#that left me wondering if they don't think chemical processes are physical or something

[thedandelionresistance]

So uhhhhh someone's trying to argue that psychiatric disorders can exist on an entirely non-physical level

1. This is from a sociopolitical analysis of the institution of psychiatry, and I suspect is therefore taken wildly out of context at best and is irrelevant to actual neurology at worst.

2. It claims that psychiatric conditions have not (yet) been convincingly SHOWN to arise from physical conditions, directly contradicting the claim that humans are embodied and therefore all human activity is biology-dependent.

3. Unless the claims of genetics being largely unrelated to mental health is about a very specific topic, that's just science denial. The MTHFR gene has been heavily implicated in multiple commonly comorbid conditions that are also suspected to be post-viral in a large percentage of cases, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, POTS, and mast cell diseases. Multiple conditions, from diabetes to bipolar to autism to again, mast cell diseases, are known to be highly genetic, despite the exact genetic cause often still being unclear.

4. The sources used to back up the prior point are: an article in "Independent Science News for food and agriculture", which also platformed multiple articles and even a Twitter thread about the conspiracy theory of covid being leaked from a chinese lab; and an article about how the diagnostic criteria of bipolar was changed and is now overdiagnosed to sell more drugs.

5. The supposedly "suppressed" "negative" articles are potentially out of date (I've had a harder time accessing them). From what I can find, though, the former is a book largely considered more political than scientific, which was criticizing overly reductionist perspectives on genes as related to systemic social inequality. The latter appears to be about personality and "neuroticism" primarily, with little said about genetic roles in psychiatric health. It seems that they do not actually contradict the possibility of even some genetic influence on psychiatric health, let alone physical influence.

6. The whole argument is a logical fallacy, arguing that because we've ruled out some of the few biochemical and structural/physiological characteristics that could cause mental illness, we've ruled physical causes out entirely. It uses two highly specific discrete claims about two disorders in the vast spectrum of mental health, claiming that brain sizes affected in part by antipsychotic use do not seem to cause schizophrenia and that all other differences in neurobiology are likely due to "intellectual ability" and the conveniently vague "other uncontrolled factors". They further use depression and schizophrenia again to talk about how two specific neurotransmitters had not been proven to cause the illnesses - specifically, ones which have evidence supporting their role in other disorders, such as ADHD. While some of the theories of chemical imbalances causing mental illnesses have since been more conclusively disproven, others have had more evidence emerge supporting them having some role in multiple psychiatric diagnoses.

7. That whole paragraph actually only focuses on whether or not there are neurobiological causes for mental illness. Even purely sociogenic mental illnesses, such as certain cases of PTSD, still have been shown to have effects on the brain at a physiological level, while others show up in studies as changes in patterns of bioelectrical brain activity or changes in chemical production or reuptake efficiency. Proving or disproving origin does not actually provide evidence for mechanism. However, in case I am misinterpreting the word "cause" here and it is actually meant as "mechanism", disproving mechanisms is quite literally part of the process to find the true mechanism, and does not actually support that psychiatric conditions occur entirely separately from the physical brain.

Essentially, even aside from the irreputable and irrelevant sources cited, the lack of scientific consistency and sociopolitical focus of the excerpt; the author's repeated self-citations; the failure of insufficient, unreliable, and outdated evidence to support the claims they make; the fact that their actual argument that mental health problems are not "equivalent" to other health issues; amd that psychiatric conditions have not yet been observed as arising from a direct proven neurological source, while actively admitting that humanity is stored in the body, so to speak...

None of this proves that there is not a biochemical or physiological mechanism and/or origin for psychiatric illnesses that, in our search closed eyes in the dark for understanding of the human brain, we are fumbling for. Neurology is a science in its infancy compared to most other medical fields, still stumbling its way through "four humours" levels of rudimentary understanding of the highly complex processing and control unit that is the 86 billion neurons of the human brain. This is even more true when we soften the science of neurology into neuropsychiatry, practically poking experiences of the conscious mind with a caveman-stick. This is not to disparage the sciences, but rather, to point out that we understand so little that we can't even recognize the full scope of our ignorance, that 600 years from now may earn us the same ridicule as blood-letting leeches and cocaine soda for head colds.

More to the point, anything we process - sensory input, emotion, thought, pain, dissociation even, oppression, poverty, trauma - it all goes through the brain. Our entire understanding, self-conception, and consciousness arise from biochemical, physiological, and bioelectric actions and reactions. The "self" is essentially a simulation run by a fleshy machine as it responds to stimuli and generates aspects of identity from desires to beliefs.

While the point that the excerpt is likely building to in a larger context, that many mental illnesses may originate in part of in whole from factors like systemic injustice and external conditions to the body, that doesn't make the illness itself occur outside of the physical human bodymind. Even experiences like religion and "communing" with a higher power, astral projecting, and so on, require your brain to perceive them as occurring, which means that extremely complex series of chemical production and absorption and electrical signals and activity traversing specific paths in specific regions of the brain are occurring.

The same is true of mental-illness-as-reaction-to-conditions.

To argue otherwise is to argue that some metaphysical conscious separate from the physical human body exists. This is just cartesian dualism, and falls entirely outside the realm of science and well into philosophy. If a "soul" of the self exists that can suffer an "illness" or other "corruption" causing severe distress and dysfunction within the physical world, it is outside of the realm of science to even examine, let alone make claims about. Furthermore, even then in order to be perceived within our physical reality, the brain must process and/or create that perception of said "soul" and "illness".

This is far more into the realm of philosophy than is comfortable, considering that philosophy claiming to be science is just pseudoscience in a stick-on mustache. (I respect philosophy in its own right - love it, actually - but when it plays at being a rational and empirical science, I draw the line. It has its own internal logic systems and reasoning which has little overlap with or application to scientific methodology.)

But, returning firmly to science, the irony is that it's entirely possible that some psychiatric conditions may not be entirely or even primarily neurological. The gastrointestinal, endocrine, lymphatic, and immune system have all been implicated to some degree in having varying degrees of impact on mental health. Some conditions we call mental health may originate in dysfunction of other systems, which may also in turn be driven by external factors. The brain is the control center of the body, and the body processed all consumed materials into needed resources for the brain and body alike.

Some primarily physical disabilities even have significant neurocognitive symptoms, such as brain fog/cognitive impairment and strong mood swings. Some symptoms themselves may straddle the line, such as seizures and sleep disorders/disturbances. Some physical symptoms, such as dysautonomia, have been reported to cause symptom sets highly similar to neuropsychiatric conditions like ADHD, traumatic brain injuries have been observed to sometimes replicate symptoms of dissociative disorders, and Chiari malformations have been noted to sometimes cause anxiety.

Mast cell disorders have overactive release of neurotransmitters as part of the process which drives symptoms, and those neurotransmitters can affect the brain strongly, to the point of causing an array of mental symptoms - some of which even drive further degranulation in a vicious cycle.

In any case, mental illnesses may not all be neurogenic or even primarily neurological. But they are still, in fact, physical. Everything we perceive or imagine must be processed by the brain. Only the imperceptible does not cause any sort of brain action or reaction, and if we are not aware of it or affected by it on any level, it's outside of the realm of science, let alone medicine.

Now, if you wanna talk philosophy, we can argue whether something must be perceived to exist. That's a really fun philosophical topic, one which I contradict myself on, even.

But from a medical perspective? Medicine, including psychiatry and the classification and treatment of mental illness, does require a perceived experience which affects you, which results squarely into some kind of physical process in the brain. That's science, babeyyyyy!

[lunarsilkscreen]

What causes lung damage with smoke?

