there was a small hiccup. Wade got there right as Spiderman died. He was officially brain-dead, even if his blood was still circulating.

So, naturally, the TVA employee in charge of this universe panicked and fucked things up further. By putting Wade's conscience into Spiderman. Hooray!!

Now time to undo this shit and get back to his universe. Except... that doesn't happen. Because the portal closes and he's stuck here, with his own fucking vegetative state body. While he's in the body of Spiderman. Shit.

Fuck the TVA. And their shitty employees lie to cover their own asses and hide the fact that Wade just replaced the anchor being of another universe.

And Wade... has to pretend to be him, for better or worse. Because the mission was to get this timeline roughly where the Sacred Timeline left off. Or it'd collapse. With him in it.

(Which he thought he could do by saving Spiderman and letting him make the same decisions as he did originally, but noooooo. Now he has to imitate Peter and remember what the hell he did in the Sacred Timeline. Thank God for the fourth wall, because Wade does not share the same decision-making process as this guy.)

And Wade manages. Poorly. Especially when he has to hide his own body in the closet, which is miraculously still breathing.

But he tries! He attends high school for the first time in forever (yikes) and somehow manages to not flunk out, he acclimates himself to Peter's powers, goes web-slinging (with a much better costume, thank you), and talks to all of the right people. He manages all of Peter's tasks while trying not to focus on how much he misses his home and how he wishes Logan were here.

But it's insanely awkward. Especially when the people around him notice how weird he's been acting. Namely Peter's best friend and aunt. (And that's a whole other can of worms that Wade's trying his best to avoid.)

He nearly fucking stabs Flash with his pencil when he made fun of him, only held back by Ned tugging at his arm and asking what was wrong. (He does, however, steal his clothes after gym. Payback.) And he kind of forgets to get with MJ, oopsies! Not his type. (Especially with the whole teenager thing. And the fact that he's already kind of in love with someone. Who he misses incredibly and sometimes wonders if they'll come for him...)

He manages to meet Tony Stark around the same time as Peter and wow this is awkward. Because Wade knows what the Accords are and quite frankly, is very vehemently against them. But he grumbles and reluctantly goes with him. And manages to do a lot more damage than the original Spiderman, huh. Guess his years of experience stacked up well against a literal teenager.

His relationship with Tony would be especially interesting. Because in the original timeline, it was almost paternal. But Wade is not shopping for father figures, especially ones who are around his age and not nearly as experienced, so he manages to laugh it off. (Even if it does feel nice, privately, to be cared for.)

Everything comes to a head when Wade's staring blankly at the board in class, trying to will himself to focus. Until the teacher says a new student is coming in. Wade's been here for a few years now and he's now 18 and it's his senior year. (...It's weird to think he'd actually go to college. And it won't even fucking transfer back home, so it's all for nothing.) Point is, nobody transfers senior year.

So he looks up with vague curiosity to see a younger version of Logan.

What the fuck.

He didn't keep incredibly close tabs on the X-men of this universe (partially out of respect, partially out of fear) but he knew that they were all alive. They were more adamant about wearing masks and "protecting their identity" in this world so there wasn't much information. But apparently, Logan was just as young-looking as in the first X-men movie. Hugh Jackman really was fine, back then.

But what the hell was Logan doing in high school? Even in another universe, it's a central plot point that he's over 200 years old. He just looks young. (Not that Wade is much better, sporting the middle-aged man-turned-teenager look.)

Until Logan's eyes fix on him. He was looking at him with very intense emotion in his eyes, something Wade couldn't exactly name.

Not until he's shoved up against the locker in some shitty corner, claws pressed against his neck as Logan snarls at him and asks where the fuck was Wade and what did he do with him.

And Wade doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. Because, on one hand, this is objectively hilarious and he's really happy to see his Logan had somehow possessed this one. But on the other hand, he kind of isn't immortal right now and he doesn't want to test his luck.

So he manages to spit out the story. And Logan stares at him with shock and then trepidation and then genuine relief and suddenly he's hugging him and clinging to him and burying his face in his neck and oh shit is he crying?

They stay there even as the next bell rings, dropping to the floor and just sitting together.

All goes well until Ned comes looking and finds Wade with Logan leaning against him, head on his shoulder, and holding his hand. And now he has to explain to his aunt, to his best friend, and to his mentor who the fuck Logan was and why he's following him everywhere now. ("Don't worry! Him and I go wayyyyy back, he's been my online friend for years. He just transferred here recently, sorry I forgot to say haha...")

And then it just devolves into everyone being vaguely shocked as Logan and Wade act super affectionate while trying to figure out how the hell to escape the timeline. Not that Wade doesn't appreciate not being in pain constantly, but he kinda has a life back there. And yeah, these people are attached to him (and he's started to care too) but they don't really know him. They just know he suddenly became a master in fighting and insanely competent (and kind of fucking crazy) one night after getting a concussion. Hell, Mr. Stark only met him in the suit for the first half of their relationship because Wade was wayyy better at keeping his identity a secret than Peter.

It'd just be interesting to see how canon would diverge and how the characters would react to Logan suddenly coming in and insisting on being a fucking guard dog at all times. Everyone is vaguely concerned and thinks that "Peter" is in a toxic relationship where the other party is demanding until they see how reciprocal it is. (And what the hell?) And how they seem to get each other and make odd references and somehow share the same edgy humor brand.

[macgyvermedical]

Anosognosia

I want to introduce you all to the concept of anosognosia, and what my experience of it has been.

So first of all, what is anosognosia? It's a symptom where you can't identify (or have trouble identifying) your own deficits related to a mental or physical illness.

A lot of times we take for granted that we have an accurate picture of what our bodies and brains can do, which is updated based on new information. But with anosognosia, the part of the brain that does the updating gets damaged, so we're stuck accessing an older version of this information.

It's really common in severe mental illnesses, but it's also seen in brain injuries, strokes, dementia, and even blindness. About 40% of people with Bipolar disorder and about 50% of people with Schizophrenia experience it.

It can be constant and complete, where you have no idea your brain isn't working right, and no matter how much you're told about your condition it doesn't make sense. It can be really difficult for people with this kind of anosognosia to remember to take medication or want to take medication at all- after all, why take medication if there's nothing wrong, especially if there's side effects to the medication. They usually have to rely on external cues or motivations, such as "when I take my medication consistently, I keep my job." They also have to have a lot of trust that the people helping them make decisions actually have their best interests at heart and aren't mistaken about their condition.

It can also be partial, where maybe you have an inkling that something isn't right, enough that you'll question things that seem off or trust when other people say you're acting weird. But it's not always that simple. Some people go back and forth- one day understanding that they have an illness, the next not. This can be frustrating for the person and for the people around them.

My experience is partial anosognosia. I can describe what I'm experiencing, I know it's abnormal, but there's so much doubt that I never feel like I really know for sure. What if everyone in my life is mistaken about what's wrong with me? What if my psychiatrist is just humoring me? What if my wife just wants to have someone to take care of so she's convinced me that I'm crazy? I don't know. Maybe I'm secretly lying about the whole thing?

Knowing that I have anosognosia has really helped, but again, it's just something I have to trust is correct and base the rest of my thoughts around.

[raconteur-wanpi]

ONE PIECE 1123

Dear lord I have so many thoughts I don't even know where to begin. This was a pretty short and lower stakes chapter compared to all the chaos and the bombs that came before it, but I think despite that, it gave me more revelations and thoughts than some of those ones did. It's all vague stuff like, it's soup in my brain but it just keeps getting more interesting.

