#its absolutely as valid as that can be for toddlers

[milomaxxy]

So, last year, my family was in a shelter until we could get into a home. It was a families-only shelter, so you had to have a child or children to stay. We made friends with a few families while there; we were entirely new to the area so it was an opportunity to make friends in a place where we didn't know anyone. Our (then 3 year old) toddler made friends with a whole bunch of kids, especially a family with 4 kids in her age range. One day I noticed she acted different with one of the girls, and it hit me.

She acted exactly like I did with my first crush. She wasn't just friendly with her like other kids. Our kiddo is autistic asf, so most of her interactions with other kids is mirroring their play and maybe giving them snacks if she really likes them. She would go out of her way to find gifts for this girl, would let her watch videos (we had kids videos on a spare phone for her) with her (something she would have a meltdown if other kids tried to do), would dance with her, actually hugged her (something else she doesn't do unless she knows somebody very well), and more. She would ask every morning when this little girl would be coming outside so they could play together, even before asking about breakfast.

I mentioned it to my spouse, and we were joking about her first crush. The little girl's mom heard, and AGREED WITH US bc her little girl was doing the EXACT SAME THING. She picked out a nightgown, a winter coat, and a hoodie for my toddler. They'd lay together on the little trampoline in the yard, snuggled together, watching videos and eating snacks. And other people caught wind of the joke (that we weren't so certain was a joke at this point) and got in on it too. The other toddler's older sister even asked my kiddo at one point if she wanted to "kiss (other kid) like your parents kiss". Basically asking if she wants to kiss on the cheek or peck on the lips, and omg my child's reaction made me cry actual tears of joy.

My child's eyes lit up and she grinned. An important detail is that my toddler was absolutely obsessed with Bluey at the time and quoted it literally every minute of the day. It was so often that other people thought she was adopted bc she had the accent down to a fucking t. She says "for real life?" in her Bingo voice, jumping up and down. We all are melting at this point, just fawning over her reaction.

That family ended up moving away a month or so later, and fortunately my kiddo was able to say goodbye to all the other kids before they left. I bawled that morning bc her "girlfriend" as they'd started calling each other Drew a smiley face on her coat. When she does outgrow it, I plan on keeping it for her bc it's a gift from "her first girlfriend".

Those few months were so healing for my inner-child. My parents would have never been okay with me having a crush on a girl as a toddler, much less said "yeah, you can have a girlfriend". And seeing her and this little girl act exactly like me and my first crush, hunched over looking at bugs and gathering nuts that fell from the trees... it was adorable. Watching them act like little crows with each other, and this little girl knock the actual hell out of her brother for being kinda mean to my kiddo, and my kid ask to get friendship trinkets at the store, was magical. I never have seen my kid be that social since, and it's definitely a special little period of her life. It's wild to me how far along the world has come in two decades bc of how many other people supported these little "toddler girlfriends". It gives me hope for the future

[rosiejasmine2222]

The basis of letting go is TRUST

To let go is to trust.

What exactly is letting go in manifestation? Now I'm not saying that you need to let go to manifest, you absolutely don't have to because your reality your rules. I'm writing this for the people who want to understand what it is, and hopefully help someone in the process. If you're sick of methods and robotic affirmations/affirmations, this could be for you too.

Picture this.

A toddler is learning how to walk. They are being held by their caregivers and is putting their left foot down and ahead of the other followed by their right foot and the cycle repeats. At first they are wobbly so they require more support from their caregivers and effort from themselves. But as time goes by, they become more and more proficient at walking and it becomes like second nature to them. They no longer need to be held by their caregivers.

When we first started out learning about LOA/shifting, we had the mindset of a toddler. We needed to do research (like the toddler's effort), we needed to feel supported, we wanted validation from others that what we're doing is right (like being held by caregivers). This is but indeed very human nature as we want to feel like we're on the right track by seeking reassurance from others.

However, just like the toddler, there comes a point where we no longer need to be held by our caregivers. We no longer need to do further research because we already know enough. We don't have to be laser-beamed focused on what foot to put in front, at which direction and at what angle because we now know how to walk. We don't need to seek approval or validation from others whether if its correct to place my right foot first before the left foot or vice versa. There is literally NO right or wrong way to walk. Similarly, there is literally no right or wrong way to manifest. Manifesting is limitless. There are no rules. There is no need to seek approval or validation from others in the first place because the validation is always coming from YOU. Nobody can validate yourself except for you.

So no, when we talk about letting go, we are NOT talking about letting go of your desires. What we're talking about is letting go of that death grip that you have on the approval/validation from others, ruminating over and over again as to whether you have done everything right, trying out every new method/routine that you come across in HOPES that it can help achieve your desires.

Babes, what are you doing? You already HAVE you desires. Why else would you have a desire? Your desires don't just appear out of thin air. They are YOUR desires because they are YOURS (now read that again). You just need to TRUST yourself like how the toddler trusts their own body (in this case your consciousness) that they KNOW what to do. We’re literally shifting all the time. It is second nature to us.

The toddler isn't doing 123456789 methods to make sure they are walking right. They don't have to! They already are. Similarly, you don't have to inspect every single detail and analyze whether you're doing things correctly and or whether if you're affirming enough. You don't even need methods. You exist. And that's enough. That's the KEY to manifesting. Let me remind you once again that whatever it is that you desire means NOTHING if you do not exist.

So, let go. Let go on that death grip that you have on the "what if" I'm not doing enough, what if I'm doing anything wrong, what if this method isn't for me, what if that method is better etc etc. All you need is yourself. You do not need to be held by your caregivers no longer. You can walk now, run even. Just think about the toddler whenever you second-guess yourself. You are already walking. It is done.

[not-goldy]

jimin has always been the one showing his attraction to jungkook while jungkook was the one who was shy about it. jimin was the one bringing up the hickey, saying he was with jungkook on his birthday, posting pictures about jungkook, while jungkook did none of those things. it's really interesting how you have persuaded yourself into thinking that jimin was the shy one and jungkook was the one encouraging jimin because it was absolutely not like that until jimin decided to take a step back from posting and engaging with jungkook. even in 2023, it was jimin who was the one consistently commenting on jungkook's lives while jungkook did it once! jungkook didn't visit any of jimin's promotional activities, yet you celebrate jimin flying to new york. you know jimin has always been the one to show up. when did the narrative change to fit your "jungkook is the best boyfriend" spiel?

Okay..... but Jimin didn't bring up the hickey Jungkook just snitched on him on his own.

Jimin is.... kinda shy though ....

I mean underneath all that rah rah

Sure he is extroverted but being extroverted don't mean you are impervious to shyness or vice versa.

Let me tell you a story

I met a beautiful older woman we talked we flirted we crossed certain lines flash forward 6 months and we are sort of seeing eachother but it's not official.

I wasn't fully out only a few people knew AND I wasn't prepared to come out not to anybody.

She seemed out out more so out than I was but for some reason she wanted to keep us a secret. She had divorced her husband because she admitted to him and herself she's gay.

Some how being with me was a bit embarrassing for her- she didn't say this but I just could tell. Me and her kids get along well and they all think I'm just a younger colleague of their mom.

Her ex husband thinks we are dating but he's always looking at me as some toddler and even joked a couple of times he would have agreed to a threescore with me if she wanted something "young and fresh"

One time he said now my ex can appreciate why men prepare younger women.

She doesn't say it bothers her as certain topics are off the table and we don't broach into that at all.