Cancer, on the surface, seems to be caused by internal pimples (Polyps) [citation needed]

These polyps when left alone have the potential to disrupt the biological healing factor, and replicate bad DNA strains instead of healing damage.

Some studies suggest inhaling and holding your breath is more exercise than your average lung-haver performance with their lungs.

And this is why running and jogging and exercise helps improve breathing, because the lung workout.

I wonder if there's a physical limit to that however, like... If a person does a bunch of exercise during a particularly bad cold; could they damage their lungs?

Because I've been writing so much about the potential benefits smokers of various Substances may have, it's only beneficial to talk about the drawbacks.

The first drawback with cigarettes I've noted is that Modern Tobacco plants are missing something. It's almost like they've... Dare I say it? Been bred to be addictive and sell more.

This has opened the vape industry that combines nicotine and coolanol to make tasty flavored air; that works better at getting people addicted to the "Real Thing" than at what it's designed to do "Help cigarette smokers by giving them an alternative."

I can't tell you what that something is that modern Tobacco is missing... But it's like Marijuana Edibles, or the skinner box experiment.

Most of them are sugar pills; but there's one with all the *stuff* in it.

And I think that's part of what makes Tobacco so very addictive, despite nicotine being prevalent in tomatoes, pizza, and potato chips.

Nicotine is just a naturally occurring chemical like caffeine; sure, your whole daily intake of food shouldn't be pure nicotine, but it's not a bad thing either.

That increased desire to smoke is just the first stepping stone to irreparable lung damage, and too often conflated with addiction itself.

<aside>Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers have become such an integrated daily ritual for me that it's possible I have developed an addiction to late night hosts.

And we'll; If enjoying comedians rehash the daily news is wrong; then I don't want to be right.</aside>

The second layer to lung damage is Residual Pesticides: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1314901/

Which is a problem since they follow the same pesticide rules as the rest of agriculture (if you can wash it off the end product, it's fine)

But due to the process of making Tobacco, residual Pesticides can be ground into the Tobacco itself [citation needed].

The third layer is leeched chemicals from the soil in which Tobacco grows, which may be regulated differently from traditional crops [citation needed]

The fourth layer is added chemicals to cigarettes. Which can include Menthol, Flavorings (similar to the Coolanol in Nicotine Vapes,) other Flavors (Like my Favorite Kretek which includes Clover additives,) and chemicals that may affect the speed at which the cigarette burns.

This leads us to the fifth Layer; what makes cigarette smoke so much more dangerous than say; Campfire smoke? It's the proximity to the heat.

Because of the temperature at which tobacco and other smoked product burns; you risk burning the insides of your mouth, lungs, and Stomache lining.

Read this article from the National Lung Association on the risks that Firefighters often face in the line of duty.

Which gives us direct links between Burning things indoors, Campfires, and Tobacco and other Smoked products.

For those that believe "It's not only smoking that gives you lung disease and cancer" you're right

For those that believe the opposite; You're ALSO right.

There's so much supporting data that suggests what we already know to be true: All good things are moderately imbibed.

Or "Anything is bad in Excess"

[whumpflash]

Ashes, Ashes 6: Not Okay, Actually

(for Angstpril, Day 16: "You Have to Let Me Go")

cw: lab whump, knife whump, death mention

prev ///// masterlist ///// next

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

January 7th, 20XX, 6:45PM

Subject: Adult Male Dragon (polymorphed: humanoid form)

Researcher: Eimaan Khanh

Subject transferred to table; restrained.

Presents no physical reaction to Firebreak (heretoafter referred to as 'FB'), when placed, without wounding, against the left thigh, upper and lower torso, and throat.

Following approx. fifteen minutes of skin contact with no change, a small cut (approx. 1.5" in length) was made in subject's left thigh with FB. Reaction near-instantaneous, bubbling and discoloration at the site akin to an acid or chemical burn and spreading approx. 2" beyond the cut on all sides.

Healing factor still enabled, but noticeably slower; muscle fibers don't begin visibly reconnecting until 3 min 49 seconds. Five minutes after cut is made, burned area recedes by 0.23".

Process repeated on a larger scale; cuts of approx. 3" made on left calf, lower left abdomen, lower left ribcage, left forearm, and parallel to left clavicle. Results scalable to first cut.

Subject distressed.

(Note: healing factor seems to slow further when multiple wounds are made in quick succession. Second and third cuts did not visibly begin to close until approx 5 min after they were made, and fourth, fifth, and sixth cuts were halted until approx 7.5 min.)

Following this, FB will be studied to determine exact properties, and more attempts will be made to slow healing factor by applying multiple wounds.

Subject returned to resting place; restrained.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

The cries coming from the basement were muffled, but Nyra put on headphones anyway, to fully drown out the sound while she waited. Eimaan had told her to 'sneak' downstairs and talk to Rhys once she was done with today's experiment, and she hadn't figured out what she was going to say.

By the time her sister came to get her, she was still drawing a blank.

Nyra crept down the stairs, trying to mimic the quiet caution she'd shown two nights ago. Ei had cleaned up her lab, but the faint smell of blood still lingered under the sharper odor of disinfectant. Rhys wasn't strapped to the table anymore, but Eimaan had already warned her about that. A quick scan of the area and Nyra found him, curled up on the far side of the room, arms locked in place behind his back, legs tucked up to his chest.

She wondered if he was cold. Even if he was, she couldn't do much to help him. Her sisters would want to err on the side of caution and not give him anything he might be able to use against them, even something as simple as a blanket.

As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she noticed the cuts running up and down the side of his body that wasn't in contact with the ground. Already healing, but she could tell they'd been nasty.

"Hi," she began as she crossed the room.

Rhys took a moment to respond, his breathing shifting like he was trying to compose himself. "Gun girl," he said at last, raising his head and fixing golden eyes on her.

"...Nyra," she corrected gently.

Rhys struggled to a seated position with a grunt. "Didn't think you'd be coming back, Nyra. Did you miss me?"

"No, I…" Shoot, what should she say? What was the best way to draw him in? "I just wanted to see if you were okay."

He snorted. "Oh I'm great. Nothing like having a psychopath cut you up before bed."

"She's not a psychopath," Nyra said, unable to hold back a scowl.

"Could've fooled me."

She shrugged, turning away. "If you're well enough to insult my sister, I can't find a reason to worry—"

"Wait."

Nyra hid her smile as she glanced back over her shoulder. "What?"

"I'm…" his shoulders slumped. "I'm not okay, actually."

Interesting turn. Eimaan had guessed he'd try using pity against her now that his threats had been proven hollow. Nyra turned back around, waiting for him to continue.

Rhys scoffed. "What? That wasn't obvious? I've been kidnapped. I'm being held here against my will, and I'm being tortured to satisfy human curiosity."

There was that word again. Nyra buried her unease. "It's not—"

"Yeah, you've already said. It's 'research'. Doesn't make a difference to me." He shrugged. "You and your stab-happy sister were right. I can't break out. I can't turn into a dragon, and I can't breathe fire. I'm useless."

It could've been a trick of the light, but she swore she saw the shine of tears in his eyes. He blinked it away before she could be certain.

"I want you to tell me something, Nyra."

"Yeah?"

He met her eyes. At the surface level, his expression was neutral, but there was something deeper there; a thinly veiled desperation. 

For all I know, it's a practiced one. He could still be playing at manipulation.

"What happens when your sister's done with her research? What happens to me?"

"I…" She didn't know. She wasn't sure if even Eimaan had planned that far ahead. What would they do? Letting him go was too big of a risk. Even if he was powerless, that wouldn't stop him from seeking revenge in other ways. Handing him off to a Guild was an option, but that seemed far too cruel. Who knew what those hunters would do? And while rehab programs existed, those were geared towards newly-made vampires and werebeasts. A dragon would have no place there.

