#go get therapy or better yet leave society

[s0fter-sin]

general society is such an underthought aspect of mha. obviously there’s the big things like the obsession over heroic quirks and the demonisation of villainous quirks. quirkless people are dismissed entirely but i don’t think we talk about how society in general would have to handle a world with super powers.

we know after afo’s first uprising, the government overcorrected and outlawed public quirk usage. we know people have their quirks registered and go through quirk counselling as well as a type of gym class where they practice under teacher supervision.

how in the hell is that supposed to work?

the closest equivalent i can think of is mental health services. someone would have to study for a long time to be able to pursue quirk counselling as a career. it’s also a highly personalised system: everyone has a different quirk - even similar ones have different activations, triggers, exceptions and drawbacks - so no two sessions could ever be the same. if anyone’s been through mental health services, you know how rough it is; it’s an overworked, underpaid system and if you live somewhere that only offers a few free visits, it can also be expensive.

and that’s an elective service.

almost everyone on the planet would need quirk counselling.

there’s no way they could implement such a labour intensive and individual public system and we literally see that they can’t.

we see the gym class in amajiki’s flashback and he only has a few minutes with his teacher before he’s chided for not being more impressive and utilising his quirk to the fullest and they move on to the next student. say a standard class is twenty students like it is at ua. that leaves just over two minutes for each student to learn and practice their quirks. you can’t focus on just one kid per lesson bc what will the other nineteen do? do teachers also have to have a degree in quirk counselling? is that part of becoming a phys ed teacher or is it some random joe schmo trying to wrap his head around literal super powers?

given that inko goes to garaki - a doctor - to confirm izuku’s quirklessness, it can be assumed that quirk counselling is entwined with the medical system. i don’t know if you’ve ever had to apply for a specialist before but you can be on their waiting list for a while. a quirk counsellor is essentially a specialist. are there subcategories of counsellors? do you focus on either emitter, transformation or mutation the way doctors become cardiologists, paediatricians and neurologists? or is one person expected to be equally knowledgeable about all three?

we see through toga that her counsellor identified her need for blood but they didn’t find a way to curb those instincts or even find a supplement for her. she’s left to be abused by her family for something she can’t control bc it’s literally in her dna. compare that to iida who knows he needs orange juice to power his quirk. his entire family are pro heroes so it would be easy to assume they could employ a private quirk counsellor the same way richer people can employ private doctors.

how many people have specific requirements due to their quirks? changes in their physiology that have to be treated the same way nutritional deficiencies and allergies do? even people without mutations probably have those requirements: does kirishima’s shark teeth mean he’s an obligate carnivore? does mina’s acid change her ph levels and what vitamins and minerals she needs? how would they figure that out? quirk counselling.

what about kids like touya who would need extensive counselling so he could figure out how to live with his quirk without hurting himself? kaminari essentially has seizures and they’re so normal to him and everyone around him that they’re the butt of jokes. they wouldn’t be a one and done patient; there’s always going to be people that need continued support the exact same way there’s people that need developmental and disability support. there would be so many quirks that harm their user, are they just taught to bury their quirks? as if that wouldn’t cause any physical or mental consequences?

governments can’t create a system that applies to only some people, we’re expected to believe they’ve made one that applies to all of them?

[dearest-painter]

Everyone wants my mom! PT. 1

Summary: Y/N is a widow and the mother of smiles morales, all she has now is her son and his uncle. While she knows smiles and his uncle are getting money for the apartment she isn’t sure how but when she sees someone that looks exactly like her son mysteries and obsession are soon shown.

TW/CW:Yandere behavior, unhealthy behavior, unhealthy relationship,abusive behavior,abusive relationship,GOOGLE TRANSLATE IS USED AS IM A NO SABO KID! IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT WILL HELP ME GET A MORE ACCURATE TRANSLATION PLEASE SEND IT TO ME!!,Reader is Earth 42!Rio,Reader is unaware that her son is the prowler,Reader needs therapy,very out of character characters,this is a series,Her family is keeping secrets from her,Reader is feels out of place sometimes,reader has anxiety which is based off of me,Reader takes the Role of Earth 42!Rio but can look like however you wanna look like so you don’t need to stick with being Rio just an FYI,A ‘I 💙 your mom’ photo is used because I couldn’t find SHIT for Earth 42 Rio and it works since like almost every spider adult wants her,Rearer knows about the spider society and the multiverse because of Ben Riley/Scarlet spider,people might be out of character,tell me if I need to add more

You love your son, that was very obvious from anyone who saw you knew your son meant the world for you but you knew every child will hide something from their parents. It’s natural for that as kids aren’t forced to tell their parents every little thing but all you wish is for him to be safe. After the death of your husband, Miles and his uncle Aaron became more overprotective of you but you also became a single parents and became the basically only income yet if it weren’t for whatever job Aaron does you and Miles would’ve been in a different place.

Miles joins his uncle at his job which makes you happy as he can have someone to look up, you just needed someone else to help you with Miles. He’s not a bad kid it’s just..you wanna make sure he has someone else to look out for him if you aren’t around. “Mom” You turned to your son smiling. “Sì hijo?” “I’m going with uncle Aaron, just telling you before leaving” you sighed and continued to smile as you hug your son. “Okay…be safe, Te amo” “Te amo mom” Miles hugged back and smiled. He knew you wouldn’t like it if you found out he was the prowler as he gets hurt and gets the money in a bad way.

Everything he does is for you, he promised his father that he’ll protect you and he’ll make sure to do that. You kissed his forehead then hugged him again. “Just be safe..both of you” “of course mama, we’ll be safe” you smiled then let him go as he went to uncle Aaron’s car. You sighed and laid on the couch as you decided to watch some random show as there wasn’t chores needed to do yet so just relaxing is what you want until the window was knocked so you looked up to see Ben Riley. “God fucking damn it Ben!” You got up and opened the window then yanked him in so you could shut the window.

“Ow” “I don’t care! I just laid down! I’m not cooking as I’m to tired!” “I’ll cook” you stared at Ben and he smiled sheepishly but you sighed knowing it’s better then having no food. “Fine…but don’t fucking kill me” Ben chuckled and nodded as he went to the kitchen while you laid back down on the couch. You met Ben awhile ago and learnt about his group named ‘Spider society’ and learnt there are more Spider-Man or women and more universes. It’s very confusing but in easy way..your basically not alone and there is a timeline where Miles has his dad.

It was comforting to have someone at home with you when Miles went to hangout with his uncle as you aren’t left alone with your thoughts but sometimes the occasional ‘Miles is hurt, call him now’ or ‘check the whole house so that no one will get inside’ or ‘what if Miles and Aaron are hurt as well!? You don’t wanna lose your whole family!’ will creep in but usually you’ll find a way to soothe them. “I made tamales” “oh thank god, your tamales actually taste good” “hey I make good food!” “Your other ones need more working on” Ben dramatically gasped while you chuckled and got some tamales…it feels like your husband is still alive with you.

[khutsydoh]

Realm of the elderlings ask meme thing

This seems fun!

Favourite Rote book: Fool's fate

Why: I loved the series even before this, of course, but it was after this that I knew in my heart that this series was going to be an all time favourite that nothing else could topple. It took me through every emotion imaginable, from laughter to gut wrenching despair, from anger to triumph. It has it all. Fitz's character arc goes to many interesting places. Fitzloved is at it's peak. The plot has many threads that come together wonderfully. The way fitz comes so close to accepting his love for the fool only to be left behind and going back to his heteronormative fantasy has done irreparable damage to me. The way it feels like we are slowly moving towards tragedy by the end and yet fitz fights the narrative itself to bring his beloved fool back. But it still ends badly. Peak "it mattered that the love was there" type of life changing soul altering shit I love. I still do have problems with the way fitz gets back with molly but my love for this book outweighs them<3

Top three favourite characters: Beloved, Fitz, Bee

Top three least favourite characters: Hest, Tats, Lant

Favourite ship of the floating kind: Paragon

Top 3 ships of the people kind: Fitzloved, Patience x Lacey, Amber x Althea (honourable mention to my headcanon that bee will find a female catalyst so that her, perseverance and the catalyst can be the chivalry/burrich/patience trio gone well. Gotta continue the farseer legacy afterall. Except she does not have the internalised homophobia and she has to make the cycles better as the white prophet. Edit: also Princess Caution x Felicity)

Would you rather be witted or skilled: Witted for sure

If you were witted, what animal would you bond with: My dog<3

Would you rather live in the Outislands, the Mountain Kingdom, the Six duchies, Bingtown, the Rain wilds, Kelsingra, Jamailia, the Pirate isles or Mercenia/Fool's homeland?: the Mountain Kingdom! I love the architecture there and I will be close to nature. I could live a quiet life in a cabin with a witted animal without completely leaving society. Plus I could go exploring the skill road to the elderlings marketplace and the place with the stone dragons if i want.

How were you introduced to the books: i went looking to a lot of top 10 fantasy type of lists and YouTube videos when I first wanted to get into adult fantasy. The Farseer trilogy was on most of them and the premise of a bastard prince who could bond with animals spoke to me.

Share a quote you love:

It was a long journey, in the cold and the dark. Somewhere I could hear a whimpering, and I despised myself for that, too. But as I scraped myself along, it grew, as a spark in the distance becomes a fire as one approaches. It refused to be ignored. It grew louder in my mind, a whining against my fate, a tiny voice of resistance that forbade that I should die, that denied my failure. It was warmth and light, too, and it grew stronger and stronger as I tried to find its source. I stopped. I lay still.