She's done well for herself over the years worked hard and climbed up the ladder and She's top gee in the work place. Everyone respects her but particularly so because she represents this conservative Christian family woman living the traditional life style.

She's been with others before me that's for sure but I'm the first after her divorce.

Now do I want to come out to everyone about my sexuality- no. But we were always arguing because I also didn't want to be kept a secret especially to people meaningful to us.

I wanted our relationship to be seen as valid and respected for what it was.

Saying this to explain the complexity of the concept of outing and showing- its not as simple as oh this person is bold and brazen and isn't afraid to hold hands and show affection.

My ex could do all that but still recoil in front of a different crowd. She doesn't mind being intimate and showing around her kids but she as a different person around her ex husband and their mutual friends.

She didn't mind being showy around my friends and family but around her colleagues she acted as if I'm just one kid who likes to bother her.

When I see Jungkook I don't see him picking and choosing or even reading the room most times- save for a few random instances. It can be frustrating dealing with someone like that who wants consistency to the point they become reckless.

When I was with her I was always accused of being reckless and wanting to ruin her hard earned reputation as a respectable woman. One time I kissed her in front of our colleagues and everyone cheered. But we didn't speak for a whole month afterwards because she said I embarrassed her. She said it wasn't meaningful because I was drunk blah blah blah. Fuck her. Hope she never finds love again.

In retrospect may be I could have been more thoughtful and considerate but geez I don't really play into respectability politics ion give a fuck what no one thinks of me or us.

Anywho try not to oversimplify some of these issues two things can be true at once it's not always either or and try to catch the nuances of some of these things.

And why can't they both be best boyfriends😩

They are both best boyfriends

Say it with me

[socksandbuttons]

I don't remember the last time Lunar got mad at Moon. Moon has told Ruin that he trusts his family but in today's episode, Lunar told yelled at him to actually trust his family. Trust isn't always about betrayal or hiding something from someone. In Moon's case, he doesn't trust Lunar enough to protect himself. He doesn't trust his capabilities to take care of himself. It made Lunar feel like he was being treated like a kid again which is why he had to reiterate to Solar that he is not a toddler on that episode when Jack broke into his apartment. His anger towards the two is very much valid. And to be honest, I am glad that Lunar told Moon off about trusting his family. I understand that Moon is very protective of them and that in itself is admirable. But continuing to hide things like this, not communicating properly with them aside from Solar, and not trusting their capabilities, all those things will only break them apart.

I'm gonna be honest. Poor communication has always been a problem in our beloved celestial family but for me, it's getting a little tiring at this point. I believe you can write family angst/drama/disagreements without poor communication being the only sole cause of it. Just my two cents on that.

- Unhinged Solar lover

LOOOVE that lunar got to call moon out. Moon is very much 'I can do this without getitng anyone involved' cause like i get he woke up with so much happening. Probably not helping that re-enforcing the idea that HES got to take charge and fix it. Hes got the fresh outlook! (No hes just going back into a cycle) Something he kinda fell back into and got mad at SUN for not communicating. He's getting that thrown right back at him. Absolutely the miscommunication and refusal to tell people is getting wild but this is interesting that they ARE in a way addressing this. So i wonder how well this may go. Lunar im sure wouldve liked an input of whats happening with eclipse rather than moon and sun making the decision without letting anyone KNOW. But yeah its great Moon told him! But its uh... of course Lunars gonna be mad. Of course hes gonna be upset with the news. Moon went ahead with soemthing without much input. Again. Esp with someone they all agreed didnt like for valid reasons. Earth I dont think would be too agreeable of the situation for a few other reasons (a chip in eclipses head yeah a good safe bet but ALSO...) But anyway- casually wondering whats gonna happen cause im just sitting here like Wow. Anything can happen now.

[multiplicity-positivity]

not to like drag you into syscourse but the whole reason we bacame anti endo was do to the amount of hate-harrasment we got from endo systems, we have had we to many endo systems tell us that we deserve our truama and-or that our trauma wasnt enough to make us into a systems + the amount of endo systems that tell us that we have it better/easier because we formed from trauma and that we can get a dignoses easier do to that then endo system (and some more private stuff we wont bother you with) it just made us really distust endo systems but we want to become pro endo but have no idea if its even worth it or even safe for us do to the trama we got form pro endo blogs

(had the courage to send this do to the ask of one other anti endo annon that wanted to become pro enod,also sorry this came out venty then i wanted to )

hey, thanks for coming to us with this. we’re really glad you did. we welcome any anti endo here who is willing to listen, learn, and be vulnerable with us. we’re all systems here, we’re all people, and we’re all capable of positive growth and change for the better.

this got long, and pretty heavy. so it’s going under a cut to spare those who aren’t interested. if syscourse is a trigger for your system, please scroll on!

we’re sorry to hear you’ve been hurt or harassed by pro endos in the past. we have, too. in fact, we have split an alter in the past due to a pro endo harassing us and spreading cruel rumors about us online. we’ve been called an abuser by pro endos due to our antiracist stance and activism. we’ve also been told by pro endos that we deserved the abuse that we went through as a toddler that caused our disorder to form. so we get that distrust, anon. we really, truly do.

it’s gotten so bad for us that we avoid calling ourselves “pro endo” outright. do we love, support, cherish, and believe endogenic systems? absolutely. do we want to uplift them and help them feel welcome in the plural community? without a doubt. but we cannot bring ourselves to call our system “pro endo” specifically due to the harm we’ve faced from pro endos in the past.

but the thing is, the harsh and violent words from a few pro endos should not reflect on the validity of all endogenic systems or endogenic plurality as a whole. some pro endos can be really mean, especially online. but that doesn’t change the fact that most endo systems are just out here existing, attempting to live their best lives and avoid being fakeclaimed and harassed by people who don’t know them. we have had the privilege of meeting dozens of endo systems in our time running this blog - nearly all of which were thoughtful, kind, and caring folks who don’t spend time harassing other systems in any way, shape or form.

anon, you can in fact be supportive of endo systems without ever interacting with them directly. you can educate yourself and attempt to learn more without ever calling yourself “pro endo.”

if this interests you, we’d really encourage you to try browsing some endo friendly tags on tumblr to get a feel for plurality without trauma and those who identify that way. (note: please block the “#radqueer” tag before doing this, as a lot of radqueers will clog the endo tags with posts. endogenic plurality has nothing to do with radqueers, despite some folks saying otherwise.)

the “#pluralgang” tag is absolutely amazing. you could also check out “#plurality,” “#actually plural,” “#endo safe,” “#endo friendly,” and “#endogenic.” by just scrolling the tags, you can try to expose yourself to some endo systems without committing to following anyone or interacting directly. maybe this could help you work through some of that distrust.

of course, if you do reach a point where you feel comfortable calling yourself pro endo, go for it! there are tons of amazing, wonderful pro endos here on tumblr who surely would welcome you into their spaces. but you don’t have to directly engage or identify with that specific label in order to be supportive and accepting of endogenic plurality. it’s okay to listen to others with different life experiences and support different system origins without identifying with the pro endo label.

we’re always here, happy to field any further questions you may have or provide resources if you’re hoping to learn more. and we truly are wishing you the very best in your future. we’re sorry this got so long, but we hope it can help put your mind at ease a bit, or at least help you feel a little less alone.

if any endogenic systems sees this and feels comfortable interacting with anti endos who are willing to learn, feel free to comment or reblog this post so anon can maybe find some endo systems who they can potentially follow without facing any backlash. no pressure, of course! again, we do think that everyone is capable of positive change, and past anti endos or ex anti endos should always be welcomed in our spaces with open arms.