Did that mean… were they going to kill him when this was all over?

"Please," Rhys said when she didn't answer. "I can comply with the experiments. I'll be a model prisoner. Just please tell me you'll let me go. When it's over."

Nyra hadn't anticipated that, either. Offering to go along with Ei's plan? Maybe the desperation wasn't being faked.

"What happens if we do?"

"I leave you alone forever."

As much as she wanted to believe that, she couldn't. The last dragon attack had been two decades ago and it had destroyed an entire town, burning it to the ground and taking its occupants with it. If setting Rhys free meant even the smallest chance of that happening again, the Khanhs couldn't allow it.

But Nyra didn't say that. Instead, she said, "I'll see what I can do."

And she left, without another glance back.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

@kira-the-whump-enthusiast @hold-back-on-the-comfort

[theglitterypages]

Haikyuu Boys As Your Boyfriend

******

Bokuto Koutaro

•He's a big baby

•He's the type of boyfriend to hug you all the time, he loves warmth and affection so please be generous enough to give him those.

•Clingy but not in an annoying way, you'll jusy feel like you have a boyfriend and at the same time, a son (LOL)

•Bokuto is the type of person who will always apologize first after arguments. Arguments will be very rare though, because when it comes to you he'll always listen.

•Kou is probably an insecure boyfriend, he thinks more men are much cooler than him that's why he's always working hard to improve himself.

•He's the type of boyfriend who will definitely avoid making you jealous, he'll limit his interactions with women because he doesn't like it when you're jealous, you're cute when you're being jealous but he's afraid that you might leave him.

•Loves kissing you

•He will always tell you how much he loves you.

•Your picture is his wallpaper and lockscreen.

•His IG, FB, Twitter or any other social media platforms is full of you, your pictures. messages for you and stuffs.

•Bokuto is your diary, he loves listening to your rants, it doesn't matter if you guys aren't together, just call him and he's always ready to listen.

•He's the type of boyfriend who will always brag about you, he's just so proud of everything you achieve. It doesn't matter how big or small the achievement is, he will celebrate it no matter what happen.

~°~°~°~°~°~°

“Baby Bear!” you opened your arms widely as you ran towards your boyfriend. Bokuto lifted you off the ground, he kissed the tip of your nose before putting you down. “I miss you, baby.” he told you as he let his hands rest on your hips.

“I miss you too, sorry if I don't have much time Kou.” you apologized and he just pulled you closer for a hug, “Shh it's fine. I know you're busy, but how's your tests?” he asked.

You looked at him with sad eyes and the poor baby panicked, not knowing what to do, “What? Did you fail? It's alright baby, I'm proud of you, I know how you worked hard for this.” he pressed his lips on yours with a smile, he cupped your face and let his forehead rest on yours before kissing you for another time, much longer than the first one.

“I almost got my exams perfect baby!”

“You scared me! But I know you can do it!” he laughed and showered kisses on your face as he keep on saying how much he loves you and that he's so proud of you.

“HEY, HEY, HEY! MY GIRLFRIEND IS THE PRETTIEST AND THE SMARTEST GIRLFRIEND EVER! SHE ACED HER EXAMS!”

~°~°~°~°~°~°

Kageyama Tobio

•Cold at the beginning of the relationship

•Kags is not yet used to physical contacts so don't expect much at first.

•But as the time passes by, he'll start wondering how it feels like to keep you in his arms for a long time so he will try and do it once when you two are studying in his house.

•Because Kags loves how warm and comfy it is to hug you, he'll start hugging you a lot (not in public though, he will be so shy)

•He's the type of boyfriend who'll fall asleep while watching movies (Forgive him, playing volleyball is hard)

•He wouldn't call you baby, babe or other endearments but he loves it when you give him one. His favorite endearment? LOVE

•Kags is a supportive boyfriend, he's the first one to cheer you up if you're sad.

•He's sharp as hell so he would always notice if you're not feeling well once he notice that he will do everything he can to make you smile or to make you feel better.

•Loves it when you keep on asking him to carry you.

•He loves the fact that you're shorter than him (Readers, if you're taller than Kags sorry😭)

•He would always walk you home.

•Sweetest thing he do for you? Taking care of your fingernails 💅🏻 he would definitely watch tutorials in applying nail polish. He also takes care of his fingernails so he wanted to do the same for you.

•When it comes to kisses it also take him some time to kiss you, he always wondered how it feels like to kiss you but he doesn't want to creep you out so he'll behave for quite some time.

°~°~°~°~°~°~°

“Tobio, you used the wrong method for this equation.” you called him out, Kageyama was quick to look at the problem that you're pointing out and his mouth gaped open as he realized his mistake. “Sorry, I'll do it again.” you giggled and showed him your homework, “Look at mine and compare it to yours, both methods are similar but they will have different answers so beware.” Kageyama started revising his answer while you continued studying for the another subject.

When he was done he looked at you just to see you so focused on what you're doing, you were pouting while answering your own homework and he couldn't help but stare at your pinkish lips.

You two have been dating for almost a year and you two haven't kissed because Kageyama is too shy to make the first move but right now he couldn't help but be tempted.

“Y/N, look at me.”

When you looked up at him, he immediately grabbed your nape and pressed his lips on yours. He was still unsure of how to do it but he did his best and boy, Kags is not too bad for a first timer.

When he pulled away you couldn't help but look at him completely dumbfounded. He will chuckle on your expression and will lean down to press his lips on yours for the second time.

“I love you.” he whispered.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°

Kuro Tetsuro

•The type of boyfriend who acts like a Dad (no one can change my mind)

•Kuro will definitely keep on reminding you that eating vegetables is good for you.

•He will monitor your sleeping routine. He would even buy scented candles for you to help you sleep.

•He's so smart so expect him to help you in studying.

•Kuro is addicted to kisses, he will always do everything in his power to steal a kiss from you even if it's in front of his teammates.

•He will tease you a lot for being smaller than him but once you get pissed he'll stop and he will keep on bugging you until you finally agree to forgive him.

•He will always talk about you, in fact he never shuts up about you to the point that Kenma is asking you what kind of love spell did you put in Kuro. He'll politely ask you to decrease the effect of the ‘love spell’

•Kuro loves pinching your cheeks (it hurts so you will get mad) once you get mad he'll be showering kisses all over your face and will talk to you in a baby voice saying things like, “Oh look at baby YN looking so cute with red cheeks. Sorry baby, come here I'm gonna kiss the pain away.”

•What is the sweetest thing that Kuro did to you? He installed a period tracker app on his phone, so he can remember your cycle. If you're on your period, expect Kuro to be extra gentle. He won't tease you or anything, he will buy you snacks and he will always check up on your mood.

~°~°~°~°~°~°

“YN, the captain of volleyball club is looking for you.” says one of your classmates. You smiled at your classmate and nod but before you could stand up from your seat, Kuro is already in front of you, “How're you feeling? Do you want to go home? Internet says ginger tea is good for reducing nausea during period.” your eyes widened and you covered his mouth using your hands.

“You don't have to announce to everyone that I'm on my period Tetsu!” you whispered yell and he gently removed your hands from his mouth. “Okay, calm down. Sorry, I know that there's a whole lot scientific process going on inside you, I understand your outburst. I brought snacks for you.” he lifted the plastic bag on his left hand and smiled at you.

You were about to smile back at him but you realized something, “How did you know I'm on my period?” Kuro blinked for a few times before clearing his throat, “I saw the period tracker on your phone, I installed the same thing on mine so I can monitor your period. My Mom told me periods are uncomfortable and painful so I just want to do what I can for my dearest girlfriend.” your heart melted at that and you started crying, Kuro's eyes widened as he pulled you close to his chest.