Starting off with S-Snake continuously showcasing normal human behavior. I really like the insistence of the story of honing in that the Seraphim are, in fact, people. They are children. Their existence is horrific and it IS supposed to make you feel uneasy, especially comparing them to the rest of MADS' history of experiments. I do think, in a story about freedom, that these authority-chip-ridden-kids will eventually seek out their own freedom and independence to be people instead of weapons. Alber himself was a victim of MADS' experimentation, so was Kuma, Sanji, Mocha, every victim of the Smile fruits, hell- Bonney was a victim of the science of the Gorosei / Saturn. It's very interesting to continuously see Stella's role in all of this, and how Oda showcases that you could put the nicest guy alive into the same system as the most wretched monsters, and they will produce the same results. Which does bring me to this realization moving forward:

Sanji is in fact the person that was closest to the events of Vegapunk's death. He is specifically chosen out of all the strawhats to be the one to grapple with Vegapunks decision and sacrifice, and he is the only member of the strawhats to have experienced the horrors of MADS firsthand. I find that very interesting, it's looking at that dilemma of morality again. How do you judge a person who has spent years creating weapons of war, even if it's been the result of his naivete? How does a person who realizes what he has done, redeem himself? Death? Sacrifice? Admitting you can only throw your life away to undo the damage, to the face of someone who you know understands the horrors of such science? I don't know, it's interesting.

Going back a bit however, I think my favorite page in the chapter, is this. My god. Luffy thanking Emeth, full of joy, smile across his face in his Nika form, juxtaposed to the Iron Giant's dark unresponsive face. It's so moving and joyful and sad, genuinely. The brightness of the sun against the shadow of a sacrifice. Emeth in his "death" looks somehow both content and saddened. Luffy's recognition and gratitude towards him. OK. I'm fine. Damn.

Back to Vegapunk, this has been wild to see said textually when I've seen many people, myself included, discuss it. "Evil" and "Greed" being the two things Stella ended up leaving behind, despite his best efforts to do good. He recognizes greed was his downfall, his desire to continue building and discovering, without thinking about the consequences of it; just what we discussed earlier. It's also interesting that they all suspected Lilith at first, but she turned out not only to be innocent, but also a valuable ally in the battle and the only other survivor. Lilith leaving the garden, Stella being the forbidden apple (of knowledge) that brought about the downfall, the Gorosei being demonic entities that entered that space, it definitely is all very biblical. I wonder if Lilith will see a path towards becoming a more complete person, rather than, as Stella says here, a compartmentalized personification of "Evil". Similar to what I hoped for earlier with the Seraphim and Kuma (or even the Vinsmokes if you want to go there), a manifestation of full (rather than artificially partial or removed) personhood.

This is something I've been thinking about the entire time as well! Is Vegapunk really dead? Is it just his body? What does it mean to be able to keep your consciousness separate from said body? Within other people, even? Is he really dead as long Lilith and York are around? Is Stella himself, still in there, in Punk Records? Could you bring him back? Much to think about.

Aaaand closing in with my second favorite moment from this chapter. The confirmation we're going to Elbaf! Usopp being help up by the giants! His arc begins! I am so so giddy. I know I'm biased considering he's, well, my favorite One Piece character but, god. I am as nervous as hyped. I am so, so excited. This is delightful, he deserves this!

[the-guilty-writer]

Can't Lose Her Too

Request from anon: Hotch x daughter reader when her depression is really bad  and she barely eats and sleeps all the time and doesnt want to see anyone or do anything??

Aaron Hotchner x daughter!reader

Summary: When your depression hits, your father’s ghosts come back to him.

A/N: Did I intend for this to be Taylor Swift related? No. Did it happen that way? Yes. Yes it did.

CW: reader has depression, mentions of reduced food intake, mentions of Haley and Foyet, lots of sad Hotch

---

When my depression works the graveyard shift All of the people I’ve ghosted stand there in the room - Taylor Swift, Anti-Hero

---

Aaron got home early for once- around 7 o’clock instead of the usual 9 to midnight. In addition to that, it was a Friday and Strauss had a different team on call that weekend, which meant no interruptions, no emergency cases, and more time with his kids.

He unlocked the door, stepped into the house, and was immediately greeted by Jack’s arms around his legs, throwing his balance for a second.

“Hey, buddy.” He smiled and ruffled his son’s hair.

“Hi, daddy.” Jack beamed up at him, his small arms still wrapped around his father’s legs. Aaron put down his briefcase by the door and picked the boy up- Jack was already 5 years old, but Aaron would carry him as long as he could, not wanting to miss more of his son's childhood than he already had.

“You’re home early,” Jessica said as she walked into the living area from the kitchen.

“Yeah,” he told her. “The team got lucky and we didn’t have as much work this week so I let everyone go home.” He put Jack down and the young boy ran off to resume playing with his toys.

“Well, everyone’s homework for the weekend is done. Jack already ate dinner and there’s some leftover in the fridge for you and (Y/N),” Jessica said.

Hotch furrowed his brow. “Still?”

Jessica sighed and looked down. “Still.”

When Haley died, one of the first things Aaron did was put you and Jack in counseling- better to do damage control now than to face the consequences years later- but it seemed, to no one's fault, that you were going to need more than that. The event with Foyet had left you traumatized, but you’d worked through it well. Even the loss of your mother wasn’t the cause of the lows you experienced.

Aaron knew better than anybody else that there were things about the brain that were unexplainable in origin and uncontrollable to the being it belonged to; he only wished you hadn’t been an unlucky victim of the chemical warfare of the mind. You’d already been a victim of too much already.

“Thanks again for watching them,” he said.

Jessica shook her head. “We’re family. It’s what we do.” She said goodbye to Jack and grabbed her coat before heading out the door.

“Daddy!” Jack called. “Can you come play?”

“A little later, buddy.” Aaron had made his way to the kitchen, heating up leftover dinner for you and himself. “I’m going to check on your sister.”

“Can I come too?” Jack asked.

Hotch hesitated. You were prone to irritability, especially when your depression became exceptionally overwhelming. Of course, you’d never purposefully say anything mean to your brother, but it was better that the only people in your room- your personal space- were you and the adults you trusted.

“Well,” he said, “it's almost your bedtime. So why don’t you get ready for bed and after I talk to (Y/N) we can read a story.”

“Even a comic book?”

“Even a comic book.”

Jack dashed upstairs without another word. Aaron plated the food for you and him, carefully carrying it up the stairs and knocking on your bedroom door.

“Sweetheart,” he called softly- it was the nickname he had been calling you since you were a child, just as he had always used “buddy” for Jack. “Can I come in?”

There was a murmured “Sure” that came through the door. When Aaron stepped through, he wasn’t surprised to find that the lights were off and you were wiping sleep away from your eyes.

“Hey,” he closed the door behind him and turned the lights on as dim as they could go. “You take a nap?”

“Yeah,” you said sleepily.

“I figured we could eat dinner together.” He sat on the edge of the bed and handed you a plate, though he wasn’t sure if you would actually eat it or just cut it into pieces and push it around with your fork.

“What time is it?” You asked.

“7:30,” he said. He began to eat his dinner, watching passively to see if you would too. “Jack is getting ready for bed.”

You nodded and took a small bite of food- a baby step forward. The rest of the meal was eaten slow and silent, but your dad didn't mind. Any time he got to spend with you was precious, especially since you didn't want to do much these days. Any time you ate something, anything, offered to you it brought him relief.

You finished about a fourth of your meal. Your dad knew better than to question if you wanted more- instead he just put your plate on top of his empty one.

“You want to do anything once Jack goes to sleep?” he asked.

You shook your head. “I’m tired.”

“Okay.” He placed a kiss on your forehead. “Goodnight, sweetheart. I love you.”

“Love you too,” you mumbled and tucked yourself back under the covers.

He left your room, quietly closing the door behind him. He put the plates by the staircase so he wouldn’t forget to take them down before he went to bed and then walked to Jack’s room. The door was wide open, the little boy already wearing his favorite set of fire truck pajamas and tucked under the covers. Aaron expected him to be holding a comic book- one of the new ones with Captain America on it- but instead he was holding Haley’s candle.

“No comic book?” he asked.

Jack shook his head. “No. I thought we could talk to mommy instead.”