[closetchaosstuff]

I just came across another post saying how anything criticising JC behaviour is anti survivor or whatever and its just such bullshit 🙄. Like no one is denying his trauma. But guess what, everyone in the novel suffered some kind of trauma. But they didn't go around murdering innocents years down the line.

Yes the Wen attacked lotus pier, but WQ and WN helped JC on great personal risk. How come he can carry grudge from the former but not gratitude from the latter? A-yuan wasn't even born when lotus pier was attacked. None of the Wen were cultivators. Even WQ was a doctor and not a martial cultivator. Yet JC decided that they deserved to die. He led a seige against them.

For all his yapping about debts he never acknowledged his own. And for what? Some post said it was valid since he was still traumatised from his sisters death. And you know what, like genuinely fuck that person. Just because JC's sister died he's allowed to take his pound of flesh from a fucking toddler? From civilians who had never hurt anyone?

If my take on JC screams anti survivor rhetoric you know what your take screams? Abuse apologism. A person having trauma does not excuse their shitty behaviour. Having mental health disorders does not mean you can get away with being an absolutely horrible person. Most serial killers have some sort of trauma. Do you excuse them for it?

I have bipolar disorder and I remember hurting someone one time during a manic phase and I still feel fucking awful about it. Yes it was my disorder but it was still myself hurting that person and I am fully prepared to take responsibility. And with JC the thing is he regrets none of his actions. Maybe he was awfully traumatised after lotus pier and chocked WWX because of that but he never regrets it. He never regrets or tries to change his horrible attitude. That's why he's an awful person. And if anyone of you actually relates to him I would genuinely not want to be associated with you irl.

[ryuichirou]

Replies

A couple of short ones and one longer one as a follow-up to the Twst and its age rating topic.

Anonymous asked:

Hello!! Would you ever consider doing an art of Riddle being pegged? Not by anyone in particular, just some anonymous person. Your art would make him so much justice, you're the only one that understand THE VISION!!!!

Anon, thank you so much! I really appreciate your high praise, especially as someone who doesn’t draw Riddle as often as he deserves to be drawn 👏

I wouldn’t be opposed to that, Riddle would look great being pegged. But pegging isn’t necessarily  the type of kink that I go for in my head. So I guess only if it’s a commission…

Anonymous asked:

So there’s this game called Nameless: The One You Must Recall. Anyway, there’s a character called Tei who at first seems like he’s the team mom buuuut….well let’s just say nothing could be further from the truth. Anyway, he kind of reminds me of Trey. Even the name is eerily similar.

… based on the way you’re describing him, he certainly reminds you of Trey because of his name! 😎

I bet Trey would awkwardly giggle and say that at least he is different from him in every way other than their names sounding similar. Oh buddy…

Anonymous asked:

What's the argument for why twst's age rating should be put higher? I've been playing under the assumption that it's an all-ages game, and I never got to any point where I thought "a kid shouldn't see this" (although I am very open-minded when it comes to what I think kids can handle) so I've been wondering what specifically has people thinking it's a more mature game?

The biggest argument is that I am a bitter old gatekeeper with a stick that doesn’t want kids on their lawn (this isn’t their lawn, it’s a park, but the old gatekeeper doesn’t care).

Jokes aside, I think it’s a bit of a complicated topic, but I will try to explain my thoughts.

The game age rating is sometimes being used as an argument against adult fans enjoying the game or creating explicit content with its characters. I’ll dive into this later, but please keep this in mind while reading my entire reply because otherwise it does sound kind of deranged without this context lol To be honest, if not for that type of situations, I wouldn’t even be talking about this at all or being so gatekeeping. It would’ve help to filter out some annoying fans simply because those complaining are usually too immature both for understanding the media in question, ironically, and interacting with the fanbase in a proper way.

It is tricky because every age rating system is slightly different, and I’m guessing Twst uses Mobile software content rating system, so 4+/9+/12+/17+ for AppStore and 3+/7+/12+/16+/18+ for Google (apparently they use International Age Rating thing)… and in my quick 2 min search I couldn’t find any strict parameters that indicate the game belonging into a certain category according to these rating systems so I gave up, but. The point I am making is that yes, technically, Twst doesn’t have any nudity, any blood, profanity, substances and sexual content. But some of the themes brought up in the game + the way they are expressed don’t feel like 3-4+ content to me. I feel like even 13+ would’ve been more fair, not because a toddler couldn’t handle it, but because it doesn’t feel like it’s entirely suitable for them and they would have an ability to grasp what’s going on and have enough emotional maturity to understand some of the darker themes of the game. Why would 9+ or 12+ even exist if it was just a matter of “well there isn’t anything horny in it” (not saying that this is your point by the way! Your question is absolutely valid.)

I don’t think a kid wouldn’t be able to handle twst, in fact, I think kids are able to handle a lot of things they aren’t supposed to watch or play at their age. Just the other day I wanted to scold my younger sibling for playing a game with very dark themes, but then I remembered what I watched when I was their age. It depends on a person, so in terms of protecting kids, the age rating really doesn’t do anything: if they really wanted, they would have played it even if it was R18.

That being said.

People don’t always keep in mind that age rating and target audience are two completely different things. Yes, twst is 3+/4+, but its target audience are older teenagers and young adults (mostly in their 20s) – this is the majority of people who are invested in the game. And thus people who want to shun away those who are on the older side of the fandom OR like to explore darker sides of the canon (and it has PLENTY of dark elements) start using this as an argument: this is a kids game, this isn’t for you, this is Disney and it’s made for kids, as if it’s a My Little Pony fandom situation. Not only it’s stupid and gatekeepy, but it also kind of… infantilises the game that is actually quite mature in its writing, even if it avoids some explicitly adult topics? I hope that makes sense.

I feel like I just used your ask to rant about something that’s been bothering me, I hope it’s okay Anon lol

But yeah, a TL;DR answer to your question would probably be even though there isn’t anything too shocking or explicit, I think the themes of the game are more suitable for teens than for pre-schoolers. Even W.I.T.C.H. was 11+ when I was reading it back in the day (shrug)

[starcanwrecked-confessions]

I don't know, I feel like it's completely fair to hate on Ani. Or maybe not 'hate on' since that does seem forced but dislike and criticise absolutely. In comparison to the rest of the Starkid catalogue it's not a good show at all. Perhaps it's the unexpected cast, but that seems like a scapegoat. The humour is good in some parts, especially with Nick Lang's characters, however the jokes sometimes drag on way too long and get incredibly wordy and boring, which is the case for a lot of the dialogue in this show in particular. It isn't the only Starkid show that has a problem with too much dialogue (MAMD + AVPSY) but it definitely stands out to me. Also some creative choices just do not make sense. The characters speak in such an odd, robotic way, and that may just be me being too picky with tone but it makes it so difficult to watch. The way things are said makes everything sound miserable or sarcastic which gets old and annoying by minute 10.

I can't say much about the references themselves because I am not a Star Wars fan, I don't get the references, so maybe if you're a Star Wars fan you like them. But what I can say is the parts where they go 'hahaha look a star wars joke haha' and have the characters literally stare at the audience and explain the reference like they're talking to a toddler is infuriating. It's done too much and again it gets boring fast.

The obvious criticism is that the songs aren't sung by the actual cast. I agree it's not a smart creative choice and it hinders the show greatly, it makes it so much more difficult to connect with the characters or engage with the plot, plus because the characters aren't singing they tend to just. Stand on stage and do repetitive boring movements whilst the songs go on.

