#tw: mentions of child neglect

[dorkofclanlavellan]

Break In

Note 1: Requested by an anon a while back. I got inspired after waking up at 3 am and started writing. Then accidentally purged my inbox before I could copy the actual request. Note 2: This is set in the same storyline as Bruce Wayne's Sweetie (I think indirect sequel is the wording I'm looking for) Pairing: Bruce Wayne (Batfleck) x GN!Reader (referred to as Sweetie instead of y/n) Warnings: Mediocre writing skills, Bruce's anxiety over Sweetie, swearing, good ole b&e, mentions of murder, mentions of child abuse, switching POVs. I'm so sorry.

"Of fuckin' course this happens on a Monday." Sweetie swore under their breath as they drove back towards their bakery. "Just don't get pulled over, dummy."

They were almost home when they realized they'd left their cell phone and wallet in the bakery. They didn't like being late monitoring Bruce's patrols. As it was, he had already been on patrol for about an hour.

Little did Sweetie know, as they parked in their usual spot behind the bakery, that the silent alarm had been tripped.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Bruce had just left the scene of a store hold-up turned to murder, determined to find the killers before the end of the night.

After he was securely in the Batmobile he noticed the alert that someone had tripped the silent alarm to Sweetie's bakery.

"Alfred, has Sweetie shown up yet?" He questioned, a tinge of worry in his voice. He didn't want to jump to any conclusions. Sweetie was the type of person to stop and help turtles cross the road and has come home late with a stray kitten before.

"No, sir, I haven't heard from them. But you know it's not unusual for them." Alfred's response would've almost reassured Bruce.

But after what the Joker did to Dick years ago, and after what he had seen at the convenience store tonight, Bruce couldn't shake the dread in his stomach.

He decided to track their phone, just to be safe, it was one of the things they'd agreed to shortly after he revealed that he was Batman to them. That along with a new security system that was connected directly to him and the GCPD.

Fear squeezed Bruce's heart when he saw that Sweetie's phone was still at the bakery and he immediately began racing towards the bakery. Hoping he wouldn't be too late.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Sweetie hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary at first but when they opened the back door of the bakery, they heard a slight rustling noise further into the bakery. Grasping the stun gun Bruce had given them Sweetie moved as silently as possible towards the light switch. When they flipped the lights on, though, the sight before them nearly shattered their heart.

A child. Couldn't be older than 13. He was crouched down by the front display case, which had been pried open with the crowbar at his side next to a dim flashlight, and was wolfing down a loaf of bread that was baked just that afternoon.

Sweetie could see the all too familiar signs that they had personally experienced. Clothes that were in just good enough condition to keep authorities from being notified. A couple of bruises at various stages of healing that could easily be dismissed as normal childhood occurrences, but Sweetie knew better. He was staring at them like a deer in headlights, trying to figure out how to escape.

Pushing back tears that had surfaced along with the memories of their own shitty childhood, Sweetie broke the silence.

"You know that bread won't fill you up very well. Why don't you take a seat and I'll make you a bowl of stew?" They said in a tone that was both gentle and let the kid know that they weren't taking no for an answer.

Sweetie walked around the still-frozen kid, behind the counter. They noticed the register was untouched, as was their wallet which was sitting on the shelf below.

They remembered the silent alarm and put in the code to let the police know it was a false alarm. They then spoke with an officer on the store's phone and assuring him that they had just doubled back to retrieve their phone and wallets and forgot about the alarm.

But knew if Bruce had seen the alert, he wouldn't be satisfied until he showed up and talked with them face to face. Sweetie turned and faced the kid who'd finally stood up but still looked ready to bolt.

"Actually, why don't you join me in the kitchen. You can tell me what you do and don't like." With that said, Sweetie walked into the kitchen and breathed a silent sigh of relief at the sound of the kid reluctantly following them.

The last thing either one of them needed was for Batman to come barging in and scaring the shit out of an already terrified kid.

Sweetie made sure to position themselves between the kitchen door and the kid while they got everything together to make stew.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Bruce found himself wishing the Batmobile to move faster or at least for the bakery to not be on the other side of Gotham. The longer it took for him to reach Sweetie, the more terrified and enraged he became. If anything happened to Sweetie, the person responsible would be given no mercy.

"Sir, it would seem that the alarm at the bakery has been classified as a false alarm." Alfred's voice interrupted Bruce's dark thoughts. As Alfred read off the officer's notes on the phone call. Bruce noted that while it did sound like something Sweetie would do, he didn't believe it to be the case.

He was still going, as far as he was concerned, Sweetie had claimed false alarm under duress.

Once he finally reached the bakery, he couldn't get inside fast enough. He didn't notice the lights were on until he busted open the back door.