“Shh, baby what did I do?”

“Nothing. It's just that...I love you so much.”

“Oh experts believe that the drop in estrogen and progesterone, which occurs after ovulation, triggers mood swings during or before your period.” Kuro whispered as he caress your back gently. You sniffed and hugged him tighter still crying because you just felt so loved. “These hormones reduce production of serotonin, a chemical neurotransmitter, it's natural to be emotional, baby.” you looked up at your boyfriend and when you saw how serious he was you just couldn't help but laugh.

“You're such a nerd. God, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

~°~°~°~°~°~°

[itsmoonphobic]

Elemental Souls (SBI+Tommy 4 elements au)

(🌿) ♡ (🔥) ♡ (🌊) ♡ (🌬)

Techno Blade -Fire:

"Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products."

You can either see Techno as rude,cocky and egoistic or you can see him as loyal,determined and smart.

Becouse of his cold facade,Techno can scare poeple off easily.The fact that he gets aggressive easily doesn't make it any better.He tends to be very sarcastic and loves to tease/ignore people badly which is another reason poeple tend to stay away from him.

Techno can be described as terrifying.Becouse he is very intelligent and silent poeple around him can only wonder what he is thinking and if he is planning on killing someone soon.Of course Techno never killed anyone and he would never do so but his scary aura makes people believe he did and would do it again.

He doesn't take things very seriously and will only get invested if he is deeply committed and interested in them or if he gets something out of it.Techno may say that he isn't a competitive person but god is this man lying to himself.

Challenging Techno to something is probably the most dumbest move you could make.Not only will he destroy you and win but he will make a whole ass war out of it.This guy won't sleep,eat or talk to another human being until he's won.And you can bet your ass he will totally humiliate you and rub it in till it burns-

That's what Techno can be seen as from the outside. But on the inside he is anything but confident,cocky and unbeatable.He is very shy and socially awkward. He only picks out certain people who he will let take part in his life.On some days his insecurities will get the best of him and he won't come out of his room for weeks-

Hours and hours spent on crying only then become evident once he leaves his room and reveals this mess of red and puffy eyes,dark valleys and pale skin.The vibes he gives off basically scream "back of and leave me the fuck alone or I will burn you to death"

Others may think that a fiery person like him has to have exciting and risky hobbies-When in reality Techno loves peaceful and quiet activities like reading or studying.May I add that in his free time Techno absolutely loves to be outside and farm potatoes on a daily-

Sure Techno does fighting and skill upgrading from time to time but when he is left alone with his head full of thoughts he will scurry to the local library and spend the rest of his day there.Nobody questions why he goes there or makes fun of him that such a tough guy reads books-Becouse they very well know he will personally beat them up and burn down their houses.

Techno's best friend Phil is the only person who he truly trusts with everything and anything.The two of them grew up together and developed a really strong emotional and family like bond.Techno only allows Phil to see his vulnerable and fragile side,he will cry infront of him and even let Phil hug him while he reassures him that everything will work out and be fine.

Techno isn'a touchy guy,for him pda is disgusting and unnecessary-like,why the fuck would you put your hands on another person?What kind of person enjoys sharing physical contact?Not Techno that's for sure.

Over time Techno became more open and extroverted so he agreed to meeting two of Phil's friends,both of them having different elements.Phil commented something about how he thinks that opposite friendships are way more exciting and fun!Techno didn't think much of it,he simply rolled his eyes and went along with it.

That was the day Techno met Wilbur and Tommy.He could immediately tell that Tommy would be annoying as fuck and really hard to deal with-I mean the kid was only twelve when they first got introduced.Wilbur on the other hand sparked some sort of feeling inside of Techno that made him feel welcomed in his presence.

So yeah over the course of the next four years the four element benders became really close.Yes even grumpy Techno had to live with the fact that he would die for all of them-even Tommy.And speaking of Tommy,he and Techno do everything together-

If you would to make fun of Tommy or tease/annoy him in any be it negative or positive way-Techno would hunt you down and burn you-If it isn't intense he will stick to only a threat-but if you actually physically or mentally hurt Tommy??Oh boy-I may have said that Techno never did and never would kill somebody,but in this case there is a high chance of an angry Techno being after you.

Techno sees his friend group as family members.Phil represents a huge father figure,Wilbur his younger brother and Tommy his youngest brother.He is very overprotective of them all,especially over Tommy if you couldn't already tell.With how much shit he gets himself into and the fact that he is only sixteen years young and his braincells are still producing he can't but worry for him and take care of him,even if he does bully the fuck out of him :)

Wilbur and Techno have the best moments.The two of them both enjoy reading so you can occasionally discover them in the local town library where they are just enjoying the peace shared between eachother. Although Wilbur does have a chaotic and wild side to him which he lets out when he's around Tommy,he becomes quite and relaxed when around the fire bender.Techno knew from the moment he met Wilbur that the two of them would get along great.

Techno isn't really good with showing his feelings or dealing with his emotions-Like I said apart from pride and anger he doesn't reveal much to the world.Phil used to be the only person Techno trusted but now with the whole gang on his side he earned himself more poeple to rely on.Of course it took time for him to open up and really let himself go infront of Tommy and Wilbur but the waiting definitely paid off.

When Techno practices,for example his weapon usage and fire bending it is best to leave him alone and stay a safe distance away from him.There is a chance for him to attack you,though he will most likely just snap at you and tell you to piss off if you don't wanna burn alive and if you wanna keep all your fingers in place.

Also not to mention,Techno is on the way of becoming a vegetarian.At the start he only hated eating anything related to pigs,like bacon or pork chops.But after developing his love for farming he noticed just how unnecessary eating meat is.Sure he still consumes meat from time to time but in most of the cases he will turn it down and eat a baked potato instead :D

Squid and Dream(A water bender and a earth bender) are both in a rivalry with him.Techno is probably the one who started randomly picking on Squid at one point and from there on out they kind of grew close?Not too close but most definitely a form of friendship.

Dream on the other hand is hundred percent the one who constantly competes with Techno.Be it in element bending or grades in school.If Dream manages to get even half a point more on an exam he would literally celebrate.The most annoying part is the fact that Techno doesn't even acknowledge Dream. Just to see Dream's face when Techno only shrugs and lets out a small "ehh" while saying that it doesn't matter and he sees no point in anyone trying to be as good as him or better,makes it more entertaining ;D

To sum it all up: Techno is a natural born leader.His dedication and determination along with his loyalty are a healthy base for a powerful soul.The reason behind his aggressive,confident and somewhat rude side is due to the fact that he is a fire bender and his element is naturally fierce.He fights for what he thinks is important and right and never lets anything happen to the poeple he deeply loves and cares about.He is not the best when it comes to showing sympathy and affection and he doesn't seek it from anyone else.He has to deal with major mental health issues but he's more than thankful for his friends that are by his side and help him out on his journey.Once Techno opens up to you more you know he likes you,like I said to earn Techno's respect and trust you have to meet his expectations and show him that you actually care for him and his well being.He needs some love guys <3

Like fire itself, fire benders tend to be passionate, dynamic, and temperamental. Fire can keep you warm, or it can do great destruction. While fire burns out quickly without fuel to keep it going, it can also regenerate its power from the ashes. A single spark can set off a forest fire. As a result, fire benders need to be nurtured and managed carefully.

Phil Watson - Air:

"Air refers to the Earth's atmosphere. Air is a mixture of many gases and dust particles. It is the clear gas in which living things live and breathe. It has an indefinite shape and volume. It has mass and weight, because it is matter."

