#doesn't mean you're ready or capable to confront it

[chittychittyyangyang]

I could be way off base, but I have been thinking about this since she said this and trying to figure out what moral? At the time, the best they could figure would be to follow Alyx’s path, but not make the mistakes she made. We now know not only was the story changed from what Jaune was there for, but Alyx wasn’t like the girl who’s in the story.

If there is some “moral” to be learned here, I did wonder if it was to respect and understand different people. Because that’s something up until this current chapter NONE of our main cast have done. RW.BY have been operating out of a story with people as a means to an end. They aren’t really people in their own right, just a way to progress forward. They never really ask anything about the Afterans, outside of asking Curious about ascension, and it’s not like they are a reliable source of information since they seem to have the ability to influence Afteran’s will and only will answer what is asked.

Jaune mentioned that Alyx was cruel and didn’t think the rules applied to her, and while they’ve not been cruel about it we’ve not seen anyone from Remnant treat the Afterans like actual people until (R)WBY listens to the Paper Pleasers. @professorspork spoke about Blake caring about the Paper Pleasers and speaking up for them, and it’s really the first time any of them think about the lives of the people there and not just getting home… Not that Jaune or Ruby agree that they are people.

Just because it’s a fairy-tale to them doesn’t mean it’s not real to the people there. It doesn’t mean they don’t have full lives, even if the visitors of Remnant don’t understand or agree with their culture. Ever After has shown Blake specifically that her culture is very important to her, and if there is some moral to be gained by Blake in this “story” is that understanding different cultures only enhances everyone and leads to greater cooperation. Almost like that’s a goal of hers...

#ccyy talks #I also have thoughts about the rules in ever after #and that it is kinda like therapy island like we all joked about #but like all intervention they only really work if you put in the work #the bees got what they wanted not because ever after really forced it on them but that they wanted it #cause jaune refused to look at himself or penny weiss did nothing while watching the fall of her home and ruby didn't even see summer #after ever doesn't seem to put things in front of you unless on some level you do want it addressed #doesn't mean you're ready or capable to confront it #I'm not even sure I made my point really clear I am just avoiding my internship and school work oops #blake

[hazashiovo]

Heyy can I have Korra x reader, where they're kinda in a situationship, where Korra ends up confessing everything with a fluffy ending

I kinda see it happening tbh,she can be so awkward sometimes,it's funny.

Gen:angst to comfort ,kinda situationship, Korra worried she would hurt you.

Korra x Gn!Reader

After defeating Amon,Korra started doubting the idea of becoming something more with you.

It's not that she lost feelings for you but after all that happened this feeling took place in her gut. Always there to remind her that if she gets close to you, danger would always lurk in the dark.

And she started distancing herself, training more just to resist the urge to be with you. But it was so hard.

Whenever you'd show up just to see her, the feeling in her gut would grow , almost competing with the feeling in her heart.

So you began worrying, after all you were her best friend more than that. When she started distancing from you,you felt hurt.

You understood that her position as the Avatar would put you and your friends in danger,but it didn't mean that you would leave her,or allow her to leave you just because she believes it's safer this way.

What you have to do,is confront her,it's all just a big mess that hopefully you could fix.

And to top it all of, you couldn't just let things as they are. Because every time you think of Korra and you, the same question echoes in the depths of your mind.

What are we?

You're more than friends you know this much from the way the two of you treat each other...but also less than lovers.

So here you are,ready to confront the avatar for ghosting you after everything you've been through.

When you showed up at her door, Korra had this confused expression on her face, probably wondering where did you come from out of the blue or something.

But she knew,that she couldn't just ignore you forever,and hope for the best outcome.

It was just a matter of time before you came knocking at her door demanding answers,and the time is here.

"Speak to me Korra,what have I done that made you decide you don't want to be my friend anymore?" Your pleading eyes begged her to look at you, to tell you the truth. But the girl had a hard time finding the right words,her silence stressing you out more than you expected.

"It's not about you,I mean it is ,but not something that you did." You huff annoyed.

"Then talk to me! You can't just shut yourself away from me and call it a day!" Your hands tangle in your hair, already feeling like ripping your hair out.