He was very confused when he didn't see anyone in the main area. Especially after spotting a crowbar on the floor next to a flashlight and Sweetie's phone on the counter.

Then he heard noises coming from the kitchen and followed the sounds as quickly but quietly as he could. He didn't want to risk the perp harming Sweetie if they were a hostage.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

"When's the last time you had a proper meal, kid?" Sweetie asked casually while chopping up a carrot for the stew.

"I get free lunches at school." The kid mumbled.

Sweetie had learned that once the kid had realized they weren't going to hurt him, he had taken on a surly demeanor that almost made them laugh. They knew the kid was putting on a tough act and they knew why. Their brother was the same way.

"My dad kept a lock on the fridge that only he had the key to. During the summer my brother and I only ate peanut butter sandwiches, instant ramen, and whatever candy bars we could shoplift." Sweetie informed the kid, which seemed to get his attention. "And if he caught us with a stolen candy bar or trying to get in the fridge, he had this paddle he made at the lumber yard he worked at for a while. It had been painted blue and wrapped in blue tape. He'd made us watch as he wrote our names on it in Sharpie. My brother tried hiding it once, my dad just used a bat on him until he revealed where he hid it. Sure it was a plastic one, not a real one but still."

Sparing a glance over their shoulder at the kid, they could see the look on his face that confirmed what they already suspected.

"Do you like celery?" They asked, changing the subject for a moment. After getting his answer, Sweetie resumed making the stew.

They heard the kitchen door open and based on the gasp and scrambling noises coming from the kid's direction, they already knew who it was.

"Batman. I'm making stew." They said, looking up at their lover's masked face which was now contorted in a look of surprise and confusion. "Would you like to join me and….what's your name anyway, kid?" They asked turning towards the boy who was now standing in the far corner of the kitchen, gawping at The Dark Knight.

The boy's eyes slowly turned towards them and his jaw moved a couple of times with no sound coming out before he managed to choke out a single word.

"Jason."

[torchflies]

Hi TG Fandom!

Listen — I have so MANY feelings about Maverick. 

(Woke up out of a dead sleep to write this 😂)

Look, I believe that not only was losing Goose the worst thing to happen to Maverick because they were best friends… it was also the straw that broke the camel’s back. It was the last straw. 

Just think about it: Maverick’s father died when he was a little boy and everyone just turned their backs on him — on the traitor’s family in the small town they lived in. He and his mother were likely treated horribly and ostracized because of it, and he was likely too young to understand why he was suddenly so hated by a town he grew up in, a town that had lost so many of their own fathers and sons. Pete and his mother became faces for that misplaced grief and anger. 

So, this child has no one to turn to as his mother gives up on living and wastes away in front of him. He probably begs her to get up, he probably takes care of her as she dies, and is forced to teach himself the skills to survive. He learns how to use a knife, probably hurts himself and kisses himself better, figuring out how to open a bandaid with one hand.

Then he gets sent into care. 

Maverick is mouthy and confident in a way that lets me know, in my heart of hearts, that he was treated like absolute garbage.

But it makes him prickly, makes him strong in some places and fragile in others. Grown Maverick gets up over and over and over again, standing up to people twice his size with a big mouth to boot — because he was doing that against his foster parents and foster siblings at age nine, dripping blood from getting thrashed within an inch of his life. This is a boy who stands up again even when there’s no chance of winning because — as the Navy discovers: he is too stubborn to die. 

His only real fear is death. Death is terrifying, because death is stopping and Maverick is so scared of stopping.

He sat beside the dead body of his mother, saw her become that, death is his worst nightmare. 

So understand this, it is the root of his every decision: Maverick is unloved for the majority of his life and knows himself to be unlovable. Goose is the exception to Maverick, not the rule.

Goose, Carole and Bradley were his first moments of belonging somewhere, of not having to fight for each breath. 

Then (in his opinion) he kills the only person he thinks is capable of loving him. Carole and Bradley love him because he is Goose’s pilot, Goose was what connected them and with Goose gone… Maverick is alone again. 

And this time, he doesn’t see a point. 

He doesn’t want to get back up again. 

He stops for the first time in years and that’s what Ice sees, that’s what terrifies him so much, what makes him say he’s sorry in that awkward way of his. 

When Goose dies, he takes the Maverick he built with him, leaving behind the angry, broken shell of a lost boy who understands his mother for the first time in his life. He wants to just wither away too. 

If it wasn’t for Ice, Slider and the flyboys — Maverick would definitely have followed her. 

Thank you for reading my ramble about the facts we already knew. I just have feelings, okay!? 

[youredreamingofroo]

Inner child

- -

"I know you were tired- So many hours of your days were spent being small, holding yourself together in the corner. Some days you could muster up a smile... Other days you could hardly get out of bed. It was all wrong. You were just a kid."