 It was inside me. The more I sought it, the stronger it grew. It loved me. Loved me even if I couldn’t, wouldn’t, didn’t love myself. Loved me even if I hated it. It set its tiny teeth in my soul and braced and held so that I couldn’t crawl any farther. And when I tried, a howl of despair burst from it, searing me, forbidding me to break so sacred a trust.

It was Smithy.

He cried with my pains, physical and mental. And when I stopped struggling toward the wall, he went into a paroxysm of joy, a celebration of triumph for us. And all I could do to reward him was to lie still and no longer attempt to destroy myself. And he assured me it was enough, it was a plenitude, it was a joy. I closed my eyes

- Assassin's apprentice

Why would I need therapy if I have these paragraphs from ms robin hobb.

Tagging: @apamates @lordgolden @annot8 @treezenith @kaijuerotica anyone else whose in the rote fandom. No pressure:)

[pico-digital-studios]

If Benjamin were to use his ECHO ability on each member of the Funkin' Gang, what physical traits and/or abilities would he take on after copying them? Actually, on that note, how do you think he'd end up interacting with each of them?

Grace: Hey, guys! We got our first question.

Benjamin: Sweet! Now, let's see... @trocyte asks, "If Benjamin were to use his ECHO ability on each member of the Funkin' Gang, what physical traits and/or abilities would he take on after copying them? Actually, on that note, how do you think he'd end up interacting with each of them?"

Pico: Ah, yeah, that situation. I remember now.

Benjamin: Yeah. I joined the fight with them after the Funkin' Society's boss tried to apprehend me before. My trip through the Funkinverse helped me see about another counterpart of me that also has the ECHO ability, but let's see... If I was replicating Salty's powers, I imagine my hair would briefly change to white, and I guess I could turn invisible or shoot electricity?

Grace: I remember hearing that Brooke has this ability to phase into arcade cabinets and take on a different form when he did so. I'd say Benjamin could do that if he could ECHO that ability.

Benjamin: That said, I just hope I won't have to worry about Sinnoh coming for me if I go into the wrong cabinet...

ErrorSky: What about Toon BF?

Benjamin: Ah, yeah. ECHOing him would definitely give me cartoon properties for a little bit, which would help with avoiding fatal attacks.

Pico: And to be fair, I'm not sure if Aloe really can be ECHOed, what with her being a succubus and all.

Benjamin: Yeah. Of course, I wouldn't want to ECHO the Funkin' Gang without their explicit permission, considering several, including the guys and girls I allied with, have fairly similar power outlets. That said, of course, it'd be interesting to see how Boom does her hardware interfacing.

Grace: I imagine that's down to her being a robot, with that AUX cord she has.

Pico: On the topic of that, considering she used to be with the Funkin' Society before defecting, how did it go getting Softie, Neo and B3 into defecting Cam's ways?

Benjamin: The audience out there won't know for sure on their end with the "canon" continuity, considering Beyond the Spider-Verse is yet to release in cinemas, but from our end, B3 seemed to leave on his own volition after seeing how rage-induced Cam can get. Neo/Leo switched sides after his GF managed to convince him to stand down, and when Softie was reunited with his Pico, those -friends he had helped through therapy were inspired and followed suit.

ErrorSky: Man, he must've really helped out a lot of fellow -friends with their struggles, huh?

Benjamin: Yeah. And he genuinely happened to enjoy doing it, too! Well, save for one particular case he couldn't work his head around.

ErrorSky: If there's one thing we can agree on between Softies, it's that the Fairests absolutely STINK!

Grace: Too right! Even MY parents have done better for me than they've EVER done for him.

Benjamin: So, back to the question at hand, if MIX BF or B-Bot had allowed me to ECHO them, I'd imagine I'd gain their sharpshooting skills and, in B-Bot's case, the ability to utilise further Copy Abilities from Rock's lineup.

Grace: We'd better see if we can get the Gang's opinion on this concept later.

Benjamin: In general, of course, I'd say I've gotten on very well with the Funkin' Gang during our time together. Our general motive of defying destiny and doing the right thing for the multiverse is what bonded both our respective groups together, and I wasn't gonna let innocent lives be claimed by a failed theory.

Pico: Heh, looks like me accidentally causing your creation AND helping defy your fated death at Ultra M's hands rubbed off on you.

Benjamin: Heh, yeah. Thanks for your help back there, Pico.

M: Yeah. I got a happier ending thanks to you guys.

ErrorSky: Huh? Did your cap just talk, Benji?

Benjamin: Heh, yeah. M's pretty much become my Cappy after me and her put Xenophanes to rights the other day.

ErrorSky: Hehe, awesome!

Benjamin: What about you, Sky? How'd you get on with other Skys out there in the multiverse?

ErrorSky: Well, simply put, I respect them all, despite some of their issues. Well, except for Miko. She's an absolute internet jerk.

Pico: Well, there you have it, trocyte! Thanks for the debate!

Benjamin: Oh! And as quick clarity, the MIX Boyfriend I was with wasn't the same one as the one in the Funkin' Society. I was with an alternate counterpart of him.

[time-bone-swap-au]

Time Bone Swap AU

A Hero is Born

Part 1

Part 3

———————————————————————————

Tang sighed, arriving at the Noodle Shop with a tired look on his face as he facepalmed into the counter.

Pigsy: Bad day?

Tang: No…they loved the story, it’s just that after, some teachers begun saying ‘Oh why does he care it’s not like it’s useful in the future…’

Tang: I swear…people in this society sound like my parents…

Pigsy: Hear ya go.

Tang: Thanks.

Tang: Waaaait…what’s the catch here?

Pigsy: Just take the noodles you damn freeloader!

Tang shrugged and took his noodles, Mei then dropped by and looked around the shop, confused.

Mei: Heyo!

Tang: Hey Mei.

Mei: Where’s Bai He? She’s not here yet?

Pigsy: She left for the construction site hours ago, she won’t be long.

Tang: Isn’t it getting a little late though?

Mei: Aw shucks! I came here to congratulate her!

Pigsy: Congratulate her? For what?

Mei: For instantly trending online! Look!

Mei showed her phone, on screen was a replay of Bai He’s stream, her getting in trouble with the Demon Bull Family.

Tang:…

Tang: Is that the Demon Bull King?

Pigsy: Heh…how ironic, you were just telling her that today! Must’ve payed those actors a huge ton of money!

Pigsy: And the special effects too, whew, how much money is her streams making?

Tang:…

Pigsy: What’s wrong Tang?

Tang: Mei do you have a tracker on Bai He?

Mei: Hey! How’d you find out I put trackers on everyone?

Tang: Bai He told me, remember that one time I got lost in the other side of the city?

Mei: Right…hmm…

She looked at her phone and checked the coordinates.

Tang: That’s far from the construction site…but close…

Pigsy: Tang is something wrong?

Tang: Bai He doesn’t like the Monkey King stories, there’s no way she would film something she didn’t like just for the sake of views! Get herself in danger? Sure, but if she’s not having fun, she’d rather draft the idea and leave it in the trash!

Tang: Something’s wrong and I’m gonna find out what.

Pigsy: You want me to call backup?

Tang: Are you sure? We haven’t seen him since he went to therapy.

Pigsy: Well it’s either we go there blind or we bring the big dude

Tang:…I’m not taking any chances, call him.

Meanwhile Bai He is panicking in the depths of the Demon Bull King’s lair…she is, currently trying to put a streaming set up so that the whole lair can be filmed.

She flinched as the sounds of fire and metal combine along the lair, as Red Son finishes off his father’s armor.

Red Son: And…that should about do it…

Demon Bull King: It’s…heavy…

Red Son: Ehm…th-that’s because it’s not powered up…yet…

Red Son: The suit absorbs energy to create energy, and what better source than the magic staff that kept you underground!

Princess Iron Fan: We should leave that until we have enough power, my love…

Princess Iron Fan: How’s the setup gamer girl?

Bai He flinched as she finished setting up the camera.

Bai He: Uhm…just about it…so what do you want to do? Like some sort of announcement? Tour? Do I have to interview you or…?

Red Son: We’ll take it from here…

Red Son shoved her out of the way in the arms of a Bull Clone, restrained against her will. After that Red Son opened Twixtch, and started recording.

Meanwhile, Pigsy, Tang, Mei were waiting for Sandy while looking for Bai He.

Mei: Look! Bai He’s live again!

Tang and Pigsy rushed beside Mei, seeing the live recording being played.

Red Son: Citizens! Tis I, Red Son, allow me to introduce my family to the rest of the world!

Tang: Yep…that’s definitely real…

Pigsy: How can you tell?

Red Son: As you may know us from legends of old, Well I’m here to tell you, that we are as real as the screen may tell you!

Red Son: For centuries the Monkey King has long trapped my father underneath a mountain, stopping him from dominating this pathetic world! And now, his time has come to rise again!

Red Son looked at his father with grace, with each stomp, the camera shook, his presence mortifying and dominant.

Pigsy:…I see now…

Demon Bull King: This message is for you…Sun Wukong…

Demon Bull King: Refrain from intervening…lest I show you no mercy…

Demon Bull King: Starting with her…

Bai He gulped as the Demon Bull King stared at her, eyes terrified for her life, the Demon Bull King knew it was impossible to kill the Monkey King, might as well threaten a few innocent lives just for him to know his place…

After all he did care about the mortal realm, more than anything…

Princess Iron Fan: Turn it off…we’re done here…

The live ended.

Tang: Oh come on! Where is he?!