The ending also felt incredibly rushed and boring to me?? One second the show was happening and the next it just ended, it didn't feel satisfying at all. It felt like nothing had really happened and the characters hadn't even developed or changed that much. There was no point in the show that felt climatic or like it was building up to something, not even the beginning or the end. If I didn't dedicate myself to watching everything Starkid has to offer, I likely would've clicked off and never bothered sitting through Ani in its entirety. It's simply a drag of a show, goes on way too long, and doesn't have enough going on to justify it's length. If people are able to enjoy it, that's great! But there's so many valid criticisms to make about the show that shouldn't be ignored.

~~~

[thesealfriend]

A Rant On Double Standards

So a recent rb has put me in the mood to have my related rant on Kid-friendly But Not Dog-friendly Spaces. Because why are dogs not allowed most places? Usually its some combination of Hygiene, Disruption & Phobias/Traumaw. All of these are valid points, but also valid arguments to not let young children into a space. But we do anyway, because kids are a part of life. They need and deserve to be in varied environments for their development, and their adults shouldn't have to arrange a babysitter every time they leave the house. We make adjustments to ourselves and our spaces to ensure parents can keep their young children safe without causing distress to the people around them.

Obviously it's not a 1:1 comparison, and this doesn't cover Every issue, but a lot of the arguments against dogs fall flat when you apply them in the real world.

I originally had this bit at the end, but I don't trust the Piss On The Poor website to catch it there, so:

I am not saying "everywhere that allows kids should also allow dogs!!!" or "everywhere that bans dogs should ban kids!". I am saying reality is much more complicated than "kids are good to have in public and dogs are bad!" and a blanket rule of always allowing kids in a given space but never dogs is a wee bit silly.

First up, Hygiene:

"We can't have a dog in the supermarket! It might contaminate the produce aisle!"

You mean the produce aisle full of root veg still covered in dirt, fruits that you peel before eating, and everything else that's been sitting out in the open air being handled by everyone and their auntie with unwashed hands?

Including young children, with their especially sticky and germy unwashed hands???

"We can't have a dog in the hospital! It's a sterile medical environment!"

This is absolutely true, we shouldn't be bringing dogs to medical environments unless we absolutely have to (such as service dogs), much like you wouldn't bring a child into a hospital unless they had to be there. Medical spaces are absolutely somewhere we should restrict access to animals, but why can't we treat a small dog in a carrier sitting on the chair next to you while you get your bloods taken the same way we'd treat a child in a baby basket?

In both these cases, why can't we say "you can bring your dog into the doctor's office as long as they're kept contained & away from sterile areas" in the same way we can say "you can bring your child so long as they don't get their sticky hands all over the medical equipment"?

Disruption

"But dogs run around everywhere and bark and whine and beg for attention!"

Babies scream incessantly, while toddlers have tantrums and meltdowns, and older kids without a sense of social ettiquette yell and scream and sing.

If kids are causing disruption in public, we understand that they do that because they're kids. We give them and their parents a little leniency, but expect the parents to step in if it gets too much.

Dog owners aren't even given the option, a lot of the time. There should absolutely be rules enforced that if there are complaints about a dog's behaviour and it can't be controlled, dog & owner should be asked to leave. Much like if a kid's having a small crisis in the supermarket, we understand, but if they're running around a restaurant screaming and their parent can't/won't stop them, they'd be ejected.

Much like with parents, it should be the owner's responsibility to gauge if their dog specifically can be in that environment without causing problems, and if possible to train/socialise them so they can.

Phobias/Trauma

"I'm terrified of dogs! I won't be able to go to the shop or the salon or anywhere if there are pitbulls all over the place!"

I feel for you, I really do, and much like there are "autism-friendly" hours at supermarkets (which are a whole other rant in themselves, I exist at times other than 9-10am on a Tuesday morning) there should absolutely be dog-free times at establishments to ensure people who really can't be around dogs are able to access their daily needs, social life & the rest of it. I used to frequent a café that was dog-friendly every day except Wednesdays, so people who couldn't be around dogs were able to access the space.

And there are also people who are genuinely unable to cope around young children for various reasons (trauma & sensory issues are the main ones I see), and they're often expected to just suck it up and deal with it, because children are a part of life and deserve to be exposed to the world and the people in it. I don't think "suck it up and deal with it" is a fair response to either case, I much prefer "I understand your discomfort and we should work to make this space accessible for you, but you need to do the work on dealing with your trauma/phobia/other issue because the world is full of triggers and you can't expect to hide from them your whole life", but either way the result is the same.

---

I of course do not expect this random rant to actually change anything in the real world, but I hope it's something to think about. Dogs are just as important to some folks as kids are to others, and like kids they are sentient beings with the potential to behave perfectly well if raised right, and to experience distress if left alone (either at home or tied up outside) while their adult goes about life.

And maybe we should think a little more about who's impacted when parents have very few restrictions on where they're allowed to get a coffee, or buy a loaf of bread, or get their hair cut without organising childcare, but dog owners have to choose between only accessing specific spaces, only leaving the house for an hour or two at a time, or leaving their best friend tied up outside in the rain.

"But if this is a problem for you, just don't get a dog!!!"

It's of course true that if you can't meet the needs of a pet, you shouldn't have them. But I'd rather we lived in a world that made it easier for people to meet those needs rather than deny them vital companionship.

[takeariskao3]

Hello, what made you finally take a “risk” into fanfiction and being comfortable with submit your work on A03/Tumblr? I’ve just recently started actively uploading some HP fanfics and I still feel nervous when I go to press the publish button. I try not to let my nerves get to me so instead of checking how many “hits” I get, I read fics from other others just to keep my mind from overthinking.

Also, wanted to say that I love the interactions you have with your fellow readers it’s beautiful, really. Seeing how they come together and read your writing. Not just that but it seems like you don’t know the impact that you have on your readers and when you receive an ask by someone telling you how much they love your work, it’s adorable how your at a loss for words. Because you have a great talent, and like the saying goes we are our own worst critics, even if you somehow feel like one scene or chapter isn’t the greatest, you never know if that scene/chapter means the world to one of your readers.

No matter what I hope you know that your writing will always be special and it’s truly one of a kind. Especially the way you come up with the details and dialog, it’s like the reader can get teleported into the story with the way you write each scenes. Also, the way you create the Daily Prophets are simply AMAZING, love it so much its truly a work of magic 😉. I always wonder how you came up with creating those and how long does it take you, for you to enjoy the final product to place in the story. It’s very creative and interesting to see, it feels magical, anytime I see a Daily Prophet in the beginning of the story.

I hope you the absolute best in your writing adventure and always know that even no matter what, you matter and the words that you come up with have the power to take someone away from the world and into a place that you’ve created even if it’s just for a few minutes.

No matter what ship you write for, do what you love the most because at the end it’s your story! ❤️

❤️

I hope you have a good night/morning 🥺

first of all: AAAHHHHFLSKDFJASDKJLFHADSGKJF

OKAY, now that we've got that out of the way. you are so lovely and absolutely the sweetest and i genuinely cannot comprehend how i ended up with so many of you being so nice to me all the time. because from my point of view i am just a person hanging out behind her computer screen in-between bouts of real life. like i cannot stress that enough. i am probably the most boring, underwhelming, thirty-something, toddler mom you will ever meet. so when people come to me and have.. like.. theories and analysis and excitement over this night-time hobby of mine, i get all blushy and giggly about it because i'm excited about it too! and i think you are absolutely right, we are our own worst critics and so when a lot of what i'm pulling together feels disjointed or mediocre, hearing that it still made an impact even though i was less than thrilled about it, quite literally translates into all-consuming motivation to keep going.