[ Transcript under the cut <3 ]

Panel 1 : I remember how sad you were

Panel 2 : You'd go to the bathroom every morning and cry.

Panel 3 : You were angry. But too feeble from neglect to express it.

Panel 4 : And even when you changed yourself to be above them, or to be among them. You were prey. A target.

Panel 5 : I still remember how sad I was. I remember every course of rage in my veins

Panel 6 : Eventually desperation took over. To fit in was to be same. To be same was to be free of the heckling.

Panel 7 : But all along you and I were always going to be different from the crowd.

Panel 8 : I'm sorry it took this long. But everything is okay now. I've learnt to love our differences from the crowd.

Panel 9 : I did this. I did this all for you. But you'll never know that. You'll never know why it was wrong to be treated that way. You'll never know peace.

Panel 10 : I was just a kid. / I'm just a kid.

[halfcorpse-halfghost]

I've got some ideas for potential tptm OC's based on the seven deadly sins:

Pride - Theatre Girl: She's very arrogant and overdramatic, due to being neglected as a kid. She's very critical of herself and has developed a need to prove herself as "worthy". I picture her as being underweight (not anorexic, but her bones are visible). Her theme is jester/theatre.

Wrath - Tank Girl: They're somewhat based on me and my life experiences. They're prone to getting into fights, yelling, and come off as aggressive due to their autism. They're very distrustful of people due to being abused, psychologically and sexually. Their theme is militaristic.

Lust - Swinger Girl: She's very energetic and likes crowded/bustling places. She has been in multiple abusive relationships with men before. She values respect above all these due to this. She's tired of being involuntarily objectified. Her theme is 1920's/flapper girl.

Greed - Fame Girl: It's an influencer/live streamer on social media. She began stardom at a young age and has now regretted it ever since. It despises her mother due to being forced into it. Xe suffers from substance abuse and has turned to counseling to solve it. Xer based on influencer culture and Kangel from Needy Streamer Overload.

Gluttony - Thylacine Girl: Okay, this one will make sense eventually. She's very seclusive, to the point that people hardly notice her. She has been stalked multiple times, and she doesn't go outside because of her anxiety. She's based on the thylacine and her theme is endangered animals/extinction.

Sloth - Dazed Girl: She's pretty nonchalant and calm, even in stressful situations. She's schizophrenic and gets vilified for it. She's the type of person who will invite you over for pizza and video games. They often disassociate when hallucinating and routinely daydream. Their theme is dazed/hikkomori.

Envy - Frostbite Girl: Frostbite is rather timid and caring. When Frostbite was younger, most of their parents were more affectionate towards their other siblings. They developed a disdain for their siblings, which eventually led them to severing any contact with their family. They're exclusively referred to in third-person pronouns. Their theme is cold.

The last three were the hardest to conceptualize, since I didn't want to make them too cliche. Gluttony means the overindulgence in something, so endangered/extinct animals make sense. We tend to overindulge in our resources to the point where they're not replenishable.

[aurantiumred]

to be entirely clear the mixups between jason grace and jason todd are entirely valid

neglectful, alcohol/drug using mother

dead, revived. (yes, grace did this, in tlh he wakes up from death with pipers help while the doors of death are open)

6'2, buff

went missing for ~9 months and was "replaced" in the time they were gone

connection to electricity

MAJJJOORRR mommy and daddy issues

both compared to a dark haired boy who had their role first thats related to the color blue

edit: THEY'RE ALSO BOTH TEMPORARY AMNESIACS AFTER THE MISSING INCIDENT!

[furiousgoldfish]

I'm going to sit down and try to explain this with patience, to everyone who still thinks calling out narcissistic abuse is 'ableist' or 'dehumanizing to the narcissists', and that abuse is something we're all equally capable of.

I don't think you understand what narcissistic abuse is, or how it differs from the other kinds of abuse. We can agree that all and any abuse is damaging, traumatic and scarring, but narcissistic abuse is so extremely pervasive, hidden, strategic and unbelievable, to the point where I can't honestly tell it's something any regular human would be capable of. And even more than this, the survivors of this particular type of abuse have found it extremely, extremely difficult to figure out they've been abused, even when they've been put through extreme, devastating, and absolutely dehumanizing scenarios. Realizing that your loved one is a narcissist requires your entire world to break down, and every piece of your heart shatters in the realization, and it takes months, even years to accept it.

The only way we can possibly figure it out is to connect the patterns. And patterns of the narcissistic abuse are focused on erasing one's own sense of self, one's perspective and ultimately, complete control over someone's emotions and behaviours. This is often done from early on, the grooming process starts at age zero, your value, worth and usefulness is determined by them, and you cannot wrangle yourself free from it on your own, not without someone confirming to you that you've been held captive, that your free will has been taken a long time ago.