Korra groans annoyed,her attitude starting to match with yours.

"If it's safer to shut myself out,then be it." She crosses her arms avoiding your gaze.

You move closer to her, "It doesn't matter if it's safe or not,you could handle a blood bender but not me?" She feels it,the change in your voice.

Softer sounding now,she also saw the close proximity between the two of you,and she barely resists pulling you in and never letting you go, bad Korra,no no.

"That's different,you're my friend. I could never bear the thought of losing you because of me." She averts her eyes, pinning her gaze on the ground, anything to ignore the puppy look in your eyes. Afraid that if she looks when would no longer be able to hold back her need for you.

"Don't do that,don't decide what's best for me. I'm very capable of doing that myself."

You sigh, touching her arms in a comforting manner. You won't allow her to give up on this,on what you have.

"People got hurt because of me. Beifong lost her bending for a while,and Amon almost got to you! I'm not good for you." She furrows her brows ,eyes narrowed at you. This is the best thing she can do to you.

"Korra...that's not true, nothing that happened was because of you,and even so,you made it right!" Your hands find their way to her cheeks,gently caressing it with your thumb in a soothing manner.

"What if something happens to you and I'm not there to save you,or what if you get harmed because of me?" She sighs,her hands coming around your wrist.

You smile,"Don't live in fear because of a 'What if',I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."your head meets hers lovingly.

That was all Korra needed to hear to kiss you. Her lips meet yours faster than you could register,one hand going around the back of your neck while the other is sneaked around your waist, pulling you even closer to her. Your chests stuck to another, you're able to feel her heart beating,and you could bet she can feel yours to .

This is a new page for you two,and nothing is going to tear it apart.

.

.

I had another writer's block while writing this😅

#korra #kuvira the legend of korra #korra tlok #tlok x reader #korra x reader #tlok #reader #tlok x fem reader #korra x fem reader #reader x character #the legend of korra

[csmiclxtte]

Solar Return Observation (Mars Edition)

Early Degree Mars (0°~1°) can show that you strive for independence. You may have difficulty in directing your energy, which may lead to feeling of frustration, anger, and restlessness. Pay attention to the sign and placement. See if any people close to you have natal Mars in the same sign, because they may be the subject of your frustration too. They might do nothing wrong and being their usual self and yet it still irks you. House placement also cues to what you seek independence from e.g. home (4H), daily life, work, coworker (6H), friendship (11H).

Mars in Aries you want to get moving, channeling your inner energy through physical activity. You may feel pumped and eager to take opportunities. Exercises could help you to ease your mind. Staying active. You may pay attention more to your physique. You may be more confrontative, even if you are naturally not like that. I personally love this placement lol. This is the time when you stop giving a f to anyone and just go with your guts, what makes you feel good, what feels right to you. It's just an easier energy to move with, because Mars is in domicile.

Mars in Taurus is slow-progressing. Whichever house it's sitting in, you may feel like you're not making significant progress on that specific area e.g. slow progress in work (6H), dreams feel like it's faraway or impossible (11H). Achievement does not come instantly. Overall very slow, taking progress step by step. It may feel exhausting especially for mutable dominants.

Mars in 4H during this time, I spent most of my time at home. However, there is a restlessness of wanting to do more. Family may be your main motivation of taking actions. The closer Mars is to IC, it may pushes you more to move and progress away from your roots/house/home. All because you want to be more independent. Fights and arguments in family are possible, but understand that you can react differently from what you used to do in the past.

Mars conjunct Neptune can be times when one pour their energy to achieve their dreams. House placement often gives the theme (e.g. college/study for 9H, career or job for 10H). You can almost create everything in your dream to come true. From what I notice however, this aspect has a possibility to be short-lived. One moment you can "achieve" what you want, or there is a sense of achievement, but without careful planning such situation may not thrive. There may be a lot of confusions and crossroads. Your action may be taken differently by others, prone to be misunderstood.