Pigsy: Tang calm down, unless the Monkey King doesn’t show up-

Tang: Of course he’s gonna show up Pigsy! The guy’s a hero sure, but he’s reckless than a moth drawn to a light bulb! What if Bai He gets beaten to a pulp before he arrives?!

Sandy: Uhm…am I interrupting something?

Sandy shows up, holding a drill in his hand eyes glowing intimidately. Pigsy looks at him nervously…

Pigsy: Guys…meet, Sandy…

Sandy: The call I got was a lot to take in…

Sandy: You know what I do to guys that disrupt the peace?

Mei, Tang and Pigsy, shook a little

Tang: Uhm…Pigsy…was Sandy always…this scary?

Sandy approached them, slowly mimicking the Demon Bull King’s mannerisms.

Sandy: I help them out of course!

Pigsy: Wh…What?

Sandy: Heya Tangy! You lookin pretty sweaty there, need some tea to calm down?

Tang: Oh! Uhm, don’t mind if I do, Sandy…

Tang: Mei…this is uhm…Sandy…the backup we talked about…

Mei: Backup? He looks like the only thing he could kill is your nerves!

Sandy: It’s my own blend of anti-stress fruits! It really brings the heart-rate down!

Pigsy growled in frustration.

Pigsy: Sandy! What happened to you?!

Pigsy: Where’s the angry, glass-joint, fist-throwing buddy I used to know?!

Sandy: Oh well…my therapist said I really needed to calm down. That’s why I started drinking tea, doing yoga, investing in therapy cats really helps…

Tang: Yeah well…we’ll need you help a little guy…mind drilling down here? My daughter is uhm…trapped in there.

Sandy: Sure! Anything for a friend…but I’m telling you bud, if things get hairy, I’ve changed, I don’t go around pickin’ fights no more…

Pigsy groaned in frustration…but was slightly understanding of Sandy’s predicament

Bai He panicked internally as the Demon Bull King scrolled through ‘rare items’ and soon left to leave the staff for last while Red Son prepare the army for total world domination.

Also to guard the staff.

She uttered her last words in her brain, incredibly terrified.

Red Son: *Sigh* It’s really unfortunate for you Gamer Girl, always liked your streams…

Red Son: Pity I’ll have to kill you if the Monkey King shows up…

Bai He: Maybe don’t? I mean, he hasn’t been active in a while and uhm…it’s not like he’s coming for us now…right…?

Red Son thought about it, and did consider it strange

Red Son: Yes…odd…we sent that message a moment ago…now that Father is wreaking chaos he should be here by now…

Red Son: There were no announcements that he was retired…

Red Son: Did he get full of himself during those 500 years?

Bai He: Wait…you don’t know how he disappeared?

Red Son: Of course I don’t know! What? You think we would go up to the domain of the Monkey King, drop by and say ‘Mind if you let my father out of his mountain for a second?!’

Bai He: But his place is surrounded by the Flaming Mountains, don’t you and Princess Iron Fan live there?

Red Son: We used to, we moved some place else, after all if the Monkey King had the guts to seal my father under a mountain, he’d certainly have the guts to go back for my family just to be sure.

Red Son: Wait a minute, why do you know that?!

Bai He’s face expressed a nervous reaction yet remained having a smile.

Bai He: My…father…he uhm…he’s a history teacher…

She explained, peeking Red Son’s interest.

Tang, Pigsy, Sandy and Mei screamed as a swarm of Bull Clones headed towards them, Sandy broke the floor creating a wall to protect them, apologizing straight after.

Tang: Traps? Bull Clones! Ohhh this is a nightmare! We’re never gonna make it in time!

Pigsy: Would you get a hold of yourself?! They ain’t gonna kill her yet…

Pigsy: Whoever this monkey King is he’s obviously very clever not to intervene when there’s a hostage involved!

Tang: CLEVER?! CLEVER?! Have you even heard the legends?! Half the time the Monkey King had to SAVE HIS MASTER WHO WAS ABOUT TO BE EATEN!

Mei: Alright you two, less talk we gotta navigate this place more!

Meanwhile both Bai He and Red Son are sitting together.

Red Son: And she said I couldn’t do it! That I couldn’t bend the staff to my will, but I did! Ha! Take that mother!

Bai He: Not gonna lie, your mother sounds like a jerk to you…

Red Son: No, she isn’t! She’s just been hurt because father has been trapped for so long…

Bai He: That doesn’t justify being a jerk…

Red Son:…Yeah…I do wish she’d take it easy a bit…y’know…I mean, I can be strong in different ways!

Bai He: Yeah you can! I mean you built a gauntlet that can hold the Monkey King’s staff! That’s not an easy feat!

Red Son: I know right! It’s impressive!

Bai He: And this super base with all the bull clones was your idea!

Red Son: Yeah…yeah! You get it! I mean just look at this place! Everywhere has been touched by the genius of modern technology!

Red Son: I even made that impressive suit he’s wearing!

Bai He: You should really have some credit for yourself…it’s sad to see some of that potential wasted…

A loud bang was heard throughout the room.

Tang: Bai He!

Bai He: Mom!

Red Son: Wait…wait hold on…

Bai He: Hm?

Red Son: Your…mom?

Bai He: Oh yeah, I call my father my mom, cause he kinda acts like a mom than a dad…?

Red Son: Oh…oh okay…

Red Son: Ahem! Listen here you peasants! What do you think you’re doing, trespassing into the lair of the Demon Bull King?!

He looked at them, brows furrowed.

Mei: We’re here to rescue my friend, dingus!

Red Son: You? Ha! A couple of civilians playing hero? Well, let me show you what happens to HEROES!

Red Son summons the gauntlet and grabs Sun Wukong’s staff.

The staff sort of moves on its own creating destruction everywhere.

Pigsy: Ok…we are in a bit of a…disadvantage…

Tang: What are we gonna do?! It’s Monkey King’s staff, that thing’s not gonna budge on its own!

Tang: That thing probably weighs the size of a huge building!

They hide behind some crates before Red Son destroys it.

Bai He: Hey, dude…mind not completely obliterating my family?

Red Son: Oh…uhm…well…

Red Son: Bull Clones! Get them!

The army of Bull Clones all ambush the main crew as they separate running from the clones.

Red Son:…

Red Son: What do I do with this…?

He asks himself, then looks at Mei who’s completely demolishing the Bull Clones with her dragon form.

Red Son: Ok gamer girl, I kinda like you, not in a weird way, but can I at least knock her out?

Bai He:…

Bai He: Hold on I’m thinking…

Bai He:…

Bai He: Yeah why not?

Immediately Red Son uses the staff to try and knock Mei unconscious.

As he does the battle begins to ensue with Mei vs Red Son, causing a huge turn of events that leaves the crew and the Bull Clones baffled.

Tang: Come on Bai He, let’s go!

Bai He: What about Mei?

Pigsy: She’s handling herself just fine!

A huge crash was heard around the room, causing Red Son to drop the staff.

Bai He: I can’t leave her there!

Bai He rushes towards Mei’s aid…

Tang: Bai He!

The Bull Clones notice and begin to scatter on her.

Upon adrenaline she dodges the clones, despite her lack of experience.

Lifting the staff and swatting it at Red Son…

…

…

…

Red Son: No way! How could you possibly lift Monkey King’s staff?!

[cryptidsncurios]

AU: ODNOGLAZYY UBIYTSA

a.k.a.

That Modern AU Where Xigbar is a Russian Assassin Working for a Cult-Like Entity Known as Organization XIII / The Organization That Is Actually Secretly Run by an Even More Mysterious Entity and Boy Lemme Tell Ya It’s a Ride from Start to Finish

[[bio subject to change/additions if necessary]]

Name: Braig “Lock” Metkiystrelok (originally Luxu before his name change)

Codename: Xigbar, Number II, "Freeshooter"

Age: 45

Birthdate: May 22, 1979

Birth Location: Moscow, Russia

Ethnicity: Half Russian, half something else, but he hasn’t bothered to check

Languages: English, Russian, the majority of Spanish, some French

Height: 6′0″ (About 183 cm)

Weight: 180-ish lbs (About 82-ish kg)

Race: Human (apparently)

Sex / Gender: Cisgender Male

Sexual / Romantic Orientation:  Pansexual / Demiromantic

History:

Abandoned as a baby, left on the steps of an orphanage in Moscow, Russia, and dubbed “Luxu” upon his discovery, the first part of the child’s life was difficult, to say the least. Luxu started out life shy and polite, though as he bounced from foster home to foster home, even as a young child, he began to develop a far less friendly and more belligerent personality. 

At the age of 7 he was adopted by a man named "Mikhail Oleksandr Metkiystrelok." Mikhail was a strange, eccentric individual that Luxu quickly noticed to have a secretive nature, but as a parental figure could still be rather strict despite his ridiculous behaviors. Nonetheless, he demonstrated care and hope for Luxu's future, and Luxu picked up on that odd sense of humor.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall and as the Cold War continued, they abruptly moved to California in the United States when Luxu was 10. Mikhail had his name changed to “Braig Lock,” believing that might help him fit in better with his peers. (It’s like a combination of Brad and Craig okay shhh I know it doesn’t make any sense leave me be.)

Yet what should have been a joyous new chapter in their lives quickly turned to tragedy upon reaching American shores. Only a few months after their arrival, Mikhail disappeared under mysterious circumstances---assumed dead---leaving a traumatized Braig to be moved back into yet another foster home.