Aaron smiled just a little and nodded. He knelt next to Jack and lit the candle for him. The reflection of the flame danced in his dilated pupil as he silently thought of his mom and then he blew it out.

“All done,” Jack said.

Aaron placed the candle on the nightstand and gave Jack a kiss on the forehead, just as he had done for you. “Goodnight, buddy. I love you.”

“I love you too, daddy,” Jack said, settling under the blankets.

Aaron walked to the door and flipped off the lights. He was about to leave when he heard Jack’s voice again.

“I asked mommy if she could grant me a wish,” he said.

“Oh?” Jack didn’t usually tell your dad what he ‘talked’ to his mom about, which was something he was okay with. His children’s relationship with their mother was sacred and personal- something they should only have to share with others if they wanted to. “You did?”

“Yeah,” Jack said, his head peeking out from under the blankets. “I asked her to help (Y/N) get better.”

A sad smile warped Aaron’s features. “That’s a nice thing to ask for.”

“Yeah,” Jack hummed sleepily. “Goodnight, daddy.”

“Goodnight, buddy.”

Aaron closed the door and went back downstairs. The silence in the house was deafening- there should have been a movie on, or the clicking of a keyboard, or even soft music playing from your phone. But you were upstairs asleep, not wanting to do anything or be with anyone. He could have taken the time to enjoy the quiet, but he couldn’t. He tried to read, or get ahead on paperwork, or even clean (though the house didn’t need it), but he couldn’t be happy about the silence that was a result of your loss of joy.

He went to bed early, following his normal night routine until he got into bed and rolled over onto his side.

Haley’s candle was on the nightstand.

He sat up, taking a deep breath before gently reaching for the candle and lighting it. A tear fell from his eye as he watched the flame burn in front of him- a reminder of everything he had lost.

Honey, he thought. If you hear this, please help her. I’ve already lost you… I can’t lose her too.

I really can’t lose her too.

[btr-rewatch]

Big Time Rush Fandom lore from back in the day

The fandom during the years the show was on was booming with constant content being churned out, especially fanfics. Most of the BTR fanfic community knew each other and formed collective headcanons and lore that were then spread and picked up by the rest of the fandom (ie tumblr). I had only just recently discovered online fandom spaces at the time, so I didn't contribute fanfics or anything (which is good because I was young, and they would have been terrible), but I did absorb a good deal that stuck with me. Thought it might be fun to share. A lot of this might still apply today but truth be told, I don't really know much about the current fandom headcanons. I'm still learning things as I continue to interact with people on here! Also! Idk if anyone currently in the fandom was around during Miss Fenway's reign, but she was the Queen of the BTR fandom and most "famous" of the fanfic community. A lot of the headcanons adopted by the fandom started with her and were quickly picked up by others.

Kendall • Pretty much unanimous agreement that his father was a deadbeat who had walked out on the family very shortly after Katie was born. This explains why there is ZERO mention of him in the show, no family pictures in the background that hint at a father still being in their lives, etc. He caused them a lot of pain, so they erased any trace of him. • Some people took a little bit of a kinder approach to him, where he was a genuinely loving dad when Kendall was very young, but then things unraveled, and he ended up leaving. • He was big into hockey, which sparked Kendall's love for the sport. • Lots of sad fanfics involving Little Kendall dealing with his parents deteriorating marriage and being forced to "take charge" once his dad left. • Also agreement that he likely dealt with a decent amount of anxiety and very clear abandonment issues, along with a hero complex. • Naturally, Kendall was very often the focus of intensely angsty fics. He was always being pushed to the limit, ignoring his own issues, sacrificing himself, etc until he reached his breaking point.

Logan • Prior to the airing of Big Time Moms, it was generally headcanoned that Logan's mother had died when he was very young, and he was being raised by his father. • It was also headcanoned (in the fanfic-sphere at least) that Logan's dad was an awful person. Don't ask me how this came to be because I don't actually know. All I remember is discovering fanfiction, reading fic after fic of Logan's dad being horrible, and going, "Huh, I guess that's a thing." • Logan's dad ranged anywhere from being a raging workaholic who totally ignored & neglected Logan to being outright abusive. • The main reason Logan threw himself so hard into school and being "smart" was so his father would notice him. It did not work. • Because of this, the fandom headcanoned that Logan was pretty much "adopted" into the Knight family from the moment he befriended Kendall. Mrs. Knight is the one who raised him and gave him love, and so he and Kendall grew up as brothers. (Several fanfics even had Logan be officially adopted into the Knight family at some point) • If there was an award for most tortured character in BTR fanfiction, Logan would have won hands down during the 2009-2013 fanfic era. This guy was put through the wringer! He was always experiencing trauma. When he wasn't being emotionally scarred by his dad, he was dying tragically or losing an arm in a shark attack or getting brain damage or being kidnapped. Logan suffered constantly lol the poor guy.

Carlos • He likely got the best, most lighthearted side of fandom headcanons and probably suffered the least in fics. Largely because he's Carlos, and nobody wants to hurt Carlos. • From a big, loud, happy family. Definitely the healthiest, most stable upbringing of all the boys. • Babied and loved so so much by his parents. • People had different ideas regarding the actual makeup of his immediate family, but most people headcanoned him as the oldest and only boy, with 3 or 4 much younger sisters. • His father was often written as having a special bond with Logan. I remember a trend in fics where Logan called Mr. Garcia "papa" and looked to him as the main father figure in his life. • It's still assumed that Carlos has a serious case of ADHD, right? Because that was a given back in the day. James • Honestly, I remember the least amount of James lore. Let's see... • Only child • Uses his superficial exterior to hide the fact he's deeply insecure • Actually feels everything so deeply that he has to pretend he doesn't care to avoid getting hurt. This was used to many fic writer's advantage. • Loved by his parents, but they don't show it well, and he grew up feeling disconnected from them. And that's about all I've got!

I should dig back through my old list of bookmarked fanfics at some point and make a post of the ones that were my favorites.

[nightcolorz]

Hello!

Please, speak more about traumatic age regression in Armand and Lestat- I would LOVE to hear other peoples thoughts on this, because its a theory/interpretation I've also been batting around

thank u for the ask omg!! I would love to talk about this!

In the books especially Armand and lestat show like, text book age regression haha. They both are shown to be below the standard of functionality for both their mortal and their immortal ages, and both struggle with emotional regulation in a way that is explicitly childlike.

Btw for clarities sake, when I say traumatic age regression btw I’m referring to age regression that is triggered involuntarily as a trauma response, when a person will slip into a childlike mindset or behavior due to how their brain functions after trauma. I’m not referring to age regression as an intentional coping mechanism to deal with trauma (though i do think both these characters would benefit from this and I would like to see it explored, I’m just making the case that the former occurs in canon haha)

Starting with Armand, he is often described as having been stunted in growth in a way which causes him to be unable to behave or function as an adult, since he was turned into a vampire as a teenager. This is such a huge deal with him, to the point where Marius literally tells people Armand should have never been a vampire because of how “damaged” he is. This conceptually is like inherently age regression lol, he’s an emotionally stunted 500 yr old vampire who behaves like a child because his brain got messed up. But this isn’t really the case at all with other child vampire characters. Claudia is not the most stable adult, but she’s certainly not immature or childlike in her behavior the way Armand is. While Armand is unable to live independently for the majority of the book series because he panics and short circuits when he is put in a position where he needs to be self reliant, Claudia only needs to have a caregiver because she will be restricted from entering certain spaces and will have trouble navigating the world without an adult since she appears as a five year old.

And characters like Benji are completely stable and functional as adults, and their minds are unaffected by being stuck in the bodies of children. It seems to me that Armand’s stunted growth has more to do with the trauma he’s experienced than the age he was turned (tho it is likely a factor). Armand has a very intense case of identity fracturing during his crucial development, so he can’t remember most of his life and formative memories, and mental health problems like these often cause age regression to come up. Armand was prevented from ever going through the crucial developmental stages a child needs to become a stable adult bcus of the trauma he was out through, so it makes sense that as an adult he still behaves and thinks like a child.