like just you saying you love the daily prophet articles had me scrolling through the ones i've made but haven't used yet to see if i can drop a lil sneak peek because you like??? an idea i had???

anyways, i'll stop rambling about my very transparent people pleasing tendencies.

as for your first question, i don't think we, as writers, ever truly get past the anxiety/anticipation of sharing our work. that's sort of the whole thing right? writing is a shared medium, it doesn't manifest its full meaning until it is shared. but it's also terrifying to share a bit of yourself, a bit of your soul, with someone and invite interpretation and criticism. that's really fucking scary. that's probably why chapter 17 is in a perpetual draft because i am very much afraid of putting myself out there and it not be good enough. so, i think it is absolutely okay to admit and validate those fears but i also think it's important to have people who can ground you and remind you why you are writing. i've been writing and posting fanfic for over ten years and i still spiral and overthink and obsess over stats, but thankfully i have really good people around me who can bring me back down to earth and whose opinions i trust when they tell me that something is or isn't working within a plot/dynamic/chapter. and i do the same for them.

i'd say that is the best thing you can do? make writer friends? find people you trust and who have similar tastes and interests and do fandom life together? because just like writing is a shared medium, fandom is a collective experience. it's meant to be shared.

the last thing i'll share with you as a new-ish writer wanting to take up the fanfic hobby, is that writing is the type of activity where you are not going to see immediate improvement or growth. it's just not. and it's also not something that can really be forced when it comes to success. you can't make people connect with your stories, so cherish the ones that do and keep reading and watching and writing until the story consumes you instead of you directing the story. at least, in my experience, that's what i've found to be the most rewarding, when i know the characters so well and have their voices so ingrained in my head that they are telling me how the story should go, instead of the other way around.

thank you so much for this message! please feel free to come talk to me off anon if you want <3 i'm always down to clown

[crowtrobotx]

OMG YOU REMINDED ME i’ve been meaning to cry into your asks about how good chrysalis is. it’s been bouncing around my brain for weeks now. like you perfectly capture the side of karl that i’m most infatuated with— which is just how he cares for people even if he’s stubborn and ruthless and yk. just karl heisenberg. ITS SO SWEET. but you also never lose the grit of his character.

AND THEN KRIS AND LOTTIE TEAR ME APART they’re sooooo fucking well written they’re so fleshed out they’re so. real. you balance your beautiful descriptions with clever and heartfelt dialogue so perfectly. like i can’t wait for every next word i read i get so excited about it.

i got too caught up in how obsessed i am with your writing i forgot i had like. an actual question— what was your inspiration for writing the fic? bc your overall theme of how science can create both terrible and beautiful things is really interesting and i love it. and i really enjoy how your characters embody this.

me personally, my inspiration for my fic came from seeing how different ethan and heis were and how their deal would’ve never worked out. bc karl simply doesn’t understand what it’s like to love someone— he’s never had someone to care about (as far as we see in the game). so ethan’s bleeding heart goes completely over his head. so i was wondering what would happen if heis DID understand ethan. what if he DID have someone to care about.

and i was wondering if you thought the same? (don’t spoil anything if you don’t want to) but will that motivate his actions in a different way when it comes to the events of the game?

anyway ily and your stuff mwah ❤️

🥺

PLEASE oh my goodness thank you so much for the kind words. You have no idea how much they mean to me! I am trying to be better about being dismissive of any compliments because I still genuinely feel baffled that people who are not me are enjoying this so much but I am so so so so glad for it all the same.

I’m honestly very happy to hear you say that you think I don’t “lose the grit” of his character because that’s something I’ve honestly struggled with trying to balance! I mean, that’s kinda crazy to say, because this is a dude who was on screen for like ten minutes lol but I feel pretty strongly with the way he swings wildly between homicidal rage and moments of stark vulnerability, there’s something resembling a person capable of love and care under there. We never got a backstory for him and I think most of us are on the “he was taken as a child, not an adult” train, so I’m always trying to depict a battle between a kid who was robbed of any opportunity for a “normal” life, the adult who came from that and has been warped into both a weapon against his will and a person hellbent on survival at all costs, and a guy who, under kinder circumstances, might have been a decent if quite a bit eccentric dude. And that’s really hard! I often worry I’ve gone and made him too soft and that I need to focus more on him behaving like a violent toddler but I always soothe myself by remembering that Capcom didn’t exactly flesh him out which is both deeply frustrating but also leaves room for almost endless possibilities.

And hngggg loving on my original characters is like, so incredibly validating for me thank you <3 I have spent a long time thinking about those two before I even wrote a single word and I’m touched that you and others can tell and seem to enjoy it. I think I’ve mentioned it before but I’ve spent the last decade plus exclusively writing poetry, not prose, so I think sometimes that comes out with my descriptions and general style. It’s kind of a harder transition than I imagined but I’d like to think I’m getting better chapter by chapter lol.

Anyway, that’s enough about me. I love your stated inspiration for Heisenberg Principle – it totally comes through in your work and I absolutely agree. It’s actually quite similar to Chrysalis, at least in part. I, too, don’t think Ethan would have ever accepted the proposal. I say this with zero hate in my heart for the folks who were gunning for a team up DLC but I actually would have been furious if they’d done that and it hadn’t ended with Karl betraying him and a black screen with “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING” on it popping up lmao. Yes, Heisenberg is meant to play at your heartstrings because it’s clear he doesn’t want to be there and anyone can sympathize with that – but I thought it was pretty clear that the player was meant to notice the hypocrisy in his massive rant about how he’s not like his siblings or his “Mother” while he proceeds to commit unspeakable horrors. (I’ve seen some folks argue that it’s ‘not that bad’ because they’re corpses or whatever but like…. Come on, man.) I tend to view his interactions with Ethan as hugely manipulative. Karl’s a living weapon. He sees Ethan as another living weapon, one he can use to dispatch with his siblings, and Rose as THE living weapon to kill Miranda. Miranda has used Heisenberg as a tool his whole (?) life so why should he think any other human relationships are different.

Which I guess leads to Chrysalis. I was also hugely interested in exploring what that confrontation would have looked like if they both had someone to protect/love and more specifically if they were both fathers. My longtime Heisenmoots can tell you I’ve been singularly obsessed with this idea since like…. Day one lol. I am hoping that it will flesh out some of his canon interactions or at least make them more interesting while also perhaps maybe change the way he ultimately interacts with Mr. Ethan “Loses a Hand Biweekly” Winters. There’s a bit of personal inspiration in there, of course. Lottie is, for example, the daughter I would want if I had one: kinda feral, smart, authentic, a little weird. Kris is in part an exploration of my own chronic illness/disability struggles – many Heisenberg fics involve the reader/OC becoming a lord (which is COOL and AWESOME and I love all these characters, to be very clear) but I wanted to look at a story where that person doesn’t mesh well with the Cadou, where through no fault of their own they succumb to it like so many other nameless folks before. Not saying I was trying to be ~edgy~ but I also thought it would be fun to subvert the traditional “Karl and OC make a vessel” story which, again, I do not blame anyone for writing because it’s right there. And, yes, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say I just love this queer old man and I wanted him to have something, anything good in his life.