Unfortunately, I have to give some examples, because I don't think it can be explained otherwise. When I was 2 years old, a narcissistic person found it a nuisance to watch over me, and they beat me up every time I disobeyed. I was a toddler. Then they proceeded to convince me that I was a demon, and would burn in hell regardless of what I do for the rest of my life. I've been brainwashed by this person to believe I was not a human being, had no human rights, that it was correct and regular for me to be locked up, beaten, and that it was my fault every single time, even when I did all that was asked of me. This person then had me comfort them after they would beat me, because it was a stressful experience for them. I wasn't allowed to cry. I would be beaten for making a face expression they didn't like. It was random and unexplainable.

Another narcissistic person created a game where they would give me wrong instructions for a task, then torture me when I did exactly as they instructed me to. It got to a point where I would beg them to tell me what to do correctly, and they would respond with a laughing 'you should be old enough to know this' and they would be even happier to beat me up and scream at me for getting it wrong. This person not only threatened to kill me regularly, but often made me believe I was in my last few seconds of life, putting me in position where I believed I was about to die. They forced me to work for them in unsafe conditions, heavy physical jobs, where I was not allowed to say I'm tired, not allowed to cry, and even after I'd do everything, they would still tell me I didn't deserve to eat. I was a child. I didn't think for a second I was being abused. I was already brainwashed to believe that everyone else had it worse, and that I was lucky.

I had no identity besides existing for them, I had no free will except to try and make myself into something they could use, and if I didn't do a good enough job, I'd be ostracized. They loved beating me, screaming at me and making me cry, and then they'd leave me in a room crying without being allowed to make any noise, while they laughed in the room next to me, as a family, loudly so I could hear what a great time they were having. They would treat other children gently in front of me in order to try and make me jealous. They would revise every part of what they did to me if I ever tried to bring it up. I wasn't allowed my own perspective, opinion, or complaint. I wasn't even allowed to remember the abuse correctly. I would be locked in a room and questioned and punished if my opinions weren't to their liking.

I don't believe this is something anyone is capable of doing. I don't believe anyone of us is capable of torturing a kid until the kid begs to be killed. I don't believe most of us are capable of erasing a child's point of view, their reality, their humanity to the point where the child is forced to live a life where they will either comply or be killed, and they will be tortured no matter what. This isn't a regular thing that a person can easily do.

Luckily, us who have been through this, have noticed that there is a specific pattern to their behaviour. That they use almost identical phrases with which their invoke guilt, fear and hopelessness. That they can go frighteningly fast from rage to laughter to acting hurt. That they enforce their will over ours with a specific type of terror that triggers both our survival instincts and our compassion and shame. That we've been groomed by them in an almost identical way - to not believe that we're allowed our own feelings, memories, opinions, point of view, or freedom. That we have learned to exist only to be an extension of them.

We also all noticed that we're all absolutely, beyond terrified of them, and that we don't feel we're allowed to say it, or think it. That we're taught by terror to keep believing that they're good people, that they do none of it on purpose, not even the most extreme, insane, egregious abuse. That they will go to any length, even committing more atrocities, to escape accountability. That they use tactics of darvo, gaslighting, double-bind, planting insecurities, triangulating, future faking, discarding, love bombing, mirroring, smear campaigns, projection, scapegoating, silencing, throwing tantrums, victim playing, like it's in their second nature. That they're genuinely, absolutely terrifying and almost unreal in how far they're capable of going. And most of all, that they are dangerous, and capable of completely turning another human being into their puppet, and never think for a second that it might be wrong. To them, we are nothing more but toys to manipulate, control, and discard. We are disposable. There is no limit to what they can do to us, because to them, we are not alive. They would do to us what normal people wouldn't do to a corpse. And they feel superior for it.

People abused by narcissists from early age are likely to develop the most complex and extreme disorders, complex ptsd and dissociative identity disorder being some of them, because that's what it takes to survive being a child and existing next to a narcissist. This means that small children need to be shattered in pieces in order to please the narcissist. Others that are very common are eating disorders, anxiety, depression, paranoia, avoidant personality disorder, panic disorder, and compulsions to cater to everyone's needs, to the point of our own destruction. This is what they make of us, on purpose, in order for us to be of use to them. And they will forever insist it's their right.

When I'm saying the word 'narcissist', I am not referring to 'anyone diagnosed with npd', I am referring to a person who will do this to a child, and insist on doing it for the rest of the child's life. I am writing it because I don't want children to have to live like this forever. I am not aiming to dehumanize the narcissist, their actions show who they are, I am saying, be careful and aware that this person will dehumanize you. That you are disposable to them. That making you feel good in order for you to like them, is a game to them, and one they're very good at. That playing the victim at you and demanding justice, will easily manipulate you into standing against the victims of abuse and talking down to them for 'dehumanizing their abusers', and being 'ableist to the npd', after being tortured past the point of return by those people.