A lot of times adults who experienced intense childhood trauma are forced to be very mature as children to protect themselves, and when they are adults and are no longer in danger the childishness they repressed in childhood presents itself in adulthood, and the adult tries to learn and explore what they lost out on in childhood. I think Armand is experiencing a form of this, which is a form of age regression. An example of this would be how in queen of the damned Armand acts very childish, because as he describes it, he’s “learning about the modern world”, and he’s rediscovering his childhood curiosity bcus he never was able to truly learn about the world and learn how to live as an adult in it during his formative years. The devils minion chapter is very age regressy to me, I mean the whole thing is about Armand experiencing new things and sensory experiences and and trying to learn life lessons from Daniel because he’s never had that before. Daniel gets to see Armand’s mask unveil and discovers that he has a boyish laugh and he likes dumb comedy movies, and blenders, and he has a childlike wonder and desire to explore. (Cough cough age regression). Daniel is able to bring out Armand’s age regression in a positive way by nurturing his inner child in a way no one has before. So Armand definitely I feel like age regresses when he’s happy and letting himself indulge in things that heal a part of his inner child (particularly around someone he trusts, Daniel) but he also definitely age regresses when his trauma is triggered (oof)

Armand goes through mood swings and drastic changes in behavior pretty often. He is usually very good at appearing put together and mature, he speaks very calmly and rationally, he’s socially skilled and charming. But Armand has moments that happen when he is very upset usually, where his mask breaks and he suddenly begins acting like a child, crying and screaming, breaking things, throwing tantrums, stuff like that. It seems like Armand age regresses when he’s in some way triggered or experiencing very strong emotions. I think that his most evil, insane moments r often influenced by age regression. For example, Armand’s behavior in the vampire Lestat comes off as age regression to me. Lestat’s appearance in Armand’s life uproots his sense of security and sense of purpose (and reminds him of his maker), so Armand begins throwing violent tantrums and destroying all of his things and going to nicki’s house and throwing a fit and making his house a mess. Armand has no calculated idea of revenge against lestat for a perceived wrong, he just feels helpless and starts acting out in childlike ways (age regression). It’s even little things. When Armand begins revealing his past to Lestat he holds his arms and appears helpless and lost. When Armand is his most helpless his instinct is to curl into himself in defeat. He almost forgets how powerful he is and reverts to helpless frightened child.

The age regression angle definitely applies to show Armand too. Show Armand wasn’t even turned as a child, so all of his regressive behavior is rooted in regression exclusively. I get the impression that amc Armand, because of his isolated upbringing where he was raised to be obedient and reliant before he was raised to be a person, causes him to age regress since he was never raised to be an indecent adult. Amc Armand age regresses most often by perceiving himself as much more helpless and constantly victimized than he is, and acting accordingly. He’s like a big dog that thinks it’s a puppy so it sits on its owner lap and crushes their bones 😭. I could elaborate on amc Armand age regressing for sure, but I don’t want to make this post all Armand lmaooo. A post for another day

NOW LESTAT LOL! Lestat absolutely age regresses in the books, in a similar way to Armand where it is almost explicitly acknowledged lmao. The biggest example I think of when I think of lestat age regressing is a small scene in the vampire Lestat, where after almost getting himself killed when he plays the violin for akasha, Marius saves lestat and berates him for being stupid, and instead of taking on his usual defensive cockiness Lestat breaks down in hysterical tears and begs Marius to forgive him. It’s incredibly childish in a way that’s kind of heartbreaking, he’s saying stuff like “i didn’t mean to, please don’t be mad”, and it’s such an abused child reaction. Lestat most often age regresses when he is in the presence of someone he perceives as a mentor/parental figure. Lestat was turned young, not as young as Armand but young enough to not be entirely mature or self sufficient. And lestat was pretty seriously abused and neglected, and combined with how young he is he has a complex around older people where he sort of clings on to somebody to be his parental figure and reverts into a childlike mindset in their presence. Like Marius, lol (this also happens with David talbot). This is also definitely due to Lestats maker trauma, where he as a person with already bad abandonment issues, was very seriously abandoned and in the process seriously abused, and so part of Lestat always holds onto the trauma of loosing his maker and is always looking for someone to fulfill that mentor role for him that he was deprived of.

As a child Lestat was neglected so bad that he never had his bad behavior “corrected”, bcus none of the adults in his life cared to teach him how to be a good person. He was only ever beaten for the satisfaction of his abusers, he was never corrected or punished for his sake. This is why lestat often does reckless, stupid things purposefully, bcus he is looking for someone to tell him off. He wants someone to care about him enough to try and teach him how to be good. So, Lestat age regresses by acting out like a kid and doing things he hopes will get him scolded at 😭. Which earns him the brat Prince nickname from Marius, which is just so age regressy it’s insane.

The way Lestat expresses his hysterical emotions def comes off as age regression to me sometimes, specially when he hysterically cries and laughs. Louis describes Lestat in iwtv as immature and stupid, and I think the reason Lestat often behaves this way around Louis is because Louis’s emotional callousness reminds him of his mother, and triggers his age regression reaction where he acts out to get attention.

what I love so much about Armand and lestats dynamic is that they have sooo many of their major issues in common. Lestat and Armand hate each other, but they also love each other bcus in a way they r the only people who understand each other. Ughhhh they r so good.

thank u SM for the ask I love talking about this!!!! I hope I’m making sense here I feel like I didn’t do my thoughts justice cuz I’m recovering from a massive migraine rn 😭

[mogai-headcanons]

May i ask, why do you support endo-systems? (Coming from someone with did themself)

i've talked about this before (can't remember which blog it was on) but can't find it so i'll just run down my reasons again:

above all else, i do not have the right to tell anyone what is actually going on in their own brain. the only time that might be acceptable would be if i was a doctor treating them for a psychological issue, and even then, it's not often a good idea to outright tell someone that their brain is Wrong. this applies both to fakeclaiming endogenic systems and to telling them that they're actually traumagenic but have repressed their trauma; neither is good form.

secondly above all else, we NEED to have solidarity among plural folks. this is coming from a psychology major and a system — there is a large number of psychology practitioners and researchers who straight up do not believe plurality exists in any form. there is also a large number of them who believe systems are far rarer than current diagnoses show, and therefore most diagnosed and suspected systems are not real. i have had to write an essay on why did is fake for a grade before. there are extremely prominent psychologists (ex: allen frances, the literal chair of the team who developed the dsm-iv) who believe did is a fad (allen frances has stated that he wanted to outright remove it from the dsm-iv). if we are fakeclaiming each other in our community, this only makes us more susceptible to the people who want plurality to be seen as entirely fabricated.

on that point, we also need to have solidarity against non-psychologist singlets who fakeclaim systems. things like the r/fakedisordercringe subreddit can be legitimately damaging to the people who are posted, scrutinized, and ridiculed, and we should be protecting each other from that, not shoving endogenic systems into the line of fire.

there is scientific evidence of non-traumagenic and non-disordered plurality (there are some interesting studies linked on this page), especially in spiritual communities.

though not all endogenic systems are disordered, they Can be; having experienced trauma is not a diagnostic criteria for did or osdd-1 in the dsm-5 tr or the icd-11. though it's obviously highly common for did/osdd systems to have experienced trauma, a non-insignificant portion of diagnosed disordered systems (something like 4% iirc) are not traumatized.

to go with the above point, many endogenic systems don't claim to have a dissociative disorder or that their system is disordered. if you're worried about people 'appropriating' or 'faking' your disorder, they largely are not, since plurality can and does exist outside of disorders.

as a traumagenic system, i feel unwelcome and threatened by anti-endogenic folks. i've been fakeclaimed by anti-endos before, either because they mistook me for an endogenic system since i support them or because they decided the behaviors i perform on the internet are evidence i'm faking. i'm not the only traumagenic system this has happened to.

i think that's the main points, i may have more idk

[glisten-inthedark]

I just had this thought

Okay so you know how with PTSD, the anniversary of the event can trigger flashbacks, especially as the seasons change and the air and smells remind us of the time the event occurrrd during

They talk about this in season 2 and honestly I’m so glad they had Hopper validate this and say it’s real because he’s the macho man character in the show and usually those types of characters deny PTSD so I think they did a great job to subvert that

But I think what gets glossed over a bit is that Mike is probably experiencing this during season 2

His growing concern and protectiveness over Will is probably in part to his PTSD and the closer it gets to the anniversary of November 6 and the more the weather shifts and reminds his brain of that time, the more anxious he probably grows, compounded by how Will has also been acting different

So imagine how he felt in between season 3 and season 4, when November 6 came and went and Will wasn’t there. Imagine how he felt if he tried to call him just to remind himself that Will is alive and okay and the line was busy. Imagine how anxious that made him.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the anniversary helped Mike start to process/realize that his feelings for Will are different.