During his first few years in America, Braig experienced isolation from his peers due to his thick accent, and his teachers encouraged him to take some form of speech therapy. Being the adaptive child that he was, Braig quickly took to exaggeratedly mimicking the stereotypical “Californian” accent that he often saw on television and movies (and amongst a few choice neighbors, of course). He still did not particularly fit in and was often the victim of his larger roommates, but at least the “commie” jokes came to an end.

During his mid- to late-teen years, Braig was uncertain of the direction he wanted to go in life. He engaged in various delinquent behaviors that often got him into trouble with law enforcement, such as petty theft, defacement of public property, and just basically being a belligerent nuisance to society. He often displayed a seemingly (though, of course, entirely false) apologetic enough demeanor once he was caught, so that the worst he would get throughout his youth was a slap or two on the wrist.

However, upon reaching early adulthood, getting his GED with considerable ease due to his shrewd intellect (important to note that his teachers despised him for acing his classes despite his lack of attention), his lax demeanor when it came to obeying the law did not lessen as he began traveling the U.S. and bordering countries in search of purpose. He was consistently in and out of jail and prison, accumulating charges of DUIs, drug possession, vandalism, discharging firearms (multiple times), and numerous cases of disturbing the peace, totaling in well over a decade or so of his life spent incarcerated in separate increments. (The prison tats from this era are utterly epic, by the way.)

Unfortunately, this felonious behavior led to difficulty in actually finding work (he really tried, okay, it’s not that easy), and eventually—disrespect for the law his forte by this point—he began working under the table as an unlicensed private investigator, and he was damn good at it. Braig took on jobs that were considered too dangerous for other P.I.s, or that involved outright illegal dealings, and during this time he honed his body into a weapon, gaining scars upon scars as evidence of his dedication---as far as losing his right eye (which he continuously changes his story as to its loss)---and learning all the best ways to avoid confrontation with the law.

As his career unfolded, Braig began looking for even harder, more intense cases. Coincidentally related to one of his many clients’ cases (a client that, oddly, chose to remain anonymous---but how could he pass up the pay), he stumbled upon information regarding a highly secretive, highly dangerous crime syndicate that went only by the name “Organization XIII,” or, often simply “The Organization.”

And apparently, his adoptive guardian of so long ago seemed to be connected somehow---and Braig could only assume that the Organization was somehow responsible for his disappearance.

Delving even deeper, he learned at the head of this Organization was a man named “Xehanort,” and once his findings were concluded, Braig decided to take on this Organization himself—out of revenge for one of the few people that had ever taken a liking to him.

At last he believed he had discovered the hideout of the person named "Xehanort"—an old recluse hiding in an obscure hovel, and the puppet master over five murderous “apprentices,” as well as a vast network spanning the entire globe.

But he had been incorrect about finding Xehanort---instead discovering Mikhail behind the screens.

As it turned out, "Mikhail" was nothing more than one of the names the man had accumulated, and that his previous appearance was just a disguise. His “true” identity was simply "The Master," or, as the Organization knew him, "Darkness"---he who controlled entirely Xehanort's actions himself.

Thus, the Master announced that at last it was time for Braig to take up the reins, as he was sure he would so long ago---that he would now become "Darkness."

It was then that the Master disappeared once again.

Braig considered following the Master---attempting to wring more information out of him---and yet he could see hundreds of messages that had popped up on the Master's ever-active terminal.

And Braig---suddenly feeling as though this might be the answer to his ever-present question of his role in this world---responded to each and every message, thus beginning a new chapter in the tale of Organization XIII.

Now under the guise of “Darkness,” Braig—now going by the codename “Xigbar, Number II, 'Freeshooter' ”—was granted one of the primary positions in the Organization, underneath Xehanort and his family. The other “apprentices” were informed that he had been a part of their ranks for an extensive amount of time, but he had yet to make his appearance for personal reasons.

No one questioned the explanation.

And no one questioned when he suggested they begin to accumulate new members—for the sake of expanding the global presence of the Organization.

And so continued the game, ever-onward---with no real explanation.

But isn't that how it always goes?

[pokidot]

MANDELA — CHARACTERS (2)

VENTI — Even with his extensive litter of awards from multiple sources of generational, yet bridled talent, Venti hated being active. Nothing irked him more than being a member of society. There’s time he wanted to shave his head and become a nomad, or maybe even a bard in medieval times playing at his tiny little harp, or playing a harmonica in prison. It’s not because he didn’t have ambition, he just didn’t want to be bothered. So, in retrospect, he shocked himself a little when something so ridiculous interested him so much that he wanted to tag along. It was like he had hearts in his eyes the minute he saw that ugly looking creature on the first slide of your presentation. Who knew your chaos would be his stimulus?

XIAO — It wasn’t his idea to start the Chess Club at the university— it was Venti’s. Even with that in mind, Xiao still was credited. His name was plastered everywhere on those fliers to join the chess club, and he hated it. Heizou’s dedicated advertising got them nowhere, and in result, all of the attendants pretty much got away with not doing anything during chess club. It was cool for a while, Xiao finally got to catch up on his studies. And then it started to become every day…where he would sit there with the rest of his friends and do nothing. It was driving him insane; he usually liked being alone, why would he want to spend time every single day with his friends? He’s not even the self appointed leader, they just made him that because he was the most responsible. Inertly, he was relieved that you gave them something to do, because he was on the cusp of going M.I.A.

AETHER — He was many things, but one thing he’ll never be is a pussy. He was so adamant at one point that he and his sister were from a bloodline of ghosts? Like, they were never human at all, they’ve just been ghosts their entire lives. As if they were meant to be soulless, and bloodless beings. He got that thought after one day leaving a organization for charity (it ended up being a cult. Apparently, they kept trying to convince him that “the spirits are watching him and he needed to be enlightened”. His friends told him that he’s crazy, and he thought it was bullshit too, up until he took a DNA test and it turned out he was 99% of everything. Now, he lives in paranoia that everything he says is a test from his ancestors, and is going through this extensive identity crisis. You were no gospel, but even you thought he needed therapy.

HEIZOU — You were scared of him, and he was the reason why you thought there wasn’t a single normal person in Kuni’s friend group (you were elated). For some reason, after Heizou found the IP address to one of the biggest bandits in Inazuma at the time and beat him to a pulp, he started thinking bigger but he didn’t start thinking better. He’s currently looking for a notorious drug cartel leader who’s never been caught before, and he is stopping at nothing to find something that will get him closer to the truth. His goal is to wipe out the Top Ten Most Wanted Criminals list, and as a university student? That is a bigger dream than you’ve ever thought of in your entire life.

KAZUHA — It was the university’s idea to appoint people to take care of the souvenir shop they had, and every single time, Kazuha was always the one who ended up taking responsibility. Nobody comes to the souvenir shop except people who are just traveling, so he ends up doing absolutely nothing there except cleaning and restocking. Except there’s nothing to restock. Because nobody goes in there, but for some reason, students and professors alike more than often come in to get an astrology reading from the woman at the back of the store, Mona. She even gives them coupons, are you kidding me? He didn’t even care about the souvenir shop that much until she started shimmying in stealing his nonexistent business? And ever since then, he’s been silently competing for her business, and Mona doesn’t even know it. If this ghost hunting club didn’t come into his life, he was pretty sure he would’ve went insane sooner.

HU TAO — The girl who keeps following you around the university? You’ve noticed she’s always where you are ever since your presentation, but you’re not sure what she wants.

prev | masterlist

NOTES || i've come to realize that the reason why i go in depth with these characters is because i have no character of my own 😒 (spongebob disappointed noise)

TAGLIST: @wisteriarain @akagism2 @murderisokayforme @aeongiies @d4y-dr3am3r @truck-kuns-gf @3lysiaa @ayoitsmarie33 @crucnhice @natsuscrustyscarf @dreamsofminnie @zuchilovescats @goj0h @cicibao @xirthia @kylexzz @dollpoetwriting @dreamingkace

[iravaid]

I love your writing so much, your Simon Riley in Situations series is probably one of my favorite works in the entire fandom!!! The way you write tommy and simon’s relationship gives me so much emotions lol, like even though it only comes up a couple times in the entire series there’s just so much there! That flashback we get in in the desert was just a brief glimpse, and yet it was so much more powerful than how they were written in the entire canon comic (which might not be saying much because that comic left a lot to be desired, but still) It had me imagining their relationship as kids, and how tommy probably had a much easier time navigating their dad’s moods while simon struggled to pick up the social cues and unspoken meanings behind words and stuff like that, and how tommy, as a kid growing up in a pretty ableist society who had probably never even heard of autism until his teen years, would probably get frustrated with simon and not understand why he couldn’t just say the right things when he needed to, why he couldn’t just do what he needed to do to not make the situation worse (and simon feeling the same way and wondering why he couldn’t just know how to smile and say what people wanted to hear, like tommy) (This ended up being long and rambling but your fics just give me so many riley brothers feels lol XD)

Oh shit!! Thank you so much!!!! I'm so happy you enjoy this series, especially the relationship between Tommy and Simon!! It's genuinely so interesting to me and has a lot of potential to be built upon, considering how little there is for them in the comics (both a blessing and a curse let's be honest).

Augh, yeah, them as kids has a lot of emotional oomph, especially if taken the way I have, in all essentialities, taken the characters in my grubby mitts and gotten lint all over them. Tommy probably was the golden child in this family, Nigel played a lot of games in tormenting his kids, and I imagine turning them against each other, or at the very least Tommy against Simon, was one of them. I wonder if that dynamic might have changed when Simon left, leaving Tommy to be the only child in the house and no longer having a 'weird' older brother occupying the role of scapegoat (and protector, in his own way). In the beginning, I can see Tommy hating Simon for leaving, it's easier than hating his abusive dad at this point.