A lot of us are permanently damaged by what's been done to us. We are not asking for justice. We're not asking for revenge. We are asking to be safe. We're asking for this to stop. We're asking for children not to be left alone with people who are dangerous to this level. We're asking you to understand that a narcissist left alone with a child means a child in danger.

It's common to not be aware just how bad it can go, because we think that most humans know not to torture a child. We believe that nobody would do things to children that narcissists do. If you read the stories of the survivors, you'll find out what actually happens behind closed doors. The themes of torture, dehumanization, sexual abuse, brainwashing, violence, and extreme cruelty are common, even towards toddlers.

I need you to not attack those children when they grow up and say they no longer want to be around narcissists. I need you to understand that they know what they're talking about when they say it's not safe, that they want to be protected. The society already failed to protect them at their most vulnerable, and they had to make it alive by their wits alone. And now you won't even let them speak without attacking them? It's inexcusable.

If you want to know about the narcissists, read what their victims have gone through. Then make a judgment on whether we're allowed to speak, and whether it's worth warning others to hold caution. I've heard and read stories of narcissistic parents sex-trafficking their own child, holding them captive and locked up and convincing them it's right to do this, using brutal punishments to 'train' them into inhumane slave-like behaviour, keeping the children in state so terrified the children wished they were dead. And in all those cases, they still convinced the children to love their parents, and to never blame them for any kind of abuse. Yes, even in the sex-trafficking cases.

Fighting for those children to realize that they didn't deserve that, is the only correct thing to do. Fighting to help them realize they're in danger, and that they deserve safely, it's not only right but extremely necessary, it's what we all should be putting all of our energy into.

Wanting to keep others safe will never be wrong. Wanting to protect those who still have their identity, their sense of self, their undamaged humanity, their free will and their point of view, that's worth fighting for! And above all, those who already lost it all, need to be protected. We cannot allow for already badly wounded people to be dehumanized over and over again. Nobody deserves that.

[livingtobethevillain]

Tim knew what it was like. To sit and listen to Dick or even Bruce get angry about how his parents raised him. He knew the confusion and the frustration because no his parents weren't perfect but they're still his and they loved him dammit-

He remembers. And now watching Damian looking at the ground with a blank look that spoke of someone far far away from the conversation at hand, Tim knew that Dick was once again giving unwanted opinions about a child's upbringing.

You'd think for someone who prides himself on reading people so well, Dick would know when to shut up about someone's complicated relationship with their mom but alas.

Or, Dick is a bit of a Dick, Tim has a bit of a backwards view on his childhood and passes that mentality to Damian. Idk being abused as a child but still caring deeply about the people who hurt you is very complicated. Read it though it's good I promise

[california-112]

December, 1989

A little pre-canon TXF snippet (~350 words) that I'm pretty happy with, so I'm posting it before I think too much about it. Maybe I'll develop it, maybe I won't. I'm just trying to post more fic rather than letting my 75+ TXF WIPs never see the light of day ;-;

TW for mention of child abuse/neglect but it has a happy ending I promise

---

"So, you goin' out to your parents for the season?"

Mulder laughed hollowly. "Which one?" At Frohike's slightly frozen look, Mulder relented. "I'm sorry, you wouldn't have known. They're divorced. It means I've got quite the choice. The dad who hit me or the mom who neglected me. Hmmm." He faked thought sarcastically, then took a long drink, realising that he may have shared a little too much.

Frohike still hadn't spoken when Mulder put the glass down again, so he made a quiet addendum. "I don't want a pity party. It's just the truth."

"Well," Frohike said, keen to get back on safer ground, "you're welcome to join the three of us, but we're a bit sacrilegious." He made a lopsided grimace. "It's more of an anti-Christmas lunch."

"Don't tell me." Mulder laughed. "The reindeer are drones and Santa's in league with the CIA."

"Military, actually," Frohike said, faking seriousness, "and you'd never believe what he's got in his sleigh."

Mulder shrugged his eyebrows, snorting, and Frohike smiled a little just seeing the younger man's humour. It wasn't as though he walked around visibly bruised, but it had been pretty obvious to Frohike, and probably the rest of the Gunmen, that this kid hadn't had the greatest of upbringings- something in the self-depreciative humour, downward-twisted smile, and ability to shrink into nothing despite being over six foot tall. Now, Frohike learnt part of the truth. Abuse and neglect. Sadly, it tracked.

"Anyway, the lunch," Frohike continued, trying not to dwell on a past he couldn't change, "it's nothing special. We browse the message boards and rip apart old sitcoms over a potluck. Fancy it?"