Hi!

What is with this amount of emotional damage you just caused me? I was just fine not thinking about it 😢

I definitely feel like you're onto something, though, because it does feel like Mike started reacting like that during season 2 due to Will's disappearance in season 1.

Like, for a least one night he believed that Will had died, and that takes a toll on anyone, especially if that someone is struggling through a few things.

So in season 2 it makes perfect sense for Mike to be dealing with this level of PTSD. I'd say that even during their fight, he didn't want Will to leave because he was terrified of something happening to him.

Now thinking about this and how he tried to talk to Will but never got through is like a knife straight to the gut. Imagine him desperately wanting to make sure Will was ok and getting nothing in turn?

My poor boy 😢

Thanks for emotionally scaring me I hope you come back for more lmao. Have a great day and weekend ❤️

[kayas-kosmos]

Autism Symbol Dragon.

This is the autism symbol as a dragon. I did this to represent the influence my autism has on my art. This is a public domain drawing and anyone can use it for any reason.

I really like the infinity autism symbol over all others, especially the Godawful puzzle piece. It really encapsulates the diversity of our community and how unique every autistic individual is. But I wanted to do a little spin on it by turning it into a dragon to add some extra meaning. A dragon to me is the symbol of the imagination itself, since dragons are so diverse in of themselves and can look like or represent anything. But as well as imagination, I think the dragon also represent resilience and a ferocious passion.

My webcomic is absolutely full of different types of dragon. Here are just a few examples:

(Can you tell dragons are one of my special interests?)

I was diagnosed at about 3 and I've had a very mixed relationship with being autistic until recently. There was a time when I really hated having to bear the label of “autistic” and tried for years to erase that part of me because of the stigma. Being an artist allowed me to get away with being a bit weird because I could chalk it up to just being "an eccentric artist," but there was also the side of me that needed extra accommodations and help, the less glamorous side. I would often push myself to be as neurotypical as I could in these areas and I developed a debilitating fear of becoming a burden on others, to the point where it started damaging my mental health. Eventually, I developed panic attacks due to overworking myself (and struggles with accepting myself as queer), autistic shutdowns became more frequent and this lead to further humiliation and a further disgust towards my autism.

It wasn't until I became a freelancer a few years ago that I realised how much damage trying to hold myself to neurotypical standards was having on me. While being able to work remotely was a dream since it meant not having to deal with the sensory nightmare that is using the local bus service, it also meant I experienced autistic burnout more frequently. Then I came across the autistic community on Twitter, where I started to discover so much about myself and how my brain works.

I also made a lot of incredible friends through this and even had the courage to publicly come out as queer. Now I fully embrace being autistic, even the parts that society deems “unacceptable” like stimming and not making eye contact. I am happy in who I am and no longer see myself as a burden.

Sadly, there is often a discussion about whether autism should be cured or not, a discussion that should absolutely not be happening because autism is not a disease. If you "cured" my autism, you would also remove my art. My art and my autism are inseparable and one does not exist without the other. Autism has given me the ability to think outside the box and traits like my monotropism allow me to hyperfocus on a project until its completion. Having spoken to many autistic creatives throughout my life, a good chunk of our struggles do not come from being autistic itself, rather society’s refusal to accept or accommodate us. Many of us could achieve great things and truly innovate society, but there are too many systemic barriers in the way preventing us from doing so, and no amount of “hard work” or “conquering our disability” (fuck inspiration porn, seriously) can change that because individualistic solutions do not fix systemic problems. Simple solutions such as disability benefits that actually properly cover our living costs, a higher wage for carers of disabled people and proper work accommodations (including the option for remote work) would mean the world of difference for us.

Now personally, I am a bit more radical in my thinking and I believe the current system of Neoliberal Capitalism needs to be done away with entirely because ableism is built into Capitalism itself. This is what has drawn me to ideas such as anarchism and the Solarpunk movement. In particular, I try to live by the "12 principles of Permaculture" to the best of my ability. I think "Embrace Diversity" and "Produce No Waste" can be applied to living as a disabled person, since disabled people are often seen as a waste product under this system and embracing our differences means we are not wasted.

For those of you who have followed me for a while, you may have noticed that my art, like me, is weird. I love to embrace the weird and the quirky. My creatures are whimsical and bizarre. My characters all tend to be quirky outsiders. I have always been drawn to surrealism and absurdism, the work of Salvador Dali in particular really caught my attention.

Art has always been a safe way for me to explore the unusual and alien, and it has been a voice for me when speaking words fail. I use it to explore the things that frighten me and to help process a chaotic world. As weird as my art is, I think the weirdness and absurdity is a reflection of how weird and absurd our modern world is and how little sense it makes to me anymore.

There are often themes of environmentalism and the profound beauty of nature, influenced heavily by growing up in an area of natural beauty. Furthermore, the theme of "empathy for monsters" is a personal favourite. Maybe the reason why there are so many weird, twisted and grotesque monsters and creatures with tragic backstories in my webcomic universe is because I see myself in them - just weird little off-putting things that want compassion and to be understood.

As I have grown as a person, so has my art. The more I learn about my autism, the more I can open up and the better I can express myself.

On a final note, if you would like to support me and the work I do, please consider donating a Ko-Fi. It would really help me push towards my goal of finally launching my webcomic, plus it would also allow me to talk more about important topics surrounding disability, sustainable living and art/creature stuff.

Happy new year, everyone! And especially to all of my autistic and neurodivergent comrades out there.

[improbable-outset]

𝐈𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐨𝐧-𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐈𝐈

(Part 1 here)

Miguel O’Hara x fem!Reader

𝐀𝐎3 ★ | 𝐌𝐲 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬 ✎ | 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 2.7k

𝐓𝐖 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐖: Food (?), Brief hospital settings, memory loss, medical examining, head trauma, post injury, Wife!Reader. Reader is just so lost in all this :(

𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐬: @thel0velykey190 @oharaludes @deputy-videogamer

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: You’re finally given a diagnosis from the hospital on why you’re experiencing memory loss. After being discharged, Miguel leads you through the city of Nueva York and shows you memories of your shared life. However one question still nags your mind: what was the cause of the accident?

𝐀/𝐍: I’m not the sentimental type but I know Miguel will be, especially with reader’s cooking 🥹🫠

It’s been several days since you woke up from your comatose state. Everything was far out of your reach, even your memory of your husband. During those days while you were staying in the hospital, the nurse had been taking different tests to identify the cause of your memory loss. You had to move from different departments in the hospital including the Emergency Department and Neurophysiology Department. You were assessed with various aspects of your brain function including your reflexes and brain coordination. Though the most daunting part was imaging studies where they had to scan around the head area to identify anything unusual in your brain functioning or blood flow. You were uncomfortable with the thought of lying down and sliding into the tunnel, which seemed to swallow you whole. It didn’t help that they had to strap you to the bed to ensure you stayed still while the scan was on but Miguel was there with you throughout the procedure, constantly reassuring you and reminding you that it was important to do these tests so you could have a better understanding on what’s going on with your mental state.