Things do change for the better, and in all honesties I can see Tommy getting therapy/counselling as an adult and learning how to become better adjusted and look back on his childhood with a trauma-informed lense, equipped with a kind of knowledge and vocabulary Simon doesn't/refuses to have. Internalied ableism definitely informs how they process their trauma and percieve therapy, and for Simon this is another brick in that wall after growing up the 'strange' one in the family that just doesn't get it. This is another thing he doesn't get, and it's a source of anger for him.

I imagine there is a lot of frustration for Tommy in the things you mentioned above, which is a dynamic I love love love, considering Autistic Simon growing up in Manchester in the 80s/90s at this point would be. A Lot for both of them, for different reasons. I imagine it would serve to emphasise that feeling of isolation Simon feels in this series, and I would go so far as to say Tommy doesn't hear the word 'autism' until he's an adult/in his 20s. Before then it was always alluded to, or people saying 'he's rather... odd.' about Simon with a strange expression on their faces. Autism and Asperger's (it's an outdated term now, but one that was used then) were very stigmatised and you were seen as there was something wrong with you or you were 'slow'.

God but their potential brotherhood when Simon comes back and kicks Nigel out of the house, and helps Tommy heal. I really love the complexity of their relationship, how two brothers who survived an awful childhood have different ways of coping and healing from it. Again, all in our collective heads, but I'm happy the comics only gave us the bare bones to play with. We'll grow our own meat, with blackjack and hookers.

I really want to write/am in the process of writing a fic set in Tommy's POV, waiting for his brother, beginning from Simon being announced missing after he's caught by Roba, to him being found and returned home, and ending just before That Scene. I want to explore their brotherhood through Tommy's eyes, how disparate some parts of them are and how similar others have ended up, as well as play on a theme Ghost haunting the family well before Simon is returned and believes himself dead. I'm unsure how it'll end up, but the goal is a 20k oneshot. Hopin to work on it in earnest in August, when Art Fight is over :D

Again! Thank you so much for this message! Had a big grin reading this, I'm so happy you liked those fics! Hell yeah!

[olivethetreebitch]

Do I want this au to exist in fic form? Yes, do I have ANY motivation to do it? Absolutely the fuck not! So! Here is the GX section of my currant running Yugioh!au

I’ll probably post about the general au later but for now here:

1. Time travel fic, takes place after Bonds Beyond Time, so Judai knows Yugi (not Atem, they really didn’t do anything in the movie so ehhh I think they really didn’t interact), and Yusei, they exist. Well that’s not the main point, the point is that Yubel and him are soul linked/merged/whatever the hell happened. The story would start with Judai getting sent back in time (wether it be Crimson Dragon or another beings bullshit) to his younger body. But his soul is still merged and he has all his memories.

So before Judai and Yubel were separated and Judai went through the shock therapy, he ran away with the help of Yubel. Age like…5? 6? I don’t remember the canon age. Sue me.

2. Was transported to an interdimentional (donno if I spelled that right I’m tired) bubble thing that Atem exists in (Thank Kiba, the bastard wouldn’t let Atem sleep so he(Atem) made a pocket bubble so he didn’t have to deal with a time loop every day, basically splitting themself from the outside world. He just wants some peace damnit), basically gets adopted by Atem. (Not Yugi, during this Yugi is living his best life and won’t become a full prominent figure until after the Bonds Beyond Time arc. (Yes he does leave the bubble a few years before Duel Academy, they need some socialization)

3. Judai and Yubel learn how to coexist and have a sibling relationship (SUE ME ITS CUTE. I JUST WANT THEM TO BE GAY AND HAPPY.) With communication and planing for the bullshit that is Duel Academy, because they’re getting in because the universe wouldn’t let them off the hook. Also they both get therapy, it helps, Judai i would characterize as sort of back to his S1/2 self, fun, happy, outgoing, but is still mature and realistic when need be also terrifyingly good at reading people. Yubel takes a fucking chill pill (Thank Ra) we love them but they were a lot in the beginning. I would say Yubel has this sort of Older sibling relationship with Judai, which he needed. They learn why friendships are so important to Judai and they learn to coexist in a healthy way.

4. Basically a GX rewrite (Goodbye Chumly you were a good stand in character but Blare makes for better writing, you will be a side character later probably) but with Judai+Yubel team up, they manipulate the outcome to certain events like they leave Manjoume to go to the other school because he’ll meat the Ojama’s and have character development. But will stomp the Society of light into smitherines before it even gets to the island. Judai also bonds with his Hero deck again in a fresh way (he did not have the deck on him when he time traveled)

5. Judai goes under an alias, I know that people might not like me for this but I think both Judai and Yubel would agree to use the name Judai for other purposes (names have power, people could track him by the name, eta eta) so when he enters the human realm from Atem’s soul bubble thing they go under the name Jaden Yuki instead of his actual name Judai Muto (Atem adopted him and basically has the Muto last name so [shrugs] makes Yugi’s life easier later anyways)

6. Will Jaden tell any of his friends about him? Absolutely not! Does he tell the professors? Nope! Does Pharaoh love him on sight? Of course!

I think most people would be unnerved by how well they immediately they got along. 

And the way Jaden already knows the island like the back of their hand (he makes a big show of looking around the island but it’s ingrained into them to just exist there)

Does he become a Cryptid? …..slightly. Maybe. Yes? I don’t think he ment to but

✨What can ya do✨

I want this fic to exist, like it spans season 1, because idk how to deal with Johan, and idk if Judai’s ready for that yet (we’re they together in the og timeline? Yes. It didn’t go well. [stares at Yubel], but they made it work.)

Extra notes:

Judai/Yubel Powers:

Shapeshifting into human, Demon (normal Yubel), and Dragon forms (only ever done once and needs all currant Yugioh protags to unlock, not really a plot point)

Going invisible Duel spirit style

Basically being a Duel spirit

Judai can leave his body as a spirit and go do shit (I don’t think anybody wants the laying there (probably dead) body to inhabit Judai has rabies and/or some kind of lock on his body. It’s so connected to their spirit that it wouldn’t fit anything else.)

Can see through magic, can find its source, eta.

LAZER BEAMS. OUT OF THEIR HANDS. THIS IS JUST SOMETHING TO BE COOL.

Sonic speed, strength, reflexes, mans doesn’t subscribe by the laws of physics. Also they a bendy mother fucker, folds like origami.

Glowing multicolored eyes.

Can make illusions, not crazy like cover the school, but enough to get them out of sticky situations.

Basically if the plot permits it, chaos can be made, and who am I to say if it cannot happen?

Pronouns for the peeps:

Judai: He/They

Yubel: They/Them

Atem: He/They

Yugi: He/Him

Seto: He/Him

Everyone else has their normal pronouns but feel free to change them, I have not made concrete decisions on them, working on the protags first on that one.

Atem and Yugi are originally from Season 0, but they also time traveled and experienced Duel Monsters. Hence the Season 0 tag

If someone makes this fic/Art/just interacts my day would be made holy shit. I can’t be the only one with GX brain rot.

[antiterf]

hi, i hope you're doing okay! this is kinda heavy ask so feel free to ignore this but.... what do you do if you feel hopeless as a trans person in regards to all the transphobia and hate and violence we get? i feel like now more than ever transphobes are being so so extremely loud because trans people are actually making (slow) progress and trying to change society to be more accepting. but as a trans guy, especially one that doesn't want to fully transition, i'm left often contemplating if it's best that i just accept that i will most probably have to be closeted until i die to avoid hate. i already have gotten rape and death/suicide wishes many times online for simply being anti terf and transphobia and being openly trans. it's great to see many people, trans and cis, to be supportive and loving but i can't help but feel depressed and helpless and angry at all the transphobes. i'm exhausted thinking every day that my true existence is something very controversial and many people want me either converted or better dead.

That's kind of tricky to answer, I came out in 2016 prior to "Rapid Onset of Gender Dysphoria" conspiracies, the Orlando shooting and the Trump election so while trans people were still stigmatized, it was expected that things would keep getting better.

For me personally, I know it'd be silly to go back. I'd rather leave the United States than go back. The anti trans sentiments are nothing compared to being closeted, anxious and depressed to me. I was bullied and treated like shit at times, but it was still better than what I had before. Hell, I still go through shitty things for being trans, but it'll never be worth detransitioning for me.

But obviously this isn't the case with everyone. I live in a pretty liberal state, instead of restricting access progress is still being made in Illinois.

Especially when you have yet to come out and start the transition process. You're so fucking vulnerable at that point and I'll always understand if people don't want to. At the same time, sometimes we need to take the jump. It's up to you at the end of the day, but if you're in a safe environment generally besides government (this is coming from an American so keep that in mind), I say go for it.

When it comes to keeping hope I look to other trans and trans allies. I don't have hope in my government or society as a whole, but I have hope for my community. It's queer support that allowed me to feel comfortable enough to come out in the first place. It's as plentiful as trans hatred, if not more, and it means a lot more to have supportive people you personally know than a bigoted politician who'll never know who you are. I know you mentioned that knowing that people care doesn't help much, and in concept yeah, it really doesn't. It helps a lot more to personally know those people and surround yourself with them.

If you can, I strongly encourage trying to find a lgbtq center or group to join, hell even lgbtq specific therapy groups. Just, try your best to surround yourself with other queer people. It really helps remind you that you're not alone, that people care, that it's not hopeless, and most importantly that there's effort to make things better.