The most hardworking,kind and caring guy you will ever encounter.Phil is the definition of wholesome :)

Phil is a very understanding and empathetic person. He patiently listens and respects people's boundaries and insecurities.He is a great comfort to many poeple with phobias and mental health issues.A part of his element is care and gentleness.Phil is very careful and elegant with his words and actions.He tends to not be hasty and obnoxious around people he first meets or knows who don't like that type of behavior.

He and Techno are very close.Phil trusts Techno with his eyes closed and the same goes for Techno.The way the two of them interact with eachother suprises people all the time.How could such a gentle soul deal with a feisty one like Techno's??Outsiders and even familiars wonder if the two share some sort of telepathic connection.All in all they share an unbreakable and strong family like bond.

Not only did Phil introduce his other really good friends to Techno and managed to get him to open up more and trust other people apart from him,but he also helped Techno realize that there are other poeple out there who care about him and want to give him nothing but undeniable love <3

Techno may be close with Wilbur and Tommy but the only person who knows about Techno's struggles and his biggest fears is Phil.He knows exactly in which way he needs to talk to him and how to act around him.Phil knows Techno doesn't like affection like hugs and holding hands but as a sign of appreciation and gratefulness Techno allows Phil to hug him while he calms him down and takes care of him.

The way he acts with such precision and grace makes anyone feel welcomed and comfortable around Phil. Phil is very helpful.He doesn't wait for poeple to come up to him and ask him for something,he goes up to them and asks if he can help them out with anything.

He stands up for justice and always does the right things.Phil has a big heart,if he sees anyone who is hurt or feeling down his parent like instincts will activate and he will immediately comfort them.

All three of his best friends(Techno,Wilbur,Tommy) look up to him as a father figure,which warms Phil's heart and he honestly he thinks it's super cute <3 So naturally Phil can't but see them as his three polar opposite,chaotic sons.He would do anything for the three of them,even risking his own life.

Tommy and Phil's relationship is probably the most cutest one.When Phil tells Tommy to quit it or to stop fighting with Wilbur or Techno(mostly Wilbur),Tommy instantly goes quiet and apologises for it.Phil's air bending is something that Tommy loves about him.He will always ask the elder if he can twirl him around in the air and make him fly.Phil gladly does so and he will tickle him with the wind he creates until Tommy is a giggling mess :D

Wilbur and Phil on the other hand are a completely different dynamic than Techno & Phil or Tommy & Phil. Most think that Phil would be scared of Techno like any other person is but it's actually Wilbur who genuinely scares Phil from time to time.Sure anyone who sees him doesn't think that something like "I just wanna fucking murder everyone around me and drag them to the bottom of the ocean-" would come out of his mouth.It's not only what he says it's how and when he says horrifying things like that.They could be out on a walk and Wilbur would just have the most blank expression while he says sentences like that.Phil is pretty sure that he even caught Tommy holding onto Techno's hand once while Techno shivered slightly with wide eyes.

Phil is known for being very respectful and polite.He doesn't like to be mean and angry towards anyone!He is a big pacifist(unlike other poeple 👀)who likes to sort things out with a nice and peaceful conversation instead of turning to immediate violence.He will argument with someone,but only when he has a good reason to do so.If he sees people arguing or fighting he will confront them about it and make sure they settle down and put their differences aside.

He's affectionate and really interested in the problems of others,as if they were his own.He will always be there if you are stuck with something and need help solving or overcoming said problem.He'll make sure that both of you find a way to get rid of it! <3

Air benders are also the most forgiving element benders,so Phil can tell the difference between acting out and just plain old meanness,and he understands that in moments of strong emotion, people can say and do things to can hurt others. Not that he'd ever do the same!His cool, collected vibe helps him navigate the drama and analyze it throughly.

Phil is a master of both small talk and deep convos, and he knows how to use his wit to get him out of awkward moments.That's another way Phil instantly gets the hang of strangers he just met!!He knows what subjects to bring up and what topics to talk about that they are interested in!

Also I quickly wanna say that Phil's laugh is super contagious!He could be out with Techno,Wil and Tommy while the three of them rant on and on about their days and just talk about random,shit.Phil will silently listen to every detail in the background while he uncontrollably laughs.He will let out a small "What?" or "No way dude" but apart from those small phrases he just prefers listening and cackling.He loves to see other people laugh and smile and is even more happy when he is the reason they do so :3

Phil is generous and selfless.He puts the health and safety of others before his own.He doesn't require many things to be satisfied in his life.As long as he has his family and friends he couldn't be more grateful <3

He definitely has a love for birds such as pigeons and doves.One time about two years ago Tommy brought Phil a beautiful silver feathered bird for his birthday. Even with his element being air,Phil sometimes wishes and dreams of flying himself,being able to feel that freedom for himself you know?He sees birds as lucky to have a gift such as flying.

Air benders are all about action, ideas, and motion—they are the “winds of change.” When a strong gust hits you, you can’t help but move. While some within their ranks may be true-life “airheads,” others are as powerful as a gravity-defying G-force. Air benders bring everyone a breath of fresh air when things start to get stale. Like the breeze, you can’t quite catch them, and you never know where they’ll drop you once they sweep you up. It will almost always been an adventure, though

Wilbur Soot - Water:

"Water is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms. It is vital for all known forms of life, even though it provides no calories or organic nutrients."

Charming,suave and flirty in a way that can only be from fiction.Do men like that even exist?Apparently they do and they go by the name of Wilbur Soot.

Ever stand under a waterfall? That’s what it’s like when a Wilbur is feeling an intense emotion.

Intuitive, emotional and ultra-sensitive,Wilbur can be as mysterious as the ocean itself. Like water,he can be refreshing,or he can drown you in his depths.Security is important to him,after all, water needs a container, or it dries up and disappears.

He tends to hold on to people and items long past their expiration dates,and his emotions are always flowing like the waves of the oceans.Wilbur has intense dreams,visions,and an intuition so strong that it’s basically a psychic power.He can see situations happening from a mile away before they occur.

He might intentionally seek out sad music or movies, and he probably has childhood photos framed in his room.Emotional and creative,he relays on his heart and gut to make a decision.Logic and reason are second to his feelings which is how he navigates the material world.Wilbur also longs for security at all times,which makes sense as he's protective of his loved ones and himself.He'll do everything he can to help the ones he cares about,even if it’s at his own expense.

However, like most things beautiful, below the surface many complexities often arise and the same is true when talking about water benders.

Wilbur is notoriously perceptive and he possesses instincts when it comes to sussing out people and situations.He's guided by his gut feelings and more often than not his first instinct about a person are dead on.He can get a feel for whether someones intentions are honorable or not just by observing their body language and general demeanor.

Like a river filling in every crevice of its path,Wilbur covers every detail and often picks up on things that others miss.No riverbed is left to dry as the water flows through each and every intricacy.

The water signs are no stranger to emotion, in fact, they often feel things rather intensely.

On one hand,his emotional side can provide him with a lot of insight and wisdom into the human experience which he can even then pass on to others.On top of this,it allows him to be incredibly empathetic which helps him form strong bonds with others.

But sometimes he can get so overcome by his emotions that it feels like a giant tidal wave just hitting him all at once. When he feels overwhelmed like this he can find it tough to think straight and make rational decisions.

Because he is so prone to analyzing absolutely everything he can sometimes overthink things a little too much and make life more complicated for himself then it needs to be.He has a bad habit of coming up with problems and obstacles in his mind that don’t actually exist or aren’t nearly as bad as he's talked himself into them being.