I feel like I’ve been rambling like a lunatic lol I could say so much more but I’m afraid I sound totally unhinged. Before I shut my trap, I’ll say that like many I felt there was a lot to be desired with how little backstory and motivation we were presented in this otherwise compelling game. There is something they’re trying to say about parenthood and something they’re trying to say about fairy tales and it all just… leads nowhere. No, RE has never been about satisfactory/deep character development but sheesh there really is the skeleton of something crazy good here. The whole of Chrysalis is leading up to that confrontation (I believe @vodkafolie called it a Dad Battle which I love lol) and I don’t want to spoil too much but it’s going to be both about that whole idea of ‘what if he actually did pick up what Ethan was trying to throw down’ but also the whole idea of love as madness and is there a point where in trying to preserve that love you can cause too much destruction and squeeze to hard and crush it like a bug in your palm.

Again thank you thank you thank you for your kindness, mwah right back ily2 <3

[lexa-griffins]

Bro, tbh, how do you deal with the trolls on AO3 when posting clexa?

It doesn't seem to matter what kind of story I post, there's always a rabid hater. Trans Lexa is a fedish, Trans Clarke is erasing Lexa's lesbianism, Clarke having past relationships, is her being a whore, Lexa having a abusive father is taking away from her being a strong character.

It honestly takes away from the joy of writing when the only type of comment I can depend on, is one saying I'm a shitty person for writing such a story.

Oof, sorry you're dealing with the trolls buddy 😞

My advice for troll/hate comments will forever be to not respond and delete them. They do not want to try and see the other side or even understand the basis of dont like dont read and let people write whatever the fuck they want. Misery loves company and truth be told the trolls going around are a bunch of pathetic transphobes and biphobes, they seem to get off on pissing off writers, they want attention, and they want to try and get you mad enough to delete the things you worked hard on. I know its very much easier said than done, but when i get hate comments i see them as a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. Its funny, in a pathetic way. Like those poor things really can't rub 2 braincells together and make a coherent argument that isn't "bi woman whore, lesbian strong and never suffers, dick is man vagina is woman". I wouldn't take valid writing criticism from a toddler so i sure as hell aint taking it from trolls with no reading interpretation skills.

I can totally understand how its absolutely unmotivating to get those comments. Ive seen a lot of recent fics be deleted because of them and its disheartening seeing how not only are people commenting less but how at this point posting a fic in the fandom needs to come with a warning of how you might get hate comments from a puritan shithead who believes themselves some sort of savior of the shit when in reality they are just helping kill a fandom. Im sorry that i dont really have any other advice for you, but if there is something i recommend is the no engage/delete comments. They might get tired, they might not. But the truth is that getting a response will always, always make them come back because they now know they can hit a nerve.

But please, dont let them stop you from writing what you like and makes you excited to create. If all they want is sanitized fics where characters are nothing but a one-layered piece of paper with family friendly romance and no conflict then perhaps they should not be in a grown-up space that isn't 100% tailored to them.

[theniftycat]

Me before being born: Fuck it! I'm bored! I wanna play on expert now!

And then I was born after 7 months of pregnancy, 1 year before the collapse of ussr and into a raging economic crisis. Born not just in Russia, but in the middle of its biggest and least populated Republic aka the coldest inhabited place on earth. Born not Russian, but belonging to a small Asian nation of Yakuts that is unknown in the world, including Russia itself. And the family will be absolutely average and made work only to keep food on the table. Now, how about we add partial paralysis, or, even funnier, make the right hand super hard to control? You don't get it, I count Dr. Strangelove as valid representation because there's nothing fucking else. How about the rest of the body being moderately hard to control to? How about learning to walk at 5 yo after working on it for years instead of, you know, being a toddler? Let's sprinkle in some mental problems as well. Sure, ADHD could be caused by the trauma of being placed in a hospital at 2 yo for three months without seeing your parents and as a result forgetting how to talk even though you'd been able to talk before? We can also add a huge suicidal history in the family and crystalise it into bipolar disorder that will start at 17 and continue for a decade keeping me in a constant fear?

But to compensate, let's make me really lucky and smart. And you know what? It worked out. I have a great family. I'm able to work through my issues. I'm intelligent enough to work.

And at 32 I'm alive and well and happier than ever. I've learnt to trust myself and live with myself. And that is the answer. It took me years, but still shorter than for many other people, because I was constantly aware of having to do better. And I did. And I do.

[healthalfa-2024]

Childhood Illnesses- 10 Common diseases and The Treatments. Are your child?

Childhood illnesses are very sensitive. Every child should receive quality medical care. It is every parent’s responsibility to be better informed about some of the most valid and recent treatment guidelines, making sure your child receives the best possible care.

The following information from the American Academy of Pediatrics summarizes some of the most common childhood illnesses together with their approved treatments. The information discussed here is based on the best scientific evidence and practice.

For example, if your child has a chronic medical condition or an allergy, your pediatrician may give you different recommendations. Your pediatrician will share these variations in treatment with you. If you have any questions about proper care for your child, discuss these with your pediatrician.

1- Sore Throat (Among common Childhood Illnesses)

Children develop sore throats, which are very sore. However, a viral cause of a sore throat does not need antibiotics. In those cases, no special medicines are necessary, and your child should recover in seven to ten days. In other cases, a sore throat is caused by streptococcal infection, a condition referred to as strep throat.

If strep is to be confirmed with absolute certainty, it can only be done with some form of test. It cannot be diagnosed based on observation alone- although your child may have a sore throat; a lab test, or in-office rapid strep test, will need to be administered to confirm the condition-it only takes a fast swabbing of the throat. If your child tests positive for strep, your pediatrician will prescribe an antibiotic. Your child must complete a full course of antibiotics, as prescribed, even if symptoms improve or resolve. Steroid medicines, such as prednisone, are not recommended in a large majority of cases as a treatment for sore throats. Babies and toddlers rarely develop strep throat, although their chances of becoming infected by streptococcus are higher if they attend childcare or have an older sibling suffering from the illness. Although strep is primarily spread by coughs and sneezes, your child can also contract it by touching a toy that an infected child has used.

2- Ear Pain (One of the Childhood Illnesses)

Ear pain is very common in children, and the cause can be many: from infection of the middle ear (otitis media), to the swimmer’s ear (infection of the skin in the ear canal), to pressure stemming from a cold or sinus infection; even hurtful teeth can radiate pain up the jaw to the ear.

Amoxicillin is the first-line antibiotic in the treatment of middle ear infections except for patients with penicillin allergy or chronic or recurrent infection.

Most actual ear infections are brought on by viruses and don’t need antibiotics. If your pediatrician thinks your child’s ear infection might be due to a virus, he or she will talk to you about the best ways to help end your child’s ear pain until the virus works its way out of their body.

3- Urinary Tract Infection (Major Childhood Illnesses)

A bladder infection or urinary tract infection, UTI, is when the ­bacteria accumulate within the urinary tract and cause infections. You can diagnose UTIs in children from infancy into their teenage years and eventually well into adulthood. The symptoms of a UTI include pain while urinating or burning pain while urinating, frequent urination or sudden urgency to urinate, bedwetting by a potty-trained child, or having accidents, abdominal pain, or side or back pain. The doctor will require a urine sample to test for the presence of a UTI before deciding on the treatment. Your doctor may modify the treatment based on what bacteria is present in your child’s urine.

4- Skin Infection (Very common Childhood Illnesses)