We're all working to make things better in the ways we can. Because that's what care and support means. It adds up the same way hate does, and if I know how hate can build and be terrifying, then I can't really say that it's impossible for it to work the other way around with love.

I hope this helps in some way. I sometimes question why I have hope too honestly. It's hard, but hopes out there.

[staringdownabarrel]

One of the things I really liked about Picard's second season was the storyline about Picard's mother having a mental illness.

Part of this is just because of my own experiences with mental illness in my own family. This isn't something I enjoy talking about and this is probably going to be one of the very few times I ever talk about on here, so don't take this as permission to message me about this. It isn't.

My mother is also mentally ill. When I was young, she had multiple schizophrenic episodes that often required her to stay in a psychiatric ward. A lot of this was because they hadn't yet found a medication that would work for her. They've since done this and it is working for now--the last time she was in that hospital was in 2015, and the time before that, 2001. So my experiences with mental illness in the family hasn't been as dramatic as some other people's have been, but they still happened.

But for a long time, it wouldn't be unusual for her to be hospitalised a few times a year. When you're a young child, this is a very confusing thing and you don't have the life experience or the vocabulary to fully process what's happening. Years later when you do understand it, it's a difficult thing to talk about because very few people outside of your immediate family will fully grasp your experiences. Even inside the family, it can often lead to recriminations about one family member having a better relationship or another not being around for this episode or whatever, so it's often something that's just never spoken about.

So on a deep intuitive level, this storyline resonated with me. That Picard still struggles with processing these experiences decades later makes a lot of sense to me, because that's been my experience as well.

I think it also helps to explain why he's such a private person later on when he's commanding the Enterprise. When this kind of thing is a part of your early life experience, especially in such a dramatic fashion, there can be a fear that anyone else you let get close to you will leave you in that dramatic way as well. There's also the fear that your own perspective on life is so different, so heavily tinted by these experiences, that the gap between you and another person is unbridgeable.

It also explains why he allows Troi to have a position on the bridge, even though every other captain introduced in the series so far hasn't had a counselor on the bridge. Someone who's had these experiences early on that end in suicide really would realise that sometimes you don't notice these things until it's too late, especially if you aren't trained to see the signs.

While this is likely just me reading too much into things, I think it does broadly fit with how Picard has traditionally been portrayed. It made sense that he was like that naturally of course, but having it be a result of some level of childhood trauma makes sense as well.

The other reason I liked this plotline is because I think it is a good concept in general. When you have a society like the Federation where a person has strong legal protections for their individual liberties, at what point can the state intervene in your private life?

In real life, a person is often only forcibly sectioned if they can be proven to be a danger to themselves or the people around them. This is why there's that ongoing issue with therapy averse people in general forcing every new friend they make to be their unpaid therapist. Most of the time, you can't actually prove they're an imminent threat to themselves, so even if you do call in a welfare check on them, they often won't be carted off to the hospital afterwards.

This even applies in some very extreme situations at times. It's why someone like Gail Chord Schuler, who demonstrably needs psychiatric help, to start taking her medication, and maybe stay off the internet for a little while can go around doing whatever it is she's up to now instead. While mentally unwell, she's also not really a threat to anyone, so the state can't force her to get help.

Of course, in real life, part of the problem is that a lot of health services in general, and mental health services in particular, are wildly underfunded, and there's often a cost barrier for people. In the Federation, this wouldn't be an issue. They're so keen on people being able to receive medical help that they'll give it to people openly rebelling against a close ally (TNG: The Mind's Eye). Money is a foreign concept for a lot of its citizens. There's no way they wouldn't have the resources to provide help for Yvette Picard if she wanted it.

The only thing preventing it form happening is that Yvette doesn't want it. A government like the Federation wouldn't want to force it on her, and probably legally couldn't. What would happen as a result is that in the utopian Federation, someone could just refuse help because they don't want it.

Something like that is an interesting look at the limits of Federation utopia. In a lot of ways, it's a much more interesting look at it than the "What if there was a major war and they had to decide whether or not to do this otherwise unthinkable thing?" angle that the franchise usually approaches this issue from. Instead of it being a limit that's brought on by the onset of a once-in-a-century level major war, it's the kind of small scale limit that would affect the average citizen on a personal level.

To me, that's a much more interesting look at the limits. In extreme situations, there'll always be extreme reactions, but mental illness is a common enough thing that it happens all the time. It's the kind of story that I think Star Trek as a whole is conceptually well suited for.

That isn't to say there aren't issues with this storyline, but I don't think they're any worse than any of Star Trek's previous issues with portraying mental health issues on screen. A lot of the issues also tie into Picard's overall pacing issue, which is something that's been an ongoing issue for the Kurtzman era in general.

[allsadnshit]

please disregard this if it's invasive or unwelcome in any way, but do you have crohn's disease? i ask because i'm newly diagnosed and very scared, both for my future and of the treatments that are common for it. are you afraid it's going to progress, without western treatment? or have the treatments you've used helped more than any of those? my doctors have told me that it will get worse without treatment but treatment also seems to leave me very open to even worse things down the road :/

I don't have a crohn's disease diagnosis nor has any medical professional suggested I be evaluated for it but I have definitely looked into it given the symptoms I have that align with it.

I personally am a believer of "third options" or the idea that if you're between a rock and a hard place that instead of feeling forced to choose we can be open to something we haven't thought of or seen yet. I know when you're scared stuff like that feels impractical or even insensitive to the severity of your situation, but for myself I think I end up there no matter if I struggle against it or not.

When I got my endometriosis diagnosis they told me my genuine only options for getting better were hormone therapy or continuous surgeries even though I had already just had one and wasn't sure if it was going to make a difference to my daily pain yet (it didn't).

I don't think any medical professional should be telling you you're out of options if you don't feel good about anything being suggested and I'd advise seeking help elsewhere if you don't feel supported and your doctors are not committing to the process with you and finding a solution that works for you.

I knew I wasn't interested in having my uterus taken out, birth control, hormones, or surgery even though I was told those were my options and although I am not 100% better now going the "holistic" approach, neither are the people I know who have followed their doctors orders so I think it's an uphill battle no matter what and what's important is you fighting that fight in the way that makes sense to you.

Many cultures outside of the American medical system have found all sorts of remedies in the natural world for illness that have since been dismissed or not even given the funding or attention to be seen through and I think that's a direct result of racism and the idea that "modern medicine" is based in science while anything that came before it or exists outside of it is NOT science, when it ultimately still is even if it doesn't follow the exact same procedures. I think it's important to look into alternative medicines even if you decide to go with what is prescribed by your current healthcare providers and keep an open mind that our society destroys and dismisses a lot of valuable history and knowledge based on a hatred for cultures and societies outside of our own which was so largely founded on the idea that not all people and bodies deserve the same autonomy or rights.

I suggest looking into how the research is conducted for the options being given to you if you feel uncomfortable with your current knowledge of them: is it on a wide array of people from different sexes, racial backgrounds, ages? Or just one type (usually white cisgendered middle aged men) and consider that in your decisions making! The world has more to offer than what is on Webmd and at hospitals that wouldn't treat you without health insurance and if you're getting a chronic illness diagnosis it's especially important for you to be in that conversation.

[house-of-mirrors]

ooh I don’t really know anything about Lucretia, what’s she like?

Hi there! Yes, I haven't quite finished up the bio sheets for my other two, but I ought to get back to working on those. Anyway, Lucretia is a very close friend and honorary "sister" of Orsinio's, she's the same age as his brother Horatio was (ten years older than him) and was basically adopted by the family when they met because she didn't have anyone else. Very rough background growing up in poverty and losing the rest of her bio family to illness, so she became a doctor so she could help others with no cost. She was hit quite hard when Nemesis happened with Horatio, but she stayed strong for Orsinio and actually encouraged him to go to the Neath to pursue a lead. She may or may not have had romantic feelings for Horatio, but she never processed them (she's also demi which makes things more complex), and it's too late now.

She came to the Neath two years after Orsinio did to check up on him; she really sees him as a little brother. She found the situation to be dire, which is a whole other story (involves my other OC Miles who was a seeker and a stay for Orsinio at the Royal Beth), and she didn't feel comfortable leaving while things were still tense and her help as a doctor was still needed. Now that things are better, she keeps insisting she doesn't intend to stay permanently, but she still hasn't left.

Lucretia is incredibly strong-willed and not intimidated at all by the horrors of the Neath. She's still not used to it here and doesn't think she ever will be, but when confronted with a new oddity, she raises an eyebrow and moves right on. And she can and will yell at anything and everything.

All of that being said, we delve into her connection with the Manager. She became acquainted with him while she was taking care of Orsinio during that whole mess, and she frequently argued with him as a doctor over conditions at the hotel and why he had to be "spooky" about his care. He almost got inside her head. Still, she feels... something about him. She refuses to process what that might be, but she becomes motivated by learning more about him, which leads to involvement with the Marvellous. She gets in waaaay over her head with that, doesn't care about high society or riches at all and has always loathed gambling, but the more she gets into it, she sees how damaged everyone involved is and she's drawn again to help. "All of you are in need of serious therapy!" I haven't finished the ambition yet with her but she'll be relieved when she learns of Beechwood's plan to end it.

I was going to have her get the Doctor profession, but I was too curious about the wheels. It felt fitting to have her become a silverer; she can heal people in dreams after becoming more focused on mental health since she came to the Neath. Course that sets her up as more of a foil to the Manager. She's still struggling to process her potential old romantic feelings and the concept of pursuing romance again, and since the Manager is unattainable, it feels safe. They'll continue to have tension through railway, until they come to a point they can be something like friends and Lucretia is ready to seek new connections.