Sometimes you might catch Wilbur acting withdrawn or shy but the truth is he's probably just deep in thought and mentally a million miles away.He often finds his thoughts are racing at a million miles an hour and that he's powerless to do anything about it.

Just like a bustling river,Wilbur can be a bit wishy washy and kinda all over the place… especially when it comes to making important decisions.Too many options can sometimes leave him overwhelmed and struggling to make any decision at all.

He's also known for being easily distracted and can go from paying close attention in one moment to being totally away with the fairies the next.He doesn't do it out of rudeness he just can’t help himself sometimes!

Wilbur has a very private and mysterious side,he doesn’t like to reveal all of his cards at once.He's known for putting up walls and can be particularly guarded when he's around people he doesn't trust.

From time to time he needs space to himself to think and unwind. As much as he loves his friends and family there’s just some times where he's gotta have some alone time to spend by himself.

Wilbur sure has a unique way of looking at the world. His perspective combined with his vivid imagination makes him naturally gifted in music or anything involving a creative flare.He is a dreamer at heart whose ideas aren't limited by pesky rules or conventions.

He has a big musical talent,his voice is a perfect balance between rough and velvety.It's not too high and not too low,not too loud and not too quiet.The moment he strums his guitar strings he can wrap anybody around his finger.

Wilbur is emotionally manipulative.He can make you feel bad for something you didn't even do.He can make you regret things or certaint actions that aren't supposed to make you feel regretful.He will only use this "talent" of his in a worst case scenario.If you ever hurt his friends or loved ones he will make your life a living hell,wouldn't even wonder if you never decided to show your face to the public ever again.

Techno's and his relationship is wonderful.Wilbur has helped Techno so much to open up more and come out of his shell.They both enjoy the peaceful and quiet times in their life.Reading,going on walks or strolling along the beach while watching a sunset is just some of the many things they love doing together.He isn't as close to Techno like Phil is but he is close second. He sees him as his older and stronger brother who will always be there for him when he needs him.Honestly the two of them have such a beneficial dynamic <3

Now Tommy's and Wilbur's interactions are something absolutely opposite.When the two of them spent time together,they become these chaotic and annoying siblings that go around town and fuck with people. There was this one time where they flooded a barn which belonged to Phil's neighbors and the two reckless idiots ran away laughing.Sure Tommy steals Phil's stuff all the time or uses it without permission but Wilbur,just like Techno,is very overprotective of Tommy.If he finds out that somebody hurt Tommy in any way or made fun of him he will beat them up. Literally he will call in Techno for help to go and pay the little fuckers who messed with Tommy a visit.The only ones who are allowed to tease and bully Tommy are Techno and Wilbur,no one else.

Phil and Wilbur have some of the best moments when spending time with eachother.Not only is Phil a great source of reassurance and comfort but he knows that Phil will seal his mouth shut if Wilbur speaks to him about his insecurities and problems.He loves that Phil listens to him and never judges him about anything. Like the other two Wilbur sees Phil as a father figure. A great and inspiring role model he can look up to.

He likes to collect sea shells and old treasures he finds scattered over the sand at the beach.He doesn't like swimming or diving,which is really unrealistic to not only other water benders but benders in general.It's not that Wilbur is scared,he simply likes to admire it from the shore.He will do it from time to time must mostly he will just sit down and let his legs and feet rest in the cold liquid.

I can imagine that when he was a kid he used to pretend to be a pirate.He still has his old eye patch and hook that were part of his costume.Now,even after thirteen years he still likes to go up to the harbor when the fishermen arrive with a freshly caught catch and watch the ships glide across the indigo waves.

Tommy Simons - Earth:

"Earth materials are vital resources that provide the basic components for life, agriculture and industry. Earth materials can also include metals and precious rocks."

Tommy is outgoing,energetic and he isn't afraid to speak up and share his thoughts with others.A very openminded and positive guy.He always looks on the bright side of every situation he finds himself in.

He is down to earth.He doesn't believe in having dreams,he only believes and accepts things the way they are and how they are portrayed in his eyes.

People don't realize it but they are seriously underestimating Tommy.When you first see him you don't expect him to have good strategies and the ability of leadership like Techno clearly has.But that's the thing.One of the many things Tommy picks up while being in a friendship with the fire bender is experience.Techno will lazily teach the young earth bender how to protect himself and lead a team. Without Techno's guidance Tommy would have been in trouble countless times.So you could say that Techno is Tommy's mentor :)

He's a great mood booster!If there is awkward tension in a room or between others he will make it up by just being there and doing what Tommy does the best, brighten up the atmosphere!He will start random conversations and just try to get everyone else to do something fun like play a game or watch a movie.

Techno may help Tommy with things like self defense and how to establish dominance but the earth bender helps him with his potato farming!He will hurry up the process of their growth and make sure they are perfect before they are harvested.He keeps track of the amount of soil and vitamins the earth their roots grow in receives.

Speaking of Techno's and his relationship: The two of them are so close it's insane.They do everything with eachother!They train,upgrade their skills in bending and fighting,they go out to eat or have a drink,they go around town and fuck things up-the two of them are huge pranksters.Tommy always tries to prove himself infront of Techno and impress him in any way.Tommy loves spending time with Techno,the blond earth bender admires him in so many different ways- They don't have to be doing much together,it can be mindless talking or simply being in the same room.

Wilbur and Tommy are ehhh- special?On one side they are funny and entertaining together but on the other side they can be insulting eachother with such vulgarity that you could think they are about to commit murder any moment.Tommy talks so much shit about Wilbur.If you're dumb enough and actually choose to listen to him,he will ramble on about how Wilbur thinks he's so smart and good with the ladies- Yoo would think that after trash talking him that Tommy hates Wilbur's guts but it's the opposite!!If he catches you talking bad about Wilbur behind his back he will call Techno and they will hunt you down.

Tommy like everyone else sees Phil as his very caring and cool dad!Phil somehow always finds out about all the shit Tommy does and he gets scolded for it.Like most people,if Tommy ever has a problem he's dealing with or he's in a uncomfortable situation,Phil is the first person who crosses his mind and therefore the one he turns to.

The way Tommy goes around their town and picks fights with others is so stupid.At the end he comes home with bruises and wounds all over his skin.One time his best friend Toby brought him to Phil with a bloody nose and Phil's reaction was screeching-

He is extremely curious and stubborn.He doesn't really think before he acts and dives into unknown things he's not familiar with head first.Techno is the one who laughs at him and teases him about how clumsy he is.

Earth benders keep it real. They are the “grounded” people on the planet, the ones who bring us down to earth and remind us to start with a solid foundation. Slow and steady, these “builders” are loyal and stable, and stick by their people through hard times. On good days, they’re practical; at worst, they can be materialistic or too focused on the surface of things to dig into the depths.

Hope you enjoyed this au!!I am currently writing MULTIPLE stories and au's so bare with me guys!I don't like working fast becouse my work afterwards doesn't feel completed:( I hope all of you have a wonderful day/night <3 Love ya!!!

[raisingsupergirl]

You Don't Know What You Don't Know

In today's information age, everyone's an expert. Broken dishwasher? Just YouTube it. Wondering who that actor is? IMDB it. Want a DIY chicken coop? Google it. Trying to find an unending stream of #fakenews and fear mongering? Log into Facebook. The problem is, well… we don't always know what the actual problem is. We see the symptoms. We know what we want—the end result—but we're not always sure how to get there. And a quick Google search is all we have the patience for before we jump to conclusions and then blame someone or something else for our failure. Take my recent plunge into fishkeeping, for example.