"Um..." Mulder thought for a moment, wondering if he would be intruding, but Frohike's smile seemed to promise otherwise. "...yeah. Yeah, I'd like that."

"The twenty-fifth at whatever time you like." Frohike said, and Mulder was weirdly grateful that he hadn't called it 'Christmas Day'. "Lunch is the main event, but there's Frohike's famous fry-up for breakfast. And remember with what you bring that Langly might feel like being vegetarian."

"I'll add a side of rabbit food." Mulder promised, feeling an unfamiliar warmth in his chest.

[hy4c1nthh]

okay I've been on a keiji yap streak one too many days so. Akemi. kemi. kem kem. whatever okay

tw for substance abuse, sh, Eating Disorders, child neglect, toxic friend groups

Akemi kinda. grew up. with no one. Their family was distant, didn't care what they did- and the people they surrounded themself with did not make things better. They were toxic, manipulative and forced Akemi often into very uncomfortable situations which they just couldn't get out of...cuz these were their only "friends". They started skipping school at a young age. Their "friends" told them they didn't have to..but. what else were they gonna do? Be some weird loser with no friends, no family that cares for them, no person to rely on? This was the closest they had so they held on to it for dear life.

This continued from elementary to middle school

Aside from not going to school and other stuff they were doing with that group, they started to get worse personally. They forced started to tell themself this was good, that they were good.

Eventually the group was the one to leave them. They felt they were weak and desperate. They just. didn't like Akemi. After all that effort trying to fit into them trying to find that space...something akemi thought was real...they thought that they liked akemi...they wanted them there

They became a complete shut-in after that. It was 7th grade (or 2nd year of junior high? i..think...?) and. that's when things got back. They started to sh, a lot. When you barely go to school and have no one to talk to, you need stuff to keep you busy..and that's what they turned to. They felt it was needed, that they weren't weak..they could take it. It became a sort of reward for themself actually, something they started to enjoy. This was also when the cough drop thing got worse. When they were with that group, often they would get pressured into. we'll, drugs. They didn't want to though? So they snuck in coughdrops and made it look like those were the drugs and had those instead

well. it didn't help because eventually they started taking medicinal cough drops. Along with benadryl and pain meds. they also started to starve themself. They would make it impossible for themself to eat. They wanted to make themself look desirable even if no one would desire them...only pushing them more. Soon that stuck with them and they just..could barely being themself actually it. They would feel sick anytime they tried

They felt unwanted, everywhere. So why even care about yourself if no one cares for you.

except..that wasn't their mentality. They would tell themself that the reason that group basically kicked them out isn't because akemi wasn't good enough for them, but that the group wasn't good enough for akemi! This sorta way of thinking...prevented a lot worse from happening

around this time is when they turned to the internet and also started to associate with jirai and landmine culture...it was a place they could call home after everywhere else basically found them unwanted and unlovable was too lesser for them!!

8th grade

so. the story that akemi told yuri about why they joined the marching band..is only partially true.

The truth is akemi's mom didn't care what they did. They barely spoke to each other damnit. It was akemi themself that forced them to join. They were running around looking for something to join someplace to be, they started panicking about their future, having a majooorrrr crisis around this time. They had already joined band with the sax a while ago but barely even touched it...

thats when the marching band caught their gaze

They'd seen them sometimes, rehearsing outside or doing parades...they didn't know they had their own competitions and culture around it.

In the spur of the moment, they signed up. And they hated it. So many people so many responsibilities...it forced them to not skip school on practice days and also for them to actually have smthn to do at night. But the adrenaline. Ohh. their first competition. Suddenly their heart was beating fast, their breath hitched, they were nervous. One of the 3rd year high school students told them it was going to be okay, that first comp. jitters are okay

and that they'll do great

That moment, that praise. Something clicked.

They will do great.

no..they have to.

That day on, it was all or nothing. Even if they messed around a bit during practice, they completely locked in for comps. This...sport...became the place they wanted to stay. They had to stay. They grinder on saxophone, practice nonstop. They wanted to outdo everyone, they wanted to become the person people looked at and thought "that person belongs here..that person is amazing"

It helped them a lot, but they couldn't shake their self-deprecating mindset. Anytime someone got close to them in the slightest, a single "I care about you Akemi" and allll their worries start flushing back. They get nervous they get scared they get defensive and many times..comes off as mean. and manipulative.

Theyve lacked love for so long, that they want it obsessively...but the moment they're given it..

yeah

now they're a 3rd year and. they can't tell if things have gotten better.

But, they're some really cool people in the band. They watch them, and some of those people consider a "Friend"

...they've started to mind it less

@kitchenaidmixer02 @cellphone-love-story @boiledbasil

[snowe-zolynn-rogers]

Tiny Eclipse, tugging on Moon’s pants: Love me?