But even with his constant presence, you still couldn’t shake off the drowning feeling of being lost. It was suffocating at times and you knew Miguel was trying his best to make you feel comfortable and safe as a husband should but no matter how hard you tried, Miguel just couldn’t feel like home to you; even if you didn’t really know what home was.

After the CT scan, you were given a diagnosis and the doctors had told you that you have a Traumatic Brain Injury and the memory loss was caused by Post-Traumatic Anemia. Your initial reaction was pure confusion - it all sounded like mere words to you until they explained that some regions in your brain were damaged after the accident. The thought made you feel uneasy. You realised that these damaged regions held the key to your core memories that you’ll never recover from. You couldn’t even remember what led up to the accident but whatever it was must’ve been something disastrous. After finalising everything, you were prescribed pain killers for the headaches and were discharged from the hospital, now sitting on the passenger side of Miguel’s car and on your way home. The car ride was quiet but comfortable. However, there was the queasy feeling of anticipation that settled at the pit of your gut not only because of the diagnosis but also with whatever lies ahead in the future, making you fidget in your seat; your clothes brushing against the leather seat was the only noise in the car that filled the silence. Miguel seemed to notice and tried to distract you from your thoughts.

“Mi amor, do you recognise these streets? Are you familiar with where we are?” Miguel looked at you briefly as he spoke before his eyes were on the road again. Every street looked the same to you especially now when it was dark out and all you could catch were streetlights and headlights.

“Barely…” You replied dryly. You scanned your surroundings and tried to jog your memory again. The bustling metropolis with its constant car honking, swarming pedestrians and the distant whine of sirens was a significant contrast to the still hospital room being engulfed by pale walls and the sickly sweet smell of disinfectant. Sure, the hospital was chaotic sometimes but it was still organised and everyone had their own roles and knew what to do. Here in the streets, everyone was unpredictable with where they were going to go. Some formed crowds like a moth surrounding a light bulb and some were walking alone. Even though it was well past rush hour and it was late, the streets were still packed.

“Barely? So you do recognise it a little?” Miguel said, his voice had some optimism to it. He glanced back at you again and tried to read your expression.

“Yeah…. I remember being surrounded by buildings and lights like this before but I don’t know exactly where we are.” You knew that you lived in Nueva York which was a busy city and was always surrounded by tall buildings but you couldn’t distinguish any of them or any of the landmarks.

“That’s alright mi amor… it’ll take some time getting used to. We’re almost home now.” Miguel was now driving to a quieter neighbourhood with less people and more residential areas. The streets were now filled with houses and garages. Miguel parked up the car in front of one of the houses and killed the engine.

“We’re here…home sweet home.” He announced. He got out of the car first before going to the passenger side and opening the door for you. You stepped out of the car and observed the exterior of the house. Miguel opened the front door and gestured for you to follow him. You were first introduced to the hallway that led you to the living room.

“This is our place?” You asked, taking in the interior. The living room was pretty spacious only because there wasn’t too much furniture around. The decor was pretty simple with a few paintings on the wall which made the room feel more cozy. The room was illuminated with a warm gentle glow of the wall sconces that were strategically lined on the walls and casted comforting shadows around the room.

“Sí mi amor. We’ve made this a home together.” He then took you to the kitchen which was half the size of the living room but it was still just as welcoming, with a small dining table and two chairs. You imagined how unbearable it must’ve been for Miguel to sit there alone for so long with an empty chair in front of him, the chair where you were supposed to be. “How about I make you some dinner…I’m sure you’re bored of eating the hospital's bland food.” He chuckled before gathering the ingredients in the pantry.

“You don’t have to go through extra trouble for me.”

“Trouble? Cooking for my beautiful wife is never trouble, mi vida.” He smirked almost as if what you said was plain nonsense. Your heart soared regardless. A change of food choices was needed. Even though you couldn’t remember what Miguel’s food was like, you still looked forward to whatever he had planned and food made by his own hands made it even more special. The kitchen was now full of the aroma of spices and oil with the sound of sizzling from the pan. A few moments later, Miguel returned to you with two plates full of food and put one in front of you with the steam hitting your nostrils.

“Thank you. It looks lovely.” You took a bite with your fork and were blown away with new flavours and spices. The texture was just right, now that it was easier to swallow solid food.

“How does it taste, hermosa?” Miguel asked, a hint of apprehension reflected in his eyes.

“It’s delicious! Definitely better than the hospital food.” You beamed, taking another mouth full. Miguel watched you in amusement.

“Thank you, but it will never be as good as your cooking.”

“I could cook better than this?” The statement sounded hard to believe.

“Sí…you know the night before the incident you made an amazing dinner and there were a lot of leftovers.” He paused, a smile tugged on his lips as he recalled the memory of that night - it must’ve been really special to him. “I decided to freeze it so I could preserve it as long as I could. I was hoping I could have a piece of you with me whenever I was having dinner while you were still in a coma. It was like you were there with me.”

“Really? Miguel, I’m flattered.” Everything Miguel had told you so far would always bring a shock to you but this carried a lot more weight to it. You tried to imagine yourself in this kitchen, cooking a meal for the two of you. You were probably very passionate about everything you made and Miguel would come home to you with a freshly cooked meal. Or maybe you only cooked just to survive and made whatever was available and Miguel would appreciate it anyways. Regardless, the fact that Miguel preserved your cooking must’ve meant that your food was decent enough at least. It clearly held a special place in his heart. After dinner, Miguel led you out of the kitchen.

“Come on, mi vida. Let me show you our bedroom.” He held your hands as he spoke and took you up the stairs.

The bedroom was just as simple yet cozy as the rest of the house. The first thing you noticed was the bed that was placed in the middle against the far wall. A testament of your shared space. The bed itself looked inviting with its crisp white linen and plumped pillows layer out nicely. On each side were two nightstands with a collection of objects on each. One side had a collection of old books and the opposite had a vase with a bouquet of dried roses.

“I want to show you something.” Miguel said as he opened a drawer from one of the cabinets and took out a thick book.

“What is it?” You asked. He took a seat on the bed and gestured for you to sit with him, patting the empty space besides him. You followed suit and sat on the bed, your arm pressed against his strong ones making your cheeks heat up a little. You were still not used to being in close proximity to his muscles yet.

“Our wedding photo album.” He said as he opened the book to show you the first few pictures. There were some photos of you taken separately and some standing together. You ran your fingers over the pages, studying each picture, more specifically the dress you were wearing. You had to admit to yourself that you looked magical in your wedding dress. It was flattering on your body type and your hair was styled beautifully with some floral decorations etched in your locks.

“This is ... incredible. Is that the wedding dress I chose? It’s beautiful.” You said in awe, still marveling at the pictures.

“Yes, you chose this dress, mi amor. It took you almost a week to finally pick the perfect one. You were radiant that day. Though, I think you would’ve looked good in anything.” Miguel commented. You turned the page to a picture of you and Miguel at the altar. You were hand in hand and facing each other, the picture captured the both of you laughing at something. This must’ve been when you were exchanging your vows.

“Tell me about this moment.” You pointed at the photo.

“That was when you tried to steal a kiss before I could say ‘I do.’” He chuckled at the memory. It was frustrating that you couldn't recall any of this, especially the fact that your relationship with Miguel must’ve been full of banter like this. But flipping through the album gave you a glimpse of your marriage dynamics. You hoped that things will be carefree between the two of you like that again.

“Thank you for showing me this, Miguel…” you smiled, your heart felt a little fuller now after seeing those pictures but you noticed Miguel’s expression dropped as he closed the book and placed it on one of the nightstands. He turned to face you again, his eyes flicking with something you couldn’t read.