A skin test usually becomes necessary in the case of most children with a skin infection to define the best treatment. Therefore, inform your doctor if your child has a history of MRSA, staph infection, or other resistant bacteria or if he or she has been exposed to other family members or contacts with resistant bacteria.

5- Bronchiolitis

Bronchiolitis is a common complaint in infants and young children during the cold and flu season. “Wheezing” is often what your doctor will hear when she listens to your child’s breath. Bronchiolitis mostly results from a viral cause, for which the patient does not need antibiotics. Most of the treatment recommendations are given to make your child comfortable with close follow-up for any difficulty in breathing, eating, or dehydration. Medications to patients suffering from asthma like albuterol or steroids are not used for most infants and children suffering from bronchiolitis. Other treatment is necessary in children born prematurely or those with other conditions.

6- Bronchitis

This is known as chronic bronchitis. This is a common infection of the larger, more central airways in the lung and tends to be more common in adults. Often the term “bronchitis” is used to describe a chest virus that does not need antibiotics.

7- Common Cold (Among simple Childhood Illnesses)

Colds are viral infections of the upper respiratory tract. Many young children, especially in child care, can get 6 to 8 colds per year. Symptoms of a cold—such as runny nose, congestion, and cough—can last as long as ten days. Green mucus in the nose doesn’t necessarily mean antibiotics are required it’s never needed for a cold, however, if you suspect there’s a sinus infection, your pediatrician will use your child’s symptoms and a physical exam to decide on the best antibiotic treatment.

8- Pain

Acetaminophen or ibuprofen could be the best pain relievers for children. Recommend it to your pediatrician, though because its dose should be according to your child’s weight. Narcotic pain medications certainly should not be used in children with common injuries or complaints such as sprained ankles, ear pain, or sore throats. Codeine should never be used on children. It has been associated with severe respiratory problems and even death in children.

9- Cough (Common Childhood Illnesses)

In the main, coughing is generally considered due to viruses and not a condition warranting the administration of antibiotics.

Cough medicines are not to be administered to children 4 years of age and younger except for children 4 to 6 years of age unless your doctor orders. Research has continuously revealed that cough medicines are ineffective in children with an age below 4 and that some can cause severe side effects. Medications that contain narcotics, such as codeine, should never be given to children.

10- Bacterial sinusitis

Sinusitis is suspected when cold-like symptoms like nasal discharge, daytime cough, or both last more than ten days without improvement. If this condition also has a thick yellow nasal discharge and the fever persists for at least 3 or 4 consecutive days, then antibiotics might be necessary.

If the signs and symptoms get worse:

Sometimes, what appears to be a relatively minor viral or bacterial infection will spread and worsen. Discuss your child’s illness with the pediatrician if it gets worse, if you think it is worsening, does not get better in a few days, or if you have new concerns and new symptoms that could be emerging. If the treatment for your child’s illness has failed or your child is developing complications, your pediatrician may prescribe a new treatment.

Need more information or Have Questions?

Conclusion

In a nutshell, childhood illnesses are, therefore of paramount importance for parents and caregivers to know them well to take good care of their children. The common childhood illnesses include such symptoms as the common cold, ear infections, strep throat, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). It may lead to full-fledged symptoms of childhood illnesses if the problem occurs in any of the mentioned areas above. Early recognition makes it possible to act promptly, very crucial for proper treatment and cure. The prevention of such diseases is a concern in most families. Detailed information regarding how to prevent childhood illnesses will reduce the risk of infection through certain key practices that include good hygiene practices, regular hand washing, and avoiding close contact with those infected. Vaccinations also play a very significant role in preventing serious childhood diseases by providing children with immunity against infections that may cause serious complications.

Also, leading a healthy life assists in building up immunity of a child. Bringing encouragement for well-balanced dieting rich in fruits and vegetables, ample sleep, and enhanced physical activities throughout the day can better the general health, with a stronger immune system against most diseases.

Knowing the various kinds of childhood diseases, their symptoms, and ways of preventing them aids a parent in protecting his child’s health. Routine checkup by health care providers also allows for monitoring of children’s development. This will in turn help address any health issues at an early stage. In the short term, therefore, a culture of awareness and prevention would be empowered to know the best practices on how to tackle the problems with childhood diseases while enabling a healthy future for their children.

[taintedbloom]

Venom // Archie & Kira

Archie adjusted the strap of his weapons bag over his shoulder as he entered the house, sighing with immense exhaustion from the evening's busy activities and in desperate need of a hot shower after an hours long surveillance run. The same old routine when Kaia picked up a late night shift at work which left their four year old son Theodore in the hands of his aunt. He personally never held a qualm with Kira who treated his son as if he were her own child, but she was rather foolish to think she was slick in concealing a distaste for the man her sister married. Unfortunate, really, Archie put forth so much effort maintaining a polite front only for all attempts to be a shameful waste.

He caught sight of Kira seated on the living room couch with the television switched on, unmistakable brunette locks wrapped in a messy bun that reminded Archie of the similar hairstyle Kaia sported when exercising or the particularly stressful days with Teddy. Her head slightly turned hearing his footsteps, but she didn't bother sparing him a single glance or even a proper greeting. He understood her frustration, one hundred percent her reasons were valid, yet his relationship with Kaia wasn't new. The marriage may have settled in its infancy and despite that, Kira didn't behave this frigid towards him during the dating period. He couldn't exactly prove and point an accusatory finger, but his gut told him the newfound passive aggressiveness began with Teddy's birth. "Kira." The man acknowledged her presence.

"Archibald." Kira finally reverted her gaze from the screen long enough to watch her brother-in-law make a full beeline for the stairs, barely placing his foot on the first step when it appeared the less than enthusiastic response spilled from her lips gave him a moment of hesitation. Her gaze flickered to the bag he carried, knowing precisely what was contained within it and far from appreciating the fact he stored it in the house where a toddler could stumble upon it. Paranoid the assassin could be so careless? Maybe. Overprotective when the situation concerned family? Absolutely.

The contemplation Archie grappled with soon passed and he slowly turned around, placing down the bag beside his feet. "If I may be blunt, which I always am, you've displayed a rather foul attitude towards me as of late and I cannot for the life I hold figure out the reason why." He pushed off from the banister and folded his arms across his chest, taking a few steps forward, "Pray tell, love, have I done something to offend you? I do possess a knack for pissing off the wrong people, but with you, it's as if I've done nothing right."

Kira expected him to vanish upstairs without a trace, hole himself in his office or whatever he did after returning home from what he deemed a career, but no, he decided the best route was addressing the painfully obvious elephant in the room. "Weird, I thought you'd be familiar with an older sibling's cold shoulder." She hated bringing Grayson into this, but it was no less true. "We really don't have to discuss this, Archie, you're just seeing something that isn't there."

"Do not gaslight me, Kira." Archie ignored the mention of his brother, shockingly holding the clever quip the woman would know Grayson better than him these days, that was a can of worms he'd rather keep concealed for another time. "I am not the one who barely shares a glance when we're in the same room together or rebukes any opportunity I present at conversation. I mean," He breathed a sardonic scoff, "You act as if you would rather pass a hernia than share the same air as me."