Moon: No.

Tiny Eclipse, tugging Moon’s arm: Pleeeeeeeeeeeease? Uppies?

Moon: NO!

Solar: Come on, little man. Uppie. *plucks him up like a sack or potatoes and holds him*

Tiny Eclipse: *pleased noises*

[mewpirate]

Ain't no fucking way JARS has a crush on synnibear03 😭😭😭😭

WHILE BRO HAS A GIRLFRIEND WHATTT WHY ARE YOU LEAVING YOUR PARTNER FOR A FUCKING CHILD GROOMER

[ghosty-dsmp]

Why am i still up? No idea (its 1 am) but i jeeo overthinking

I hate my mom, why does she need to be so mean and she is a narcissistic bitch too, everything has ti be about her bla bla bla, she such a bitch :(

I also hate my dad, why does he only care about my brothers (half brothers and they are both adults btw) he always ignore me and is a alcoholic asshole

At least i have my big sister jess, she is the only kind one in my while family, she spoil me and is practically rich, but she only spoils me cause im a "girl" and cause apparently i remind her of her, if she would find kut that im trans, she would kill me so bad, she is literally the definitely of lgbt without the t, she hate trans people even tho SHE'S A LESBIAN AND TOMBOY, omg why is my family kinda bad. :(

[feralboo-the-weirdo]

I think we should normalize active parenting. Like we have plenty of examples of neglectful parents, we should get some of active parents. Also, to all the parents already doing the stuff below, great work.

I don't have kids, but I was a kid, and I think these are things parents should know.

If your child comes to you with a concern, no matter how insignificant or stupid you personally find it, take them seriously. It is important to them, even if it isn't important to you. Also, they wouldn't bring it up to you unless they thought it was important. Taking your children's "smaller" concerns seriously will make it far more likely they will come to you with the biger ones. Also, if it's a problem you can't solve, there is no shame in getting outside help, even if it means "exposing" the fact things aren't perfect. You cannot solve every single one of your child's problems alone. And you should help them solve problems, so you aren't solving everything for them. They do need to learn how to solve things on their own, like fights with siblings, or schoolwork. WITHIN REASON. If your child brings up to you that one of their siblings is depressed, or is struggling with something else like that (I.e. an eating disorder or self harm, or other mental illnesses), or otherwise heavy concerns, IT SHOULD NOT BE THE CHILDS RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX IT AND HELP THE SIBLING. YOU ARE THE ADULT. NOT THEM.

No child should EVER have to be the one dealing with these things because you don't think they're important, and you want to ignore them. Just because it's common that most siblings have to be a third parent doesn't mean it should be. Sweeping it under the rug is easy, but you SHOULD NOT make your child deal with it because they knew you didn't care.

Children and teens will match your energy. If you don't care about what they say the chances of them talking to you, and/listening to you decrease dramaticlly.

Also. The same goes for when they're excited about something. Positive reinforcment will make them far more likely to succeed becasue they know you'll care. They figured out how to tie their shoes? AMAZING. They drew a really really crappy stickfigure drawing of a person petting a cat? Tell them what you like about it, (colors, bold lines, etc) and maybe sandwich in a suggestion for how they could make it better.

Further, If your child is upset about something, don't belittle them because you don't think they should be upset about it. at that point you're past they shouldn't be upset about it, they ARE upset about it. Also, this moment, right now, for them is the hardest they have ever lived. Just because they're not an adult and they're not struggling with the same things as you, doesn't make their struggles any less valid. It might not seem like it because you know that not getting an A in math is not the same level as not being able to pay rent, but it's on that level for them. Just because it's "kid" struggles, doesn't mean it's not a struggle. They deserve to have their feelings validated just as much as you do, even though it's not an adult problem. Stuff is really really really hard as a kid because you don't have the skills to cope with things and you're experiencing a lot of things for the first time in high dosages, and it's hard.

Do with this what you will, but I wish my parents had done ANY of this when I was growing up.

[kcyars99]

it goes without saying that child molestaton is nothing to make fun of nor you should out the victim of sexual abuse because it’s the victims story to tell

ALT

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Drake has zero problems harassing and targeting the wives and fiancé of his rivals (pusha t and Kendrick Lamar) and targeting women who once were associated with him but want nothing to do with him (Rihanna, Serena, Megan) but had to be shamed into being a father to his own son

and while he’s sitting here talking about how Kendrick being a "woman beater” and his son not being his but Dave free he’s out there being friends with that leprechaun who shot at Megan four years ago advocating for his freedom which is never gonna happen , possibly hiding an 11 year old daughter , text messaging teenage girls like a lovesick boyfriend even though he’s old enough to be their father and him being loud and wrongo about his rivals rough childhood(see the critical and commercial flop The Heart Part 6 in which f Drake claims that Lamar fixates on the topic of pedophila because of his own supposed molestation as a child, labeling this "trauma from [Lamar's] own confessions". Drake traces this to Lamar's song "Mother I Sober" off of his 2022 album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, referring to the song as "that one record where you say you got molested". However, the referenced song is actually about generational trauma and Lamar's mother not believing him when he truthfully told her he had not been molested.)