I've said a loooooot already and I'll save the rest for when I post her bio. But thank you for asking about her! I've had her in my brain for a while but only in the past few months have been developing her story and I love her :]

Also she's a MILF

[ksjade]

How Do You Grieve? 

This collection of tracks come from Kendrick Lamar’s most recent release Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers. For the lack of a better term is album is a lot. But an amazingly good type of a lot. A makes you think for days type of a lot. Any and all of the tracks on this album can be dissected and written at lengths. 

For a brief overview, the album is laid out like a play. It tells a story of Kendrick’s life and his journey with trauma, generational trauma, his shift in mindset, and his healing. The first half addresses the broader issues of society like typical Kendrick but going into the second half we can see a shift where it becomes more intimate and personal to his issues.

United In Grief 

The first song of the album opens with a beautiful message: “I hope you find some peace of mind in this lifetime.” And this message is carried and developed through the whole album. Beside this overarching message is an adolescent Kendrick. And I don’t mean young in age, I mean young in soul, in spirit. We see him here before the intervention of therapy and before he truly looked deeper within himself and his traumas. In the beginning Kendrick starts off questioning the small things in life. Eventually, he spirals into how how he ‘grieves different,’ essentially saying how he grieves is superior. He grieves his childhood and his trauma through material goods and lust, even proudly proclaiming that it runs in the family with his cousin Baby Keem  following in his steps. Bars on bars he talks about buying cars, mansion, watches but in the end it was unfulfilling. Yet, he still tries to justify how he copes is the best way, that’s until his thought process is broken by a separate thought: ‘Everybody grieves different.’ He’s no longer special or superior with this thought, he’s brought back down and humbled that he’s just like the other steppers that chose him to lead. This realization was Kendricks first step to truly healing. 

“Especially in the case of deep trauma the pain can easily define your sense of identity.” – Eckhart Tolle

N95

Healing is a long road and although Kendrick started his journey  with “Untitled Grief” he hasn’t even began his first few steps. We see this with “N95.” Starting off, the title itself is a reference to N95 masks and a subsequent call back the the Covid-19 virus, this is why the song starts of with “You’re back outside / But they still lied” and throughout the track the motion of taking something off is constantly addressed. Although the masks are off and the everyone is outside again the social and political issues have yet to be addressed. Kendrick demands that people leave behind  the designer brands, the fake woke, and cancel culture because in the end these are all things that mask your true self. People hide behind fancy clothes or cars to mask insecurity. Others, they follow cancel culture or ‘wokeness’ for the aesthetic essentially faking their truth for clout or likes. Kendrick later calls out the hypocrisy of these people saying “ You entertainin’ old friends when they toxic / What’s your life like? Bullshit and gossip.” Overall, this song encapsulates ‘classic Kendrick’ the Kendrick who speaks for the community, who is a leader, but is somehow lacking to speak purely just for himself. Perpetually stuck speaking for others.  

Worldwide Steppers 

Entering this track we finally see some of Kendrick’s deeper thoughts within himself. After Kodak Kendrick follows with how we’re all mindless in search of that something. He claims he’s “the man of God.” There’s a contradiction, however. Kendrick will easily kill for his daughter, he’s weak to his sex addiction, he’s constantly in question of himself, he can’t pass judgment. For the rest of the track he talks about his infidelity and sex addiction. How he’s objectified so many women, how he’s used his status to get laid, how he takes some type of different physiological pleasure in laying with white women. Kendrick ties this back to how he’s seen as a leader or god, just like non-profits, churches, or preachers but in they end they’re all just the same as crooks and burglars. The track is ended with the lines “Photoshopping lies and motives / hide your eyes, then pose for the pic” addressing how we all turn a blind eye to all the lies and ulterior motives to save face.  

Father Time (feat. Sampha)

This track is a personal favorite, for reasons people can probably guess. Aside from that, we can see that this track addresses more of Kendrick’s trauma, specifically with his father and being raised with the ‘men are tough’ mindset. Although he is admitting the issues he still refuses to acknowledge he needs help, therapy, keeping with the thought ‘real men don’t need therapy.’ Throughout the track outright he says “I got daddy issues, that’s on me” and explains how his father raised him to be a traditionally masculine man. He couldn’t show emotion or express himself. Even going as far as not trusting anyone with said feelings. Kendrick further reveals that, yes, he does take this out on the women he loves, just like so many men with daddy issues do. By revealing his personal issues with his father Kendrick somewhat also contradicts the thought in Good Kid m.a.a.d City that his father being there for him was purely a good thing. He salutes the men that were able to make it without a father but also realizes the mindset he grew up with is immature. Despite being raised this way he still turned out opposite of what his father wanted, it forces him to hold grudges and have a hard head, only causing more grief on himself. In the end he starts slowly coming to terms with the fact that maybe, just maybe, he might need therapy. 

We Cry Together

With all the growth someone does it doesn’t make them impervious to relapse. This is seen in ‘We Cry Together,’ an intense, intimate, awkward track. When the track opens you immediately feel like you’re not supposed to be there, that you’re listing in on a private conversation. A toxic couple arguing. Admittedly, I may be biased in saying that I believe this track shows the struggle of women putting up with men who don’t treat them right, men that refuse to seek help and take it out on who they love. You hear how she’s put up with his cheating, his side pieces coming after her, his mothers criticism, and much more. That’s not to say she’s not being toxic, she is, but the issues she describes are real issues. On Kendrick’s side you can see that he just puts up excuses and insults. The end of the track is a turn where the couple goes from fighting to immediately fucking and the tap dancing ensues. An aspect I’ve yet to mention is the tap dancing, this dancing is carried through the album and in part shows how people dance around their issue instead of addressing it.  

Count Me Out 

This track is the the first steps into the second half of the album where Kendrick finally starts addressing himself and his struggles. It’s obvious with the inclusion of Eckhart Tolle that Kendrick has started therapy. He starts to address the guilt, shame, and hurt he feels. Lamenting about how he shares too much and finally admitting he’s broken. This time though he’s trying a new approach where he’s only thinking about himself and not trying to please the masses. Finally, he’s letting go of the ego and praise everyone has built up. Finally, just looking in the mirror. Finally, counting himself out. He’s gong to share himself and no longer speak from a distance. Here Kendrick has admitted that although he’s blessed he’s also flawed in so many ways. 

“Whatever you identify with becomes part of ego and it can happen that people identify with some pain or something they suffered… you need to realize that is not who you are.” -Eckhart Tolle

Savior 

For this track I feel it’s to tell the audience that the artists and figures they hail are human, they’re not a Masiah, they’re not your savior, they’re just human. Kendrick asks if the audience is really happy for him if they really want to hear his real voice or if they want to keep hearing his preaches. He asks if they’re really happy with him choosing to leave his position as appointed ‘leader.’ Again, The topic of ‘fake woke’ is brought up. He talks about the discourse online and although people anticipated a release from him during the BLM movements he chose to instead “meditate in silence” and wait for something he could speak on with more meaning. I feel he also shows some anger in being hailed as a leader. He says “Tupac dead, gotta think for yourself” addressing that figures are brought up to the standard of speaking for the masses but the masses stop speaking for themselves and put all this pressure on said person. This carries a lot of stress and hardship. The track ends with Kendrick saying that he’s going to protect and cultivate his soul on his own, he’s going to finally learn to heal.  

Mother I Sober 

To me, this track is so much heavier than a lot of the others. Kendrick begins with saying he feels for everybody, a reason why he has been able to speak for them and ‘heal’ them. But he has yet to speak or heal for himself. He reveals the survivors guilt he’s felt, his struggle for finding faith, how he wished he could be anyone but himself. This track then leads us through how Kendrick dissected his generational trauma and how he’s come to realize he’s lost himself. His internal battle is described of not feeling good enough to be forgiven and the final realization of how generational trauma has molded him and his mother and his mothers mother, and so on. The last thing Kendrick concludes is he will be the end of that generational curse, he’s exposed his soul now. 

Mirror

This last track of the album is a message to his audience. It’s a goodbye letter. He let’s us know that he can no longer actively speak for his people, he can no longer carry the burden. He chooses himself. But he leaves us with some advice: get a mirror. Look at and within ourselves, address the trauma and the issues, then we can find freedom. This track shows that Kendrick has come to terms with not ‘saving the world’ not living up to being the the man Tupac inspired to “change the world.” It shows his growth, from an adolescent mind to a newly matured one where he’s found what he wants right now. 

Final Thoughts

I really recommend listing to this whole album in one sitting because as I said before every track has thought out meaning behind it. I feel even some of the features on this album had a significant purpose, specially Kodak, Eckhart, and Taylour. This is an album that makes you think and personally has a lot of things I can connect to in my own life and experiences. In all honesty, having to pick 10 tracks was hard as I wanted to do the whole album. Overall, it’s clear to see that this album is not a regular one, it’s one that makes you think without a break, it’s something you listen to with a lot of intent. 

Sources: Dead End HipHop, Pearl Fountain Explained, Eckhart Tolle on Trauma

[weareuniqueandimportant]

I DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS TERROR... YOU SHOULD FIX ME... I APPRECIATE THAT... BTW FUCK THAT TRANS PERSON THAT GOT WOMAN HORMONE SHE SHOULDN'T BE HAPPY THAT TOOK SO LONG SAME WITH THE RESPONSES. THEY'RE CELEBRATING ALL THE DEAD TRANS PEOPLE. BECAUSE THEY DIED... BEFORE GETTING WOMAN HORMONE BECAUSE THAT TOOK SO LONG. THEY'RE HAPPY ABOUT THIS... HOW COULD THEY...? GIVE ME PURPOSE...