"You really want honesty? Since, you know, I've displayed what you've coined a rather foul attitude." Kira leaned her elbow along the couch's armrest as the male hummed his confirmation for the truth. "I consider myself a pretty patient person. Kind, generous, all traits easily taken advantage of and I'm aware of the fact. I tend to look for the good in others even when they don't really deserve the second chance. Take you, for example," She gestured towards him, "I was hesitant about you, but I trusted my sister more and I've always...respected her decision. Even turned the other cheek when I found out what you do as a job for her." Kira sighed. "I'm happy for Kaia, I am, but I'm fully realizing that you still don't understand the damage you've caused in your wake since meeting us."

Archie awaited her response and like every Morris, Kira did not disappoint. Her assessment of herself was rather accurate especially when kindness and a bleeding heart were indeed weaknesses he has exploited more than he would ever admit to in his lifetime. Kira played the well-mannered older sister supportive of her sibling's choice of a life partner rather well, but the scales tipped unfavorably once the dark truth unraveled.

Meeting Kaia was no mistake, her brother-in-law's death wasn't a burglary gone wrong as the authorities suspected, soon after did he notice Kira's behavior warp. If she tolerated him before, she was barely managing it now. "You underestimate how much I can comprehend what I did. I understand how wrong it was, I'm just incapable of shame over it. I've even told Kaia the same thing." He spoke candidly as his head canted to the side, slight amusement sparking, "This isn't really about your husband, is it? No." Archibald's tone lowered an octave before he stepped in front of the television screen, eliminating one of Kira's excuses to avoid his gaze or the topic. "It's about Teddy."

Kira made her peace about her husband years prior, accepting that his death was a result of the choice he made and her daughter lost her father because of these decisions. Their marriage was crumbling, she was unhappy, but nothing excused Archie's brutal attack and overwhelming obsessions. When he blocked the screen, it provided the woman a perfect view of a specific glint in his eye that toed the line between mischievous and dangerous. Even for a moment, Kira's sound rationale faltered even though she knew he wouldn't dare harm her. "Partly." She pushed herself to a standing position and placed her hands on her hips, "You're so quick to articulate how he is going to be just like you someday. Know what that's code for, Archie? You want your son to desperately follow in your footsteps, continue your legacy, no matter how coated in blood it is."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, love, but it sounds as if you're telling me how to raise my son." Archie lifted his eyes upward towards the ceiling, almost boring a hole through where Teddy was sleeping soundly in his room. His gaze finally settled on the dark-haired woman. "Do I tell you how to raise Cora? Or does this concern stem from an abundance of jealousy over the fact your daughter would rather spend her time with her uncle than her own mother? Trust me, Kira, she has quite the curiosity." He was no longer presenting a cordial approach, with genuine Devereaux flair, the arrogance seeped from the man's pores. Oh, but Archibald would hear an earful about this when Kaia arrived home. "Scares you, doesn't it? How more and more like me she's becoming?"

"And there's the manipulation you pretend to hide so well." The Morris women were feisty, strong-willed, stubborn, and she wasn't an exception. She mostly played the mediating voice of reason holding her sister back from doing something reckless, but hell hath no fury like a scorned Kira when someone attempted to crawl under her skin utilizing her daughter as a weapon. "I know you have difficulty connecting very common humanity dots, so allow me to spell it out for you as civilly as I can in the likely off-chance you have this whole thing twisted." Kira placed her palms together and touched her fingers to her lips with a brief pause. "If you take away Teddy's choice on how he dictates his life, he will hate you forever. He may have your hair and your looks, but that temper I'm already seeing is all Morris. As for my daughter," She closed the distance, head held high with confidence her mother would've almost been proud of. "I'm not the violent sister, but I would rather smother you in your sleep than watch Cora become a killer who possesses the emotional range of a damn teaspoon."

If there is one lesson in his years spent wrapped around Kaia's finger and engrossed by a family he has chosen to insert himself into, you never interrupt when Kaia or her sister steamrolled through a ranting tirade lest you guarantee suffering the temperamental consequences. Archibald distinctly hit a nerve with Kira, striking where he knew her weaknesses lie, because it was a talent he was extraordinary at. It wasn't intentional when he walked through the door and purposefully picked a fight with his sister-in-law, but like his wife, she found the proper channel summoning a rise out of him. "Your words hold truth, Kira, however it's best if you practice what you preach. Plainly isn't my prerogative to vanquish my son's choice nor is it yours to take Cora's away. And yet..." Archie sarcastically waved a hand between them. If his niece garnered interest and asked for lessons in the future, he couldn't deny her wishes. "At least I'm not hypocritical."

Kira's gaze searched his expression for a flicker of the silent pause, sensing the fight and exhaustion overtaking her. He can't be reasoned with and nothing changed his mind or perspective, no matter how hard she pushed. "Archie sees only what he wants to see. I guess we're right back where we started." She nodded once and took a step back in resignation. This really wasn't worth the calories she spent arguing with him. "You know what? Can't say I didn't make the effort." Kira began fiddling with the blanket she was using and adjusting the couch's cushions before locating her purse. "I should head home, Arch, it's getting late. I'd hate to impose more than I already have."

"Kira, you really don't-" Archie interrupted his own statement before throwing up an arm of defeat, turning around himself and approaching the stairs for the second time that evening. They forever stood at an impasse neither could agreeably cross. Differing views about their children, about the course of their lives, about who was in the moral right and wrong. "As you've said, I'm accustomed to a sibling throwing me the cold shoulder."

"Archie," The man turned to glance over his shoulder, peering at the elder Morris with tiredness overcoming his normally stoic features as she continued, "I hope you found what you were looking for." The reason behind her behavior, perfectly plain in black and white for Archie's consumption. True, yes, her problem originated from losing her husband and watching her sister marry the person responsible before having his child. It could involve what Archie deeply desired Teddy to grow up as or finding the bonding with his niece fulfilled the dream regardless, but the real stone cold fact? All roads led to him. His darkness, his selfish intentions, despite caring about his family. Becoming a husband and father changed nothing.

Kira left him with the tough pill to swallow as she exited the living room, her own justifiable intentions clear. Force the mirror in front of Archie's face until he saw the gospel truth. There was poison in his blood and it's spreading, slowly spreading, infecting nearly everyone living near his merciless orbit. And nothing made him or Kira feel more powerless.

[elfwreck]

He who lives by the sword does not always die by the sword, and I absolutely promise that he who lives a moral life is not always afforded a moral grave. If those were the case, we wouldn't have ethics. Breaking the rules of polite behavior would carry its own penalty.

Ethics is not a matter of "here is how we treat GOOD people and we can tell everyone else to fuck off."

Ethics is a matter of, "this is how we should treat all people. These are the core values that shape our actions, not just toward our friends, family and community members, not even just towards our fellow humans, but all living things, and to some extent, all parts of the world we live in."

I'm not going to waste my energy mourning at the plight of billionaires who thought they were too rich for the ocean to kill them. But neither am I going to waste my energy being contemptuous of those who wanted to do something amazing and wondrous, but were too jaded to realize that they could've caught fireflies in a jar to show to a toddler instead.

This is a separate issue from tolerance. Welcoming someone to live in peace in your community requires that they agree to allow others the same.

But my capacity for empathy is not limited to the people I would accept in my community. Even truly vile people can feel pain and despair, and their pain is not less valid or more useful to the people around them than anyone else's. We aren't obligated to help them - there are sharp limits to what anyone "owes" someone else - but we aren't obligated to let them keep hurting, either.

None of us is enhanced by the suffering of others.

empathy is a tool. it’s up to you to use it or not, depending on the situation. TIP: you do not have to extend this tool to people who make the world a more dangerous, horrible place and who will never, ever, ever change. unrestrained empathy can be just as dangerous as a lack of it