so it’s a problem for Kendrick to have a successful hit making record breaking potential song of the summer and song of the year, which is a complete annihilation of Drake but it’s okay for Drake to make light of molestation, messing with his male rivals family members and children’s, being inappropriate with teenage girls and hide children and not take care of them and make light of the trauma of black folks more specifically black women traumatic experiences and hangs out with these women’s abusers and it’s all friends with them? Are you kidding me? Don’t make me laugh.

I don’t care if there’s a gummy bear, teddy bears, the bearstein bears, Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, Yogi Bear, polar bear, black bear, grizzly bears, mama bear , Jeremy Allen White from the TV series the bear, little bear from the children series little bear, Paddington Bear, corduroy bear, Winnie the Pooh, Bear Grylls, heck, even smoky the bear I’m choosing those bears over Drake every time because they are not a sassy immature biiich like him

[furiousgoldfish]

I finally caved in and started using pain medicine to deal with the pain. This was a very hard thing for me to do, because for the most of my life, I believed that I both didn't deserve any medicine, and that it was bad for me.

Thinking back, my family used a lot of medicine daily, but when I was sick, I was told to 'work through it' or that my immune system had to be strong enough to take it. I wasn't even taken to the doctor unless there was a culmination of multiple issues at once. Even when taken to the doctor, I've been told over and over what a burden I was, how much of their time I was wasting, and how I got sick on purpose.

I became convinced that if I wanted to be healthy, I would bear any sickness without the help of doctors or medicine. This conviction became so strong that if I was forced to take any medicine, I would have a volatile reaction, start having a complete breakdown or immediately get sicker. I started believing that my body is resistant to medicine and breaks down if any is introduced. It was more likely that I was hanging onto my belief that I had to be 'strong enough to survive anything without medicine' so much, that if this got violated, I would psychologically break down and believe myself weak and broken permanently.

As an adult, I would take medicine only when pain was such high level it was unbearable and pushing me into suicidal thoughts. And lately, I've been having lots of that, pain so severe it would paralyze me completely, I wouldn't be able to speak or think, I would even end up making noises, which, I was trained not to do, even when tortured. There was an instance where I was in so much pain I couldn't control my hands enough to take medicine, and found myself having to ask someone else to give it to me - which was horrifying to me. And I finally realized, I can't wait that long. I have to take the medicine before it gets to such extreme levels.

So, I am slowly letting go of my ideas that medicine will make me weak or mess with my immune system. I'm looking up what medicine does to the body and for the first time, seeing realistically what the risks are, what is happening inside of me if I take any, what are the possible side-effects, what will it truly do to my immune system. The entire process is extremely scary, because I built so much of my identity on that perceived toughness and 'medicine is bad' mindset. Just casually learning that I've been wrong about everything for all of my life is a lot to swallow. But I can't live like this anymore. I can't stand any more of the pain. Even if medicine will give me some mild side effects, or is a bit tough on my stomach, taking it responsibly will not give me any permanent damage. It will keep me alive through the pain and make it survivable. I can't live in an amount of pain that is making me suicidal.

[mewos-laptop]

Actually no this phenomenon confuses me

Why are we expected to hold female characters to a higher standard than we hold male characters

Why do you forgive Michael for killing his brother but you don't forgive Elizabeth for... acting like the average elementary schooler

Why do you forgive Winter for being a racist piece of shit for the first couple books, and a guy who is generally shown to have violent thoughts, and not Peril, the girl who was groomed to be a fighting machine, had no friends for the first 6 years of her life, and has an extremely hard time separating herself from the experiences she's had since she was a literal baby

Why do you forgive Stolas for cheating on his wife and neglecting his daughter, and not HIS DAUGHTER, who has been severely neglected by both her parents for her entire life, has watched them try to continue staying in a loveless and arranged marriage, has to come to terms with the fact her father would rather sacrifice himself for the man he's cheating on her mother with than stay with her, and so much else that I'm probably forgetting ????

I KNOW that it's misogyny, but I just... I cannot fucking compute why you people don't think logistically about these things

(No, I do not hate any of the male characters listed, this isn't about them don't get on my ass about using them as examples [okay maybe I rlly fucking hate Stolas but that's only bc Viv is a shitty writer and doesn't realize her precious gaybe is an abusive asshole])