“Mi amor,” he held onto your fingers again and caressed the knuckles with his thumbs, just like how he did in the hospital, the moment you woke up from your comatose state for the first time. “I know this will sound sudden but I have to know…do you love me?” His voice trembled. The question took you by surprise, you didn’t expect to be asked about this. You thought for a moment and tried to come up with an answer without sounding dismissive. Miguel looked deep into your eyes, desperately trying to read your expression.

“It’s not that I don’t want to, Miguel.” You began, your voice was laced with uncertainty. The room became hushed, recognising the gravity of the situation. “…but everything is so distant and out of my reach. It’s hard to love someone that you barely remember.” Miguel’s expression revealed his pain as he listened intently to your answer. The air seemed to be amplified by the fragility of the situation as he continued.

“What about attraction? Are you drawn to me, even a little?” There was pain evident in his voice now as he spoke. You hesitated as you tried to find the words and navigated through your complex thoughts.

“I feel something…but it’s like trying to catch smoke with my bare hands.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. But the thought of losing that connection we had, the thought of losing us…it’s tearing me apart.” He released his grip from your fingers and fell limply on his lap. You desperately wanted to comfort him but you couldn’t find the words to and you couldn’t lie about your feelings either. All you could do was watch and you felt a little useless not knowing what to do.

“Miguel, can I get a little closer to you? Can we lay down and cuddle on the bed…on our bed?” You asked, hoping you could lift his somber mood. He looked back up at you and smiled after hearing you ask that.

“Sí. There’s nothing I would want more than to be close to you right now.” You both settled into the bed, facing each other with one of Miguel’s big arms wrapped around your waist and you nuzzled into the crook of his neck. “I missed having you in my arms like this, mi esposa.” He whispered, his breath fanning against your ear. You were engulfed by the soft comforter, almost like the bed recognised your presence and missed you laying on it. You imagined Miguel felt the same just like the two-seated dining table in the kitchen.

“It must've been torture having to sleep here alone for that long.” You commented.

“You have no idea…” He held you closer, afraid to let you slip away with his touch leaving an essence trail of musk and cinnamon. The two of you stayed in this position for a while in silence, until you remembered about Miguel’s work, breaking the stillness of the moment.

“Miguel, will you have to go back to work tomorrow?” You asked reluctantly.

“I’m afraid so, mi esposa.”

“But I don’t want you to leave me alone. Please…” your voice trembled.

“I know I know. I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can. But duty calls and I have to go.” His voice softened, trying to get you to understand. He hated leaving you alone especially in the current circumstances you were in but there are some things he just can’t ignore.

“You sound like a superhero saying that.” You joked, attempting to bring some light into the situation. But you didn’t expect to feel Miguel’s muscles clench around you, almost like what you said triggered something in his mind. The air thickened with a palpable tension that was almost suffocating. The change in mood made you retreat from his neck to see his face. His eyes looked like they were lost in thought while his body had stiffened, the sight made you slightly uncomfortable.

“Miguel… did I say something wrong?” You watched him blink rapidly out of his trance and relax his muscles. He looked back at you and his gaze softened again.

“You said nothing wrong mi amor…I promise I’ll explain everything about my job in due time okay? Do you think you could use tomorrow to familiarise yourself around the house while I’m gone? There’s more photo albums you could look at.” You were still hesitant about all of this but you didn’t want to get in the way of whatever was important to Miguel and his job so you nodded slowly, unable to voice your agreement. Miguel reached for your face, caressing your cheek and brushing his thumb lightly over your lower lip. He leaned in and planted a kiss on your forehead.

“Thank you for understanding,” He murmured, voice filled with relief. As the night progressed, you couldn’t help but wonder what was so important about Miguel’s job that you had to wait to find out and why nobody had told you about what caused the accident.

No because now I’m getting more ideas on how to expand this. I was thinking of posting another chapter, explain the cause of the accident (yes it does involve Miguel being Spider-Man). Should I do it or just leave it to your interpretation??🤔

Maybe have Miguel’s POV this time?? I didn’t think I’d get this far?? Also first post-coma kiss??? I was gonna add that in this chapter but I think readers already been though so much and I want to wait for that perfect pivotal moment.

[covid-safer-hotties]

What We Know About Covid’s Impact on Your Brain - Published Sept 13, 2024

By Jason Gale

Scientists are worried that persisting cognitive issues may signal a coming surge of dementia and other mental conditions

Many of Covid’s earliest and most alarming effects involve the brain, including a lost sense of smell, sluggish thinking, headaches, delirium and strokes. More than four years after the pandemic began, researchers are recognizing the profound impacts Covid can have on brain health, as millions of survivors suffer from persistent issues such as brain fog, depression and cognitive slowing, all of which hinder their ability to work and otherwise function. Scientists now worry that these symptoms may be early indicators of a coming surge in dementia and other mental conditions, prolonging the pandemic’s societal, economic and health burden.

What Studies Show In 2021, UK researchers reported early results from a study comparing brain scans taken before and after the pandemic began. They discovered signs of damage and accelerated aging in the brain, particularly in the region responsible for smell, even in patients who had experienced mostly mild cases of Covid months earlier.

How Does Covid-19 Impact the Brain? Research has since shown that Covid-related cognitive deficits can persist for years, especially in older adults and those who suffered more severe cases. For instance, a study of seniors hospitalized during China’s first Covid wave showed that 2 1/2 years later, 40% developed cognitive impairment, compared with just 14% of their uninfected spouses. A 2024 UK study of people hospitalized for Covid treatment revealed a significant worsening of psychiatric and cognitive symptoms three years after discharge. Half experienced moderate to severe depression, a quarter suffered severe cognitive decline, and one in nine showed a loss of mental function equivalent to a 30-point drop on the IQ scale, where a score of 100 is average.

For patients already battling Alzheimer’s disease, Covid can exacerbate brain inflammation, damage immune cells, and accelerate the memory-robbing disease itself, studies indicate. Even previously healthy older adults face an increased risk of cognitive impairment and new-onset dementia after infection. Mild Covid cases in younger adults have also been linked to brain issues affecting memory and thinking. These symptoms may be permanent but typically fluctuate and tend to worsen after physical or mental exertion, often impairing the ability of individuals to work and socialize.

Younger Americans Report More Cognitive Disability A February study of nearly 113,000 people found greater deficits in memory and executive function among people who had been infected at some point compared with those who had never had the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Those struck later in the pandemic had smaller deficits compared with those infected with the original strain or the alpha variant, the first new version of the virus to come to researchers’ attention. The study also noted a slight cognitive benefit for people who received two or more vaccinations.

Even mild cases of Covid led to cognitive decline, equivalent to an average 3-point drop in IQ. For those with unresolved symptoms such as persistent shortness of breath or fatigue, the decline amounted to a 6-point decrease in IQ.

Some evidence suggests the infection may increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease. This link is supported by the rise in cases of parkinsonism — a collection of symptoms such as tremors, slow movement, stiffness and balance issues — following Covid.

How Covid Harms the Brain The effects of a SARS-CoV-2 infection on the brain are the focus of intense research and remain only partially understood. Studies suggest that during acute infection, the virus may damage nerves, particularly in the olfactory bulb — which houses the nerves that transmit smell impulses to the brain — leading to problems that can persist for years. In some cases, the virus may infect the brain through this pathway, altering the organ’s structure and resulting in impaired cognition and fatigue.

Persistent viral remnants or the initial infection itself may trigger neuroinflammation and disrupt the immune system, causing antibodies and T cells to mistakenly attack healthy brain cells, damage blood vessels, and harm the blood-brain barrier. Additional research points to blood clots that may drive immune activation, restricting the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain, and altered levels of key hormones cortisol and dopamine that may be linked to changes in gut health.

Possible Economic Impact While the long-term effects of Covid on conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia remain uncertain, the stakes are high. These are both lifelong, incurable, progressive illnesses with a profound societal impact, affecting not only those diagnosed but also their families, caregivers, and the broader healthcare system.