I've always been an animal lover. I think it's innate in all of us, but not everyone has the right disposition or upbringing to appreciate animal/plant husbandry. As for me, I grew up in the Missouri wilderness surrounded by ponds, cliffs, streams, fields, and forests. Sure, I spent my fair share of time on the Super Nintendo System, but being in the great outdoors was engrained in me from a young age. And more than that, I learned to appreciate the other things out there. I kept just about every animal you could imagine at one time or another (dogs, cats, birds, fish, lizards, frogs, newts, rodents of all varieties, snakes, chickens, geese, goats, a squirrel, a ferret, a raccoon, and even a short-tailed opossum, off the top of my head), and though I was pretty irresponsible with most of them (ignoring for a second that I should have just left them where I found them in nature), I loved nurturing them, and I kept most of them alive. So when my city-girl daughter said she wanted a fish for her fourth birthday, a little piece of my past reignited, and I… may have gone a little overboard.

First, my mom still had the 35-gallon aquarium she bought me for my birthday a couple of decades ago. Back then I just winged it. I didn't have Google. I didn't come from a long line of aquarists. I just filled the thing up with well water, a cheap bag of gravel, a log I found floating in my pond, and the cheapest fish I could find at my local Walmart (yes, Walmart sold fish back then). Of course the tank was full of algae and dead fish in no time, but I kept at it, and eventually I had a few fish that didn't eat each other, but ultimately it wasn't what I knew it could be, so I set the fish "free" in my pond and put a snake in the tank instead.

I used the tank again in college with similar results, only this time I had a filter, did occasional water changes, and had just a few friendly fish, so it was much more successful, though still very "low tech," as they say in the hobby. Since then, I've matured (please hold all sarcasm until the end), and I've learned the value of researching something before attempting it. The change started in physical therapy school when I spent countless hours dissecting and writing scientific papers. It was the literal worst, but it taught me so much about the world. Rather, it taught me how to learn about any particular aspect of the world. You see, in these classes, we weren't allowed to just read the abstract and regurgitate the experimenters' assumptions. We had to read every line, go back and read every line of the sources they cited, and then, once we understood every word, we could start forming our own opinions on the subject. And believe it or not, I rarely found a paper that wasn't skewed toward the writer's desired result in some small way.

So now we get to the heart of things—you don't know what you don't know until you know it. And you won't know it unless you put in the time. We're living in an age of instant gratification. Because there's so much information out there, we only have time to skim. Otherwise we wouldn't have any time to actually live. I recently ran across an inspiration quote by science fiction author Robert Heinlein's character, Lazarus Long:

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."

Sure. Easy for Lazarus to say. As his name suggests, he was over 200 years old and counting at the time of his above quotation (and that's to say nothing of Heinlein's, uh, colorful political and philosophical views). But even still, his words are a nice sentiment, and they resonate with our current zeitgeist. We all want to be experts at everything, but we just don't have the time to do it. So we become Jacks-of-all-trades, and masters of none. And thus, with the dehumanizing help of social media, we get into a lot of stupid fights.

But I digress. Back to my aquarium example. Giving in to my excitement and desire for my daughter to experience thy "joys" of fishkeeping, I reverted to the impulsiveness of my youth. And of the twelve fish I bought those first few months, I killed half of them. Why? Because I didn't take the time to learn about taking a new tank through the nitrogen cycle. I knew nothing of ammonium, nitrite, or nitrate. I didn't know how to promote bacterial colonies in the filter media. And when I decided to add a few live plants to the mix, I didn't know the difference between submersed and submerged, or that PetCo didn't care about selling you "aquatic" plants that would die 100% of the time if completely under water. And that's saying nothing about water pH, alkalinity, fertilizers (NPK, micronutrients, root tabs versus liquid fertilizers, etc), carbon (CO2) availability, substrate differences, etc., etc. I just thought, "these are pretty" with dozens of plants and fish from completely different, delicately balanced ecosystems around the world, and then expected them to flourish when crammed together in the petri dish that was my, er, my daughter's aquarium.

I'll be the first to say that I suck at chemistry. It was the only "C" I received in college. Too many dry facts and things I couldn't visualize. Too much like math. But over the past few months, I've forced myself to dig into the periodic table and the chemical processes of dozens of elements and compounds in order to BEGIN understanding the aquatic world. I'm still so far away from having a solid grasp on the process, but at least I now know what I don't know. And that's a start. And it's a valuable reminder of the ignorance of mankind.

As a physical therapist, it often baffles me when my highly intelligent friends and family don't understand their own bodies. These people are experts in their fields. They're fluent in areas that I'll never even begin to understand. And yet, they can't figure out the simplest causes of their own various aches and pains. And thus, they become easy prey for fad diets, snake oils, and cure-alls. In health and fitness, especially, our connected, opinion-fueled society is playing the willing victim. Like politics and philosophy, we all know there are problems, and we see "experts" offering their solutions constantly, and social media algorithms are feeding into this problem by inundating our news feeds with like-minded (no matter how wrong) individuals. We think, "Hey, everything I see reinforces my ideas, so the must be right!" But really, we're still living in the same high-walled isolation we've always lived in. We just have weapons that can shoot farther now.

So remember, if you haven't spent hundreds of hours researching and forming your opinion, you're probably not right. Maybe you have an idea. It may even be a good idea. But life is complex. It spans millennia of philosophers, scientists, and soldiers. Even if WebMD says you have terminal cancer, you should still probably see an actual MD before you throw in the towel. Because, contrary to Lazarus Long's inspiring sentiment, humanity can still find value in specialization. Life is rich and deep, so take the time to dig.

[goingtothetardis]

Hello! Do you take prompts? I hate smoking, I don't like the smell and I think it's unhealthy, but I think it's quite... interesting in fics? So Tentoo x Rose cigarettes? If you don't want to just ignore the message that will be fine. Have a great day!

Rating: TeenPairing: Tentoo x RoseSummary: The Doctor discovers something curious while cleaning a room.Tags: Established relationship, reference to past drinking/smoking/cigarettes, confessions/revelationsWords: ~1,900Find it: AO3Notes: Smoking is not my thing, but for some reason the prompt really intrigued me and I rolled with it. I really hope the prompter sees this! Thanks to @caedmonfaith for the quick read through and giving me some feedback on the smoking bits.

Revelations After

The Doctor huffs in frustration and places his hands on his hips as he contemplates the clutter inside the spare room, which is more like closet. Well, an oversized closet packed almost floor to ceiling with alien tech he’ll eventually need for their TARDIS.

There’s really no more room for anything else until he and Rose can finally pack up their belongings and start their new adventure together in Scotland. Despite his frustration with their current lack of space, however, the Doctor is content to wait for one very important reason.

A few weeks after their arrival in this universe well over eight months ago, Rose had told him she’d completed not only her Bachelor studies during their time apart, but had made significant progress in a Master’s program in applied physics with a specialization in temporal engineering, a very experimental degree program he knew for a fact was not available on Earth in their original universe. She’d only paused her studies once the dimension cannon began working. Unsure of what to do next, but hesitant to continue work with Torchwood, Rose had listened to the Doctor’s encouragement to finish her studies before they made concrete plans for the future.

Of course, with time and the gradual reestablishment of their relationship, they’d made plans to move to Edinburgh, buy an house of sufficient size, and start work on growing the TARDIS there. Until then, the Doctor has been working for Pete in the Torchwood archives, helping to identify and properly handle the enormous quantity of alien materials and tech the organization manages to bring in. In exchange, Pete has allowed the Doctor to utilize whatever resources he finds for growing the TARDIS.

Right now, the TARDIS coral is in stasis with the help of a delicate balance of chemicals until the Doctor can construct a proper growing tank. He eyes the piece of coral sitting in a temporary tank and frowns. It’s sitting on a dusty, cardboard box in the corner of the room. Worried about it’s precarious position, the Doctor moves the coral to the kitchen table and returns to the closet-room to begin the arduous process of organizing the items he’s collected so far.