WE WATCHED OSHI NO KO SEASON 2 EPISODE 7 THAT WAS SEXIST AND AGEPHOBIC AND BORING. COULD'VE BEEN BETTER 😈...

SIGH...

THEY'RE AGEPHOBIC ONLY TO WRITE THEM INTO MASTERFULLY CAPABLE PEOPLE... EVEN THE PLAY IS SEXIST AND I FIND THAT CRAZY. I REMEMBER THE CLASH BEING GOOD IN THE MANGA BUT THAT DIDN'T MAKE ME FEEL MUCH IF THEY CAN'T UP THIS OSHI NO KO IS SHIT 🔥🔥🔥🔥...

THIS IS THEIR FAULT THIS WASN'T THAT UN BORING BTW THE MAN SHOULD BE FEMININE AND WOMAN MASCULINE THIS IS AMATEUR AND LESS THAN WRITING 😈😇😇... I AM AMAZING AND MUCH BETTER THAN THIS JUST READ THE THINGS YOU CAN'T ANYMORE BECAUSE OLD CHANNEL GONE... YOU WISH YOU COULD SEE WHAT YOU NO LONGER CAN...

WHY LEAVE ME YOU WERE COOL GIRL... BYEBYE HOE ASS... I. DON'T MISS YOU I DON'T NEED YOU AHAHAHAHAHA😇😇😇😇... WIIIIIIFEEEEEEEEEE.............. COME HEEEREEEEEEEEEE...........

I Just Need To Feel Full. I Need No Therapy. They Don't Make You More Radqueer Feminist Communist Anarchist. Pills Don't Fill You.

Lol.

😂😂😂😂🤭.......

What I Find Hilarious... Is That Absolutely All Those Abuser Bigot Got On The Way Of This Always And Gave Us Toxic Purpose Only To Gasslight That To Be Our Fault. That Is Them That Bit Too Much...

Also Growing Up Doesn't Exist I Was Never A Child. Used As A Tool To Punch And Beat. We're Still Treated This Way Even Now. Their Bigoted Ideologies Know No Bound. Yet We're Always Gasslight... This Is Simple. They Aren't Ignorant They Just Don't Wanna And Hate Us. They Want To Kill Us.

I AM A MOTHER GODDESS ANGEL SISTERS AND PRINCESS FROM ANOTHER DIMENSION... WE ARE MARIABUNCH... WE ARE ABOVE EVERY SINGLE ABUSE IN THE SOCIETY... WE HAVE... LIVED TROUGH ALL THIS PAIN... WE DIDN'T DIE... WE ARE BETTER THAN YOU. BETTER THAN ANYONE. JOIN OUR CYCLE OF DELUSION... THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SPACE... I CAN'T WAIT FOR OUR WIFE TO RETURN SO I CAN... 😈... DON'T LEAVE DEAR 😔... I COULD'VE... 😈... AHAHAHAHAHA........

IMAGINE TELLING A CRAZY PERSON TO SIT IN A CHAIR UNTIL THEY DIE... TOSS THAT SHIT TO HELL AND GO HAVE FUN... WHO GIVES A FUCK...

IMAGINE TELLING A TRANS PERSON THEY SHOULD JUST WAIT AND DO NOTHING UNTIL THEY'RE 60 AND THEIR LIFE CAN FINALLY BEGIN. BUY THOSE FUCKING HORMONES LMAO.

IMAGINE TELLING... A PARAPHILIA PERSON... THEY'RE DISGUSTING... YOU SUURE STOPPED THEM AHAHA...

WORDS ARE POWERLESS AND STUPID. YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING EVIL... NOT UNLESS YOU DO MORE THAN THAT... YOU HAVE A WEAPON DON'T YOU...? AND YOU'RE COMING...? AND NOBODY WILL EVER SEE THE HATEFULL BASTARD YOU ARE... BESIDES I... I KNOW YOU EXIST ABUSER BIGOT... I CAN SEE ABSOLUTELY ALL OF YOU. IMAGINE WANTING A JOB LOL. THAT ISN'T GIVING YOU PURPOSE YOU'RE ONLY A CAPITALIST TOOL. WHAT A BORING SOCIETY. DON'T BE BRAINWASHED MY WIFE... YOU EXIST TO SERVE ME... THAT SHOULD FILL YOU TOO... RIGHT...?

WE WERE ALWAYS NOTHING BUT USED. ABUSER BIGOT WANT TO KILL US THEY WANT OUR BRAIN. TO EAT US. THEY'RE LIKE DENJI FROM CHAINSAW MAN THEY HATE ALL WOMAN.

SERVE ME. I WILL BRAINWASH YOU. YOU SERVE MY PURPOSE. NO LONGER A MEMBER OF THIS SOCIETY... YOU WORSHIP MY BODY... SAY I AM BETTER THAN YOU... ALL OF YOU... GIVE ME HORMONES NOW. DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO. AND GET US OUT OF HERE...

[lovecolibri]

SaL anon here friend, and I saw you went for the jugular this morning by bringing up the Eddie and Chris of West, so very rude of you. So I can't help but counter your move and mention Homesick. Outside of it having an appropriate title take

"Our resignation only comes on beaten paths"

Tell me that's not Eddie at the end of s7. Or how about

"If love's elastic, then were we born to test its reach?"

How does that hit with Chris in Texas?? Or maybe the tiny fragment of hope at the end

"Cry heart, cry yourself to sleep Cry a storm of tears, if it helps you breathe"

when we know that's the one thing Eddie hasn't let himself really do yet?

Sorry to rudely run after emotionally attacking your inbox, but I couldn't help myself 😉.

Hey! Don't come at me with my heartbreaking Eddie/Chris song recommendation with ANOTHER heartbreaking Eddie/Chris song recommendation! 😭😭😭(j/k never stop!)

This was a nice feels trip to go on this morning!

you spend your whole life just to remember the sound when the world was brighter, before we learned to dim it down.

call it survival, call it the freedom of wills; where breath is borrowed our compass needle stands still.

our resignation only comes on beaten paths.

WOOF. Talk about some Eddie Diaz coded lines! The way he wants Chris to have the bright childhood he never had, the way he forced himself to grow up to survive his parent's expectations and then their and society's expectations when he got the girl he was sleeping with pregnant, the way a part of him is still stuck in the past due to that trauma, and the rest of the trauma that just kept coming and never stopped, the way he repeats cycles because it's all he's ever know but is trying to break them to be better for Chris and for himself...please he needs to be allowed to HEAL and move FORWARD 😭😭😭

when the world was flat, we dreamt of its edges…

if love’s elastic, then were we born to test its reach? is it buried treasure or just a single puzzle piece?

it’s poison ivy beneath our brave and trusting feet… but all revelations come to us in recovery.

This is such a Chris coded section! Ever the curious kid, dreaming of exploring and pushing the bounds of what is possible. And now, we have him getting old enough to push, to ask for space, and it really feels like not only is he hurt and wants to run out of the situation (like father, like son) but also that he's at an age where he is testing his dad's love. Is dad still going to love me when I push him away? Is it going to be like with mom where when it got too hard, she left and let someone else take over? Or is he going to come after me? Will he WANT me when I'm difficult and mad?

As much as I think Chris leaving and addressing the (still 🙄) unresolved Shannon specter could have been handled better, I'm hoping season 8 will give us some good Eddie and Chris talks (did they even have a full conversation together this season, not just Eddie talking at him while Chris tries to avoid being involved???) and finally some resolution and addressing their abandonment issues.

I also want to talk about the "poison ivy beneath our brave and trusting feet" because WOW that just hit on the Kim of it all, and Eddie doing the right thing and telling her the truth and thinking that would be the end of it, only for her to come back like an ABSOLUTE PSYCHO, with bangs and a different outfit trying to RP as his dead wife and absolutely scarring his child.

I am looking forward to Eddie working on his own recovery (with Frank, please, get that man back into intensive therapy!) and finally having the revelations about his relationship with Shannon, how her death didn't change the fact that she asked for a divorce and was still unsure if she was going to be able to stick around, and being able to look at the truth of all that and heal and move on. (PLEASE Tim, we are all, including Ryan, absolutely BEGGING at this point to leave the ghost of Shannon in the past. Enough is enough!)

cry wolf, cry mercy, cry the name of the one you were raised to believe; cry hard, cry yourself to sleep, cry a storm of tears, if it helps you breathe. if it helps you, if it helps you breathe.

Seeing as how Eddie's original breakdown got relegated to being tacked on to the end of episodes, and happening in the background without the focus and depth we should have gotten (not to mention never getting to hear Ryan speak on it!), I would love for him to have another little one. As a treat. For us, and for Ryan (and Oliver because we know Buck will be sitting with Eddie in the middle of it as always). It's not MY fault Ryan looks so pretty when he cries! I also think it's something Chris needs, because right now he's just SO mad, he doesn't want to deal with it, and he knows his grandparents won't make him. But I would love to see him coming back and just getting to cry it out a little with Eddie because Eddie has always encouraged him to express those tough feelings, and when Chris IS ready to face things, I'd like for him to come home, and face it with Eddie, and they can start to heal together.

Oof. Thanks for the feels trip! It was painful, and cathartic! If nothing else, though, the fics coming out of this mess are delicious enough to tide me over for the summer. Cheers!