Mars conjunct Chiron is actually not as bad as I originally thought. Maybe it also depends on the sign, but I found this aspect to quickly progress your healing era forward. You will face the wounds you had, whether you want to or not. Mars doesn't wait until you're ready. It would push you to take action and do something about your wound situation. It can be a messy aspect, of course. Not as enjoyable. Emotional outbursts is very possible. However, looking back to that time, I feel grateful because it kickstarted the journey in consciously managing wounds, and dealing with unpleasant things. Also signifies a lesson in handling your anger more efficiently.

Mars coniunct Mercury your mind is sharp, quick to process and to store information. You are decisive, assertive, even confident. Your mind is very capable, can solve problems easily. However be careful not to hurt people because of your words. You may feel lack of control/filter with your words, saying stuff you dont mean, or the word you want to say came off more aggressive than you originally intended. I'd say this is a good indication of good grades as well, because of heightened focus and mental capability.

Thank you for reading

#astrology #solar return observations #sr chart #solar return #astro notes #astrology notes #mars #mars astrology #solar return observation #solar return notes

[seabunnant]

could you describe headcanons of what the disadvantages would be in a relationship with Smoke? He is a mentally very worn out person, so there must be things that cause problems for him

thank you im just curious 🖤

Ur making me cry.... I'm crying... I croyed... but ok 😊

I had to think about this for a bit because he's my perfect boyfriend in my head and I refuse to think otherwise but he is a little messed up...

I don't think Tomas is anywhere near undateable because of his issues and trauma, there are some characters in mk who aren't quite relationship ready yet (not naming any names) but he isn't one of them. That doesn't mean your relationship is without flaws though.

I think he might have a bit of an overattachment to you. nothing too serious and would calm down eventually but with the stress of losing people in his life before, especially if you can't fight he'd spend a lot of time stressing about you. He hasn't had anyone in his life like this in so long, he has kuai but he is very strong and capable of looking after himself. Not that you aren't! But his it is a very different world to what you're used to. And I could see that causing a few issues.

It may take him time to fully open up to you as well, as much as he cares about you and he really does he struggles with confronting some of his issues within himself which could lead to him closing off a bit, both not wanting to burden you and face some of the things he went through.

In one of his fight dialogues he gets offended quickly when Kuai Liang mentions keeping their resolve strong, I think maybe a similar thing could happen? If you doubted his feelings towards you or loyalty it might upset him.

Hope these are okay!! I was a little stuck on this LOL sorry it took so long too <3 also thank you for being my first ask hehe

#mk1 x reader #smoke x reader #smoke x you #tomas vrbada x reader #tomas vrbada x you #tomas vrbada #mortal kombat x reader #if anyone else has ideas feel free to add them #let's analyse this dude together

[thewickedkat]

no one is a hero here. neither is anyone a villain.

yes, Ashton fucked up. they did a Thing--a big Thing! a Dangerous Thing!--and consulted precisely one (1) person about it. that person enabled and facilitated said Thing without really stopping to pause and think about it. Fearne fucked up by not doing those things. Ashton almost died because of their combined short-sightedness.

these things happened. tell me that no one else in the history of ever has done a Dumb and Dangerous Thing. tell me you never have. fuck knows i have. and?

more than anything, Bells' Hells strikes me as a party of Firsts: it's Chetney's first time really doing anything with something that resembles a pack (i say this without knowing a thing about werewolf dynamics in Exandria and at this point i can't be arsed to learn more). it's FCG's first time in a group knowing more of their own provenance, knowing what they are capable of (good and bad), their first experience with faith. it's Laudna's first time around people who aren't actively trying to either burn her home down or run her out of town on a rail, her first experience with something resembling love (despite Delilah's poison trickling into her ear). Fearne is still learning how to people, given that the only other people she really hung with were the Crown Keepers, and that wasn't for a very long time. Imogen is quite literally learning how to human without hearing the inner voices of folk around her, since she got the circlet, and is learning how to define people not by the worst intrusive thoughts skirling across their brainmeats. Ashton has never been around people who weren't ready to immediately take advantage of any kind of weakness perceived on their part, or ready to abandon him at a moment's notice. he is learning that not everything is defined by a quid pro quo. Orym is really the only cat in the group who has been around stable individuals throughout his life, and most of those people have been there since jump for him. that, and he has a calling, a duty, something that he views as greater than himself that he is willing to submit to. he finds comfort in that, where Letters is just now starting to have an inkling. but even he is learning how to mesh into a unit that isn't a squad, or a platoon, or a guarding body. with the Hells, he isn't just defined by that calling--he is a friend, a brother, without the mutual cultural understanding of the Ashari to back it up.

my point is, all of these people are still discovering new things about themselves. they are still young from a maturity standpoint--even Chetney is, because he is being confronted with emotional entanglements that he (assumedly) hasn't had to deal with before.

there are going to be fuckups. there are going to be scares and hurt feelings and things shouted at each other that are difficult to take back and apologise for. this doesn't mean that one should scorch the earth and piss on the ashes when there is a fuckup.

furthermore, understanding why the characters do what they do is not the same as excusing it. reasons are not the same as justifications are not the same as excuses, etc etc etc. i can easily follow the reasoning behind Ashton taking the shard into themself, because who doesn't want to feel special and badass? it went to his head! i can also understand why Fearne wanted to help--it's what you do for friends, yeah? you help them? and if you're kinda crushing on that friend, the urge to go along with what they want is doubly strong. also? no one ever taught her emotional regulation, i don't think. i fully think that's why she got so viscerally angry with what happened, all that fear and adrenalin and terror at what have i done had to go somewhere, and so she kicked Ashton in the head and tried to break their hammer, and it was Chet who recognised that urge to break and destroy and he allowed her to channel it away from harming anyone else.

people do dumb things, sometimes. they do dumb things and say dumb things because all they want to do in that moment is make something else hurt the way they do. and then they regret it, and internalise it, hopefully learn from it, make amends and move the fuck on. both Ashton and Fearne are having their 'oh if it isn't the consequences of my actions' moment, and they're allowed to have their shitty, messy, all-over-the-place feelings about it. there has been quiet screeching in the fandom about character growth and conflict and the 'necessity for all of them to sit down and talk,' and now that such a moment is here, it seems that many people are saying 'wait, not like that.'

Ashton and Fearne are both traumatised individuals, yes. i think Ashton understands a little more clearly than Fearne what that means, with regard to themself, because (and i don't mean to minimise here at all) his trauma is more evident and obvious and 'conventional,' for lack of a better term. Fearne's trauma is more...nebulous and isolating, because she has normally had Nana Morri to prevent giant fuckups like this, or worst-case, fix those fuckups. as a result, it's entirely possible that Fearne doesn't really grok just how real and bad not thinking things through can be. this doesn't make her naive or a babe in the woods at all, but there is a vast difference between being aware of the potential for something to break bad, and then seeing a good friend explode in front of your face. i dunno, i'm spitballing here.

there are no heroes, nor are there villains. just folk--messy, self-centred, short-sighted folk. let them have their fuckups without putting any of them on crosses or pedestals.

#critical role #cr spoilers #cr meta #cr disc #i guess? #except Delilah. that bitch is a villain and i am Tired of her.

[commsroom]

Hi, you’ve probably already addressed this at some point and I’ve simply missed it, but what’s your thoughts on Hera’s ending? (Particularly, how Pryce just removes the ‘I can’t do this, I’m not good enough’ line, and she stops glitching?) Personally it always felt rather… bad, honestly, given the whole “they could’ve made me better, they made me me” thing, if that makes sense?

hi! first: that absolutely makes sense, and i'm also very sensitive to anything that seems to "fix" disability or trauma, so i understand where you're coming from. that was not personally my takeaway about hera in the finale; i'll try to explain why:

pryce didn't remove that loop from hera's head. i don't think she could have - even if it's technically possible for her to do (and she is capable of a lot more than maxwell), she just had her mind wiped and wouldn't have access to that information, and even if she did retain it on an instinctual level, that would require allowing pryce access to the most vulnerable parts of hera's mind. and she would never allow that. there's a reason pryce is still a prisoner.

hera speaks to pryce not for reconciliation, but for reclamation. she's lived her whole life in fear of what pryce (and people like pryce) can do to her, with every aspect of who she is and what she does controlled and dictated by anyone with power over her. the finale opens with pryce telling her life's story from her perspective - at once self-mythologizing and self-victimizing - and, the final time we ever hear from or about pryce, hera is about to tell her own story. we never find out what was actually said, or how pryce reacted, because it doesn't matter. hera gets to take control of her own narrative. hera gets to confront her abuser, and feel in control and safe from harm.

it's worth keeping in mind that hera doesn't glitch consistently. that's one of the things i think also makes it a useful comparison to chronic illness. when, why, and how much hera glitches was an intentionally crafted part of the sound design. it happens more often, and more intensely, when she's stressed out, overwhelmed, or upset.

and, with that in mind... the ending leaves the characters on a generally positive note, because it's the end of the show and that's the feeling it wants to leave you with: that everything will be more or less okay, in the end. but it isn't the end of their lives. once they get back to earth, a lot of things are going to be very difficult for hera. even in the final scene, she says she's not ready to go back, but "when has that ever stopped us before?" when she's able to honestly say she's good, i don't think that means she's good forever. just, in that moment, that's a crucial step in her healing process, and i hope in the future she'll have a lot more moments that feel like that one.

#wolf 359 #w359 #hera wolf 359 #i haven't been tagging asks or. even a lot of posts. but i want to file this one. anyway. #hi! thank you for asking. it's a good question and a topic i care about. #and i always love to talk about hera. she's so dear to me. #i think hera will still glitch post-canon. the fact she doesn't for that period of time is just an indicator of her emotional state. #it makes sense to me that hera would be the most okay she's... maybe ever been. knowing pryce doesn't have the power to hurt her #and i hope that remains true. but ultimately i think that's also why i don't personally want pryce to have a post-canon narrative at all #it feels like it undermines it somehow. when that confrontation is about shifting narrative perspective and autonomy and control. #who gets to tell their story. who gets to be heard. #i don't really care what pryce does as long as she stays away from hera. i'm not interested in a story about anything else. #that's a little tangential but. related. #and i hope this answered your question!! #asks

[solomons-poison]

Neighbor!Theo

A/N: I completely forgot I had wanted to include some Ikemen Series characters into my neighbor!AU series... I hope this isn't too OOC for Theo. I was gonna write him a little mean but just couldn't do it, he's a secret softie. Been in my drafts forever whoops. Enjoy 💙

Warnings: spicy but not explicit, GN reader, classic bully Theo initially, jealous Theo hehe

Masterlist

Neighbor!Theo that, you're fairly certain, hates your guts. Not that he ever said so in so many words, and you're not sure what you could have done to cause this. But his permanent scowl when you pass him in the hall and the way he doesn't give you the time of day certainly gives you that impression. So the first time he does talk to you, you're so flabbergasted about it you can't even comprehend what he asked, earning you a "Oi, hondje!" and leaving you utterly mortified.

Neighbor!Theo that thinks you're stupid after that whole fiasco — at least, thats what you've convinced yourself. So you do your best to avoid him to prevent any more embarrassing scenes, even turning to go back down the hall when he's coming from the other direction, practically running from him. In your flustered state and rush to get away, you miss the way his eyebrows furrow and lips tug down into a frown as he watches your escape, wondering what he's done to scare you that badly.

Neighbor!Theo that awkwardly stands at your doorstep now, having a silent debate with himself about how to approach you, wondering why you run from him all the time. He doesn't hate you, in fact he thinks you're pretty cute. He knows he has the social skills of a wild boar and an award-winning resting bitch face, but he hasn't been that bad... has he? When you finally answer your door, he's too distracted by finally seeing your face up close to say anything at first, leaving you to freeze up like a cornered rabbit until he finally breaks the ice and you both explain yourselves.

Neighbor!Theo that can't help but feel bad about the poor (or lack of) communication. So once everything was straightened out and it was made clear that he doesn't hate you, although he does think you're a bit of a fool (affectionate), he invites you to his brother Vincent's gallery opening to start the relationship fresh. Desperate to move on and give a better impression, you agree and he comes to your door to pick you up on the set date.

Neighbor!Theo that can't help but enjoy your reactions to the art he shows you. Not everyone can have an eye for art, but the way your face lights up and your gaze gets wistful gives him hope, and it reminds him of his younger years seeing Vincent's art. He keeps it in mind to take you to art museums for future dates, provided he hasn't scared you off before then. The gallery is also where you share your first kiss.

Neighbor!Theo that slightly regrets introducing you to his brother after he discovers how well you two get along. Not that he doesn't want his brother to have more friends, and he doesn't mind sharing friends with Vincent either. But if there's anyone he can't say no to, it's Vincent. And while he usually considers himself a confident man, he can't help but feel some jealousy creep up on him at the thought of you liking Vincent as more than a friend.

Neighbor!Theo that tries to ignore the growing jealousy, but just can't help it as he watches you and Vincent quickly grow to be close friends. He's never been able to say no to his brother, and if being with you is what makes Vincent happy, he's ready to deal with whatever happens. However, unbeknownst to him, you've gone to Vincent for help with getting closer to Theo instead, turning him into an accidental wingman.

Neighbor!Theo that finally confronts you about your secret meetings with his brother. Not that he thinks you or his brother are capable of going behind his back, but he still worries regardless. The relief is practically palpable when you come clean, quickly followed by pink cheeks and flustered look as he realizes his feelings are being returned.

Neighbor!Theo that seems grumpy for the rest of the night, but his relief and happiness are all evident in the series of kisses he gives you afterwards. But don't be fooled or think you're off the hook as his kisses get more passionate by the second, eager to show you the true brunt of his feelings finally.

Neighbor!Theo that makes sure to spend the entire night engraving him and his love into your mind and moreso your body, giving you all the pleasure you can handle and more to make sure he’s the only thing that occupies your mind. Despite his rough demeanor, his love shows in every way so you never have to doubt how he cares for you.

This turned into more of a sectioned fic than headcanons but 🤷‍♀️ I love my mean sweethearts, I had to give Theo some love ❤️ Comments and reblogs appreciated!

#theo x reader #ikemen vampire #ikevamp theodorus #ikevamp theo #ikemen vampire theo #ikevamp hcs #the minx can write ✍️

[krikeymate]

So I've seen stuff where Sam sneaks off to the shrine alone after Gale's attack. But what if Tara snuck off instead? Like after Sam offers to give herself up maybe she tells Sam that she left her inhaler in Bailey's car or uses Danny showing up to slip away and then leaves to try to stop them herself. She calls Bailey to set up the trap at the shrine after leaving. Because we all know Sam ain't the only one that would do anything to protect her sister.

OH. GENIUS THOUGHT MY FRIEND.

Tara sneaks off and calls Bailey to set a trap. She isn't going to give Sam the chance to sacrifice herself, not after everything she's done.

Bailey can't believe his luck.

Ghostface sends Sam a video of Tara in the shrine, alone, with them waving a knife in front of the camera (like the Amber video, Ghostface is standing on the balcony looking down at her). The follow-up message says come alone or she dies. She tells the others she's gonna go find Tara, and makes her own escape. She sends Kirby a text as she stands outside the shrine: going to the shrine, my sister's in trouble, if you don't hear from me in half an hour, I might be dead. She turns off her phone.

Meanwhile, Tara is standing in front of Billy's case, thinking about how this all started, wondering how he and her mother - two of the worst people she knows - could have made something so wonderful as her sister. She hears a noise from somewhere behind her, but doesn't see anyone come in the entrance. Something feels wrong, she opens the case and takes Billy's knife.

She goes through the stage side entrance, quietly, to investigate. Bailey said he was on his way, but that was a while ago... surely he should be here by now? She feels like she might be on her own in her plan after all.

~

Sam enters the building, preparing herself for the worst. It's empty, it's quiet. She thinks about calling out to her sister, but she knows there's at least one Ghostface here already. She scans the display room, looking for any sign of movement. Finding none, she decides she should move on... then she spots a chain and a padlock resting on a nearby display case beside a familiar pink jacket.

She decides to lock the entrance, she doesn't want any more surprises showing up, and if no one can get in, no one can get out either. She knows what Tara came here to do, and she wasn't wrong, Sam can begrudgingly admit... she just wishes she hadn't tried to do it alone.

"Like you were planning?" says a familiar voice from somewhere over her right shoulder. "Shut up," she mumbles. She's so not in the mood for his commentary right now, or ever. "She's smart," the voice continues, "your clever little sister, trying to lure these fools into her trap... or maybe you're the fool falling into hers." Sam spins around, ready to confront the voice. But there's no one there, it's all in her head. Fuck, she wishes she'd kept her meds on her.

Sam turns and yanks open a side door.

~

Tara's finished tying a knot when her phone rings... it's an unknown number. She wants to ignore it, her thumb swipes to accept the call anyway as she gets back on her feet.

"Tara, Tara, Tara. Did you really think you could make a difference? That you could save your sister? Save yourself?"

"You have no idea what I'm capable of."

"Oh but I do, I've been watching you."

Tara's eyes flick to the camera in the corner of the room. Bailey said they could use them to their advantage, but it seems the Ghostfaces were one step ahead of them.

"It's you who has no idea what I'm capable of. Your sister is on her way, and I'm going to gut you while she watches. But first... I'm going to make you beg."

The caller hangs up as the door behind her opens. Tara spins around, knife slashing out. An arm collides with her hand, knocking her armed hand to the side as the figure steps into her trap. The figure is pulled upwards by their ankle. She can't believe that worked! I mean- wait, "Sam?"

Sam's unimpressed face rotates into view. "What the fuck, Tara?"

"Oh shit, give me a second." Tara cuts at the taut rope, releasing her sister from the snare trap.

"I can't believe you would do something like this," Sam begins, voice angry as she gets up from the floor. She's about to continue when her eyes are drawn to the rope and the makeshift pulley around the door frame, then back at her sister and the bloody knife she holds. "Did you make this?" she asks in disbelief.

Tara frowns, a slight pout to her expression, "it was supposed to be for Ghostface."

Sam shakes her head, she can praise her sister later, after she's scolded her for scaring the life out of her. "What were you thinking, coming here alone?"

"I just... every day you make the decision to protect me, I just wanted to protect you for a change." Tara makes it so hard for Sam to stay mad at her. She pulls her in for a hug. "You have no idea how scared I was," Sam confesses, "every time you're out of my sight I'm terrified that it might be forever, that the last time I saw you could be the last."

"You're never going to lose me, Sam. I promise." Tara's arms squeeze around her tight, and Sam closes her eyes for a moment, resting her head on her sister's.

When she opens them again, it's to a Ghostface stabbing her sister in the back.

#/mp #ask box #Scream #Sam Carpenter #Tara Carpenter #scream canon divergence #my writing tag #Scream 6 #-shrine #and then we kinda proceed from the part where she gets stabbed while making out with chad except it's hugging her sister #they get chased down the opposite direction down the corridor onto the stage and down into the display room and then we get the second gf

[flightfoot]

Had an interesting interaction thought. You know I wrote that Queen Wasp fixit fic (which some folks seem to want to continue?)

Imagine a different scenario: accept canon up to this point. Maybe we even get Chloé herself exiled somehow with her mom (her dream right?) It turns into the nightmare that could be imagined Audrey as a parent would be.

From this Chloé does finally figure it out. Her mom doesn't care. Being rich doesn't mean anything. She has her own emotional crisis solo and finally returns to Paris to face her past. She seeks people out to apologize, and she does, sincerely.

When she hits Marinette though, after the apology, she rejects Marinette's acceptance of it, because Marinette was the one who *told* her to emulate her mother way back. While she isn't transferring her own responsibility to Marinette, she knows enough via therapy et al to know that was extremely messed up to do. So while she owes Marinette(and so apologizes), she's not ready to forgive Marinette yet and so can't complete the sorry/acceptance exchange.

Just kind of curious to see/think about how Marinette might react to that. I know there's a 'Mari is 14' defense but they were all