Already, there are significant economic repercussions globally from the enduring prevalence of long Covid, a loosely defined umbrella term to describe new, returning or ongoing health problems of varying severity that occur after a case of SARS-CoV-2 infection. By the end of 2023, long Covid had affected an estimated 400 million people worldwide. Analysts have put the annual economic toll at between $864 billion to $1.04 trillion in developed nations alone – roughly 1% of the global economy. Much of the impact arises from the ongoing disability and illness experienced by sufferers, with persistent fatigue and concentration problems among the most common.

[soaps-mohawk]

Hii, how are you doing? I haven’t seen anyone else ask this and I looked through the list but since it’s a newly brought up topic, I don’t think it’s been addressed yet.

So, the pack bonds are fraying, but what happens when they snap? Is it like “You’ll experience pain with your bond until you either fix the issue or sever the bond”, or does it just silently break and leave the pack with nothing holding them together? Can they re-claim the members of their pack (or attempt to, at least).

Clearly my brain has loved this chapter because I feel like there’s always one chapter I obsess over, and this is it.

Have a good one! Drink water, especially during heatwave.

-🌙

I touched on this very lightly when I talked about purposefully breaking claims, but it's kind of the same concept on a base level.

So, if bonds fray beyond repair and break (which can happen naturally or can be done purposefully) it is painful in the sense of the emotional pain which in turn can cause physical pain. We've seen the guys talking about that pain in their chest, and 'mega has mentioned it before as well. That's not so much like an actual physical pain as it is just the emotional pain. Like if you've ever experienced loss or have been so emotionally distraught that you feel a sort of heaviness in your chest, it's that kind of thing. When the bonds break, it leaves a very empty feeling behind. An emotional numbness akin to a deep depression except they'll carry that their entire lives. There's no fixing that.

When bonds break, it's a grieving process. It's like cutting ties with someone for whatever reason knowing you can't ever go back and fix what happened. There isn't any fixing bonds once they break, which is why the guys are trying very hard to not let the bonds fray that much that they're at risk of that happening. Their bonds breaking with each other would only spiral the pack out of control to the point that all of their bonds would break, including 'mega's. It would be most painful for her, though, as we've seen in John's inner monologue in Chapter 35, omegas are the ones that kind of hold all those bonds together in the center of the pack.

When those bonds break, omegas will basically fall apart. Even if they keep the bond with their alpha, it causes permanent damage to them. It is like losing a loved one, and they might as well have died (that's a bit different situation if there's literal death though) because there's no gaining those bonds back. It's the same thing with alphas severing the claim on an omega. Can it be survived, yes. Will it cause permanent emotional distress for the omega? Yes.

It's not likely they'd seek out another pack since it can be very hard to build bonds with others once they've had previous bonds break. Often those who have experienced a pack falling apart will go back to their families and family packs since those are bonds that are very hard to break, and often can't be broken. That kind of stability is needed and can help heal to a point. If the bond between alpha and claimed omega breaks, then the same goes, they'll go back to family and be taken under the care of an alpha or beta family member. If they have no family then there are care centers specially designed for omegas with broken bonds. They usually don't live very long after if they don't have family, and the situation is rare enough that it tends to be pretty short-term care.

Sorry about the very late response to this one but I wanted to make it not a rambling mess....so i hope it's not that and actually makes sense.

[master-jarrus]

So this au is kind of floating in my head (I want to name it something a little better than Happy Family Au because it's not all going to be happy it feels deceptive)

But I was thinking about it and this post

So stuff I am reconsidering for the au along with plot points that would get it rolling and possibly be spoilers for the fanfic:

So biggest one Garmdon has brain damage to his frontal lobe and it gets caught

He is willing to seek treatment (mainly therapy, checks up to make sure it doesn't get worse, specifically things like occupational therapy and behavioral therapy)

And he is willing to stop attacking the city in the moment so Misako and Lloyd move back with him

He does have "fits"

The frontal lobe controls a lot including your impulse control, ability to tell right and wrong and your memories

Garmadon's episodes are typically triggered by intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and ptsd episodes (technically the whole episode would be a ptsd episode but it triggers a spiral)

There are a few ways these episodes manifest

The trigger effects the manifestation

Ptsd, ptsd can look like a few different things (ask me how I know 🫠)

Most severe would be fully immersed in the memory, in his head he is in the middle of it and is trying to survive

Less severe would be he's aware that he'a not really there but he keeps seeing images in the corner of his eyes and/or the sounds, he also may be having sensations of touches he experienced during that trauma (anything from a touch on the shoulder to getting stabbed)

^ this one can be variety of severities and he is often staring off into space trying to think through it because he knows it's not what is actually happening but he doesn't make the most moral or rational decisions

Intrusive thoughts triggering an episode he acts on the thoughts, this can be very dangerous but usually he can be talked out of it

If he can't be talked out of it then he has to be restrained until he can be reasoned with

Anxiety especially anxiety attacks leads to him acting irrationally and lashing out

Lloyd is never left alone with Garmadon for his safety, Garmadon was upset at first with this but then had a minor episode in front of Lloyd and saw how much it scared him

When Lloyd is older and capable of defending himself from Garmadon he is allowed to be alone with him

.

Lloyd is the best kept secret

Everyone knows Garmadon has a wife but no one knows who she is or what she looks like

Only the scientists who sign ndas, Misako, Mystaké, Wu, and Garmadon know that Lloyd is his son and lives with them

Lloyd is allowed out of the volcano chaperoned but he goes by Lloyd Montgomery

.

Because they regularly go to Mystaké for calming teas and healing teas (can't get rid of the damage but it lessens the effects) for Garmadon they are much more aware and comfortable with their oni heritage

Garmadon had gotten comfortable in his oni form (has less headaches and and he feels like he can think clearer also four hands are handy) and his human form feels itchy like clothes that just don't quite fit anymore

Lloyd is really comfortable in his human form but he can access his oni form and a form that is a mix of dragon traits and oni traits

Lloyd doesn't like how aware he is of his powers in his other forms, they are muffled in his human form even though they are still accessible

.

Misako is glad to have her family together

She knows Lloyd is the prophesied Green Ninja but feels like this may be the best prevention to the prophecy, she is still studying it to be safe and recognize signs if they happen

Sometimes she's worried she didn't make the best decision by going back to Garmadon, she sees his struggles and sees the fear and trauma Lloyd has gained from seeing some of his father's episodes

But she's more worried of the damage will be done if she tries to take Lloyd and leave again

She has no sense of normal anymore, her son has wings today? That's probably fine, oh her husband and kid want to destroy things? Well everyone has those days it can be quite cathartic, the start of puberty comes with sneezes that shake the whole island? She's dealt with weirder

.

The scientist stick around but now the volcano is more of a research facility

A lot of them were actually marine biologists and switched over to engineering when they saw the perfect opportunity for study and extra funding they just needed engineering and a small sacrifice of morals

Those that actually wanted to destroy the city left

Some planned on playing Garmadon and the city by creating weapons and the selling the defense to the weapons and just building off it (it's called job security)

One of those scientist is Cyrus Borg, no one knows the tech lord works for Garmadon

Borg built Pixal as a defense for Lloyd if something happened where it was just Lloyd and Garmadon

Pixal is like an older sister/cousin to Lloyd and is often his chaperone

She does tend to stick around Borg more at first but soon became comfortable with doing her own thing and just keeping an ear or eye out

.

At 17 Nya gets a marine biologist internship

But they are super sketchy about the location and stuff

But it's a paid internship and it would help her and Kai out a lot

So she omits the red flags when talking to him about it

Besides she can take care of herself

The warehouse was clean

The nda is odd but if they are doing anything illegal it's void so...

Is that Lord Garmadon's volcano?

Was that a child!?

.

Anyways that's what I got