He grabs the cardboard box and almost throws out his back when it’s far heavier than expected. There’s no writing on the box to indicate what’s inside, so despite the probability of it belonging to Rose, he decides to open it.

It’s filled with books. Old books, collectors items. Written by… Charlie Dickens. The Doctor chuckles at yet another difference between this universe and the other. Intrigued by the surface contents of the box, the Doctor settles cross-legged on the floor and removes book after book. This universe’s Charlie Dickens had produced works identical or almost identical to the works of his parallel self, and for a while, the Doctor immerses himself in the books he removes one by one from the box. Still focused on The Tale of David Copper, the Doctor reaches inside the box for another book and instead pulls out a crumpled, half-full pack of cigarettes.

With a frown, he peers at the cigarettes. He’d assumed the box (and books) belonged to Rose, given their previous adventures with Charles Dickens, but Rose doesn’t smoke.

Or does she?

It doesn’t matter, not really, but he’s positive he’d know if Rose smoked. He still has his highly sensitive tongue, and with as frequently as he tastes all the delightful bits of Rose, he knows he’d be able to tell if it’s an activity she partakes in with some regularity. And, given that he’s found two half-full packs, it’s a consistent activity for whomever they belong to.

Rose has never smoked with him, not since she’d joined him on the TARDIS. He thinks she might have engaged in the activity before meeting his last self, but to the best of his knowledge, she’s never smoked. In fact, she’d never enjoyed heavily smoky places, wherever they’d been in the universe, preferring the fresh air of open spaces, so despite the Doctor’s ability to filter the toxic air with his advanced respiratory system – well, his fully Time Lord self, that is – he’d tried to avoid such places in their travels.

Deciding to talk to Rose about the packs of cigarettes after she arrives home from the library, the Doctor repacks the books in the books and leaves the cigarettes on top.

———-

It’s during dinner when the Doctor brings up the mysterious cigarettes.

“I was organizing the spare room today. Well, I say organizing, but it was really more just taking inventory of what I have for the TARDIS coral and moving things around. It’s still a disaster.” He makes a face, lamenting the fact that he no longer lives in a bigger-on-the-inside time ship. “But I found a box in the corner and wasn’t sure who it belonged to. I found some books.” He pauses. “And a few cigarette packs.”

With a loud sigh, Rose grimaces. “Oh blimey, I forgot about those.”

“They’re yours?” the Doctor asks, surprised.

Rose chews on her lower lip for a few moments and looks at the Doctor, deep in thought. “An’ the books, yeah. ‘M not proud of it, Doctor, but I’ll tell you about it. If you want.”

“You don’t have to, Rose, but I’d like to hear about it,” he requests gently.

Placing her fork on her plate, Rose takes a short sip of her wine, before leaning back and closing her eyes. “Well, ‘s not that exciting, really. When I first got trapped here, I went through a really dark time.” When she opens her eyes and returns her gaze to his, his heart clenches at the pain he finds there. “A really dark time. I jus’… I shut down. Didn’t eat, didn’t get out of bed, didn’t shower. It only got worse when the days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, and you still didn’t come.”

“Oh, Rose,” he takes her hand and brushes his thumb comfortingly over her thumb, “I’m so sorry I couldn’t find a way.”

Rose gives him a half-hearted smile. “‘S okay, Doctor. I know why you couldn’t. Anyways, things got a little better when Mum said she was pregnant. Started eating again, went shopping for baby things with Mum just to make her think I was better, went on long walks along the Thames. Found an old bookstore where I got all the books. Read them all about the same time I also discovered Pete’s alcohol cabinet and started smoking again. The only other time I’d ever smoked before was when I was with Jimmy, especially after… you know. Hated my life an’ felt like shit, so of course smoking was the best answer. It stilled me, calmed me. And after I got stuck here… It jus’ happened. Didn’t really plan it.”

The Doctor squeezes her hand in acknowledgement, anticipating more to the story.

“Course Mum found out about the drinking and put a stop to that. She said I had to either work for Pete at Torchwood or finish my A-levels and go to uni. Think I’ve told you that bit before, though, yeah?”

He nods.

“So I worked for Pete until you found a way to… say goodbye.” She takes a deep breath, long and ragged, before exhaling. “An’ then I decided that if you couldn’t find a way to me, I’d find a way to you. So I finished my A-levels, got accepted to uni, and smoked and studied my way through undergrad. Wasn’t until we started working on the dimension cannon that I quit for good. Turns out you gotta be fit to jump through the void to other universes, and smoking, well– I only ever did it cos it was a distraction, helped mask some of the pain. Dunno, sounds daft, now that I think about it.”

The Doctor stares at Rose. He’d heard one version of this before, but the pain and loss that lingers so clearly makes him wonder if he’s enough for her here in this life. “Rose…”

She seems to understand what he wants to say and shakes her head. “No, Doctor, it’s okay, now. We’re okay. Better than. I promise.” Her hazel eyes stare intently into his as she leans across the table toward him. “It made me stronger, that time without you. I’d never wish it on anyone, especially us,” she laughs darkly, “but I’m more now than I was back then.”

The Doctor leans across the table and kisses Rose softly on the lips. “Rose Tyler, you’ve always been everything. Never less than.”

Her answering smile makes him sure she believes him.

Sitting back, he decides to reveal something of his own from their time apart. “I destroyed the rose garden,” he whispers. “Completely. Tore out all the bushes, made a mess of my hands and my suit.”

Rose’s jaw drops open, and she scrunches her forehead. “Our garden? On the TARDIS?”

He sighs. “Yeah.”

“When?”

His eyes flick to hers. “After Donna. The first time.” They both understood what he doesn’t say – about words left unsaid and his reckless behavior after she’d been lost to the parallel world.

“I couldn’t bear the memories of us in that room. Of course, the moment the last rose was destroyed, I regretted it immediately. Because it was our room. And I hated myself, Rose. Hated myself for letting you go, for not doing enough, for saying everything but the words that should have been said.” Running a hand through his hair, he averts his gaze, ashamed of his actions even now.

He hears Rose push her chair back and sighs in relief, automatically wrapping his arms around her, as she straddles his lap and cups his face, brushing her thumbs against his sideburns. “We’re together, now, yeah? All that, the good and the bad, it makes us who we are now, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. Now’s not the time for regrets.”

In answer, he leans his forehead to hers, and they linger quietly in the peaceful moment. It’s surprising, now, how at unexpected times the most important confessions between them are revealed. They’re seemingly inconsequential but still something of a relief when those grievances and past hurts are in the open.

“So,” he says, pulling back from Rose and breaking the moment between them. “What would you say to some banana cream cheesecake for dessert? I walked by the bakery on my way home from Torchwood this morning, and really, Rose. It was the most responsible thing to do, buying that cheesecake.”

“Mmm, could do. Or,” she rolls her hips suggestively over his lap, “I could think of a few other things we could do first.” She laughs when he pretends to contemplate the options in front of him.

“You always have the best ideas, Rose. Let’s just hope you don’t need a post-shag smoke after I get done with you.”

She smirks before rewarding him with a long, lingering kiss. “Oh, Doctor. There’s a very specific reason I never need a smoke with you and always needed one with Jimmy.”

“Oh?” Despite his dislike of thinking about Rose’s past relationships, he’s intrigued.

“You always leave me very satisfied.”

“Oooh.” He preens, letting a cocky smile spread across his face. “Really?”

“Really, Doctor. Now shut up and take me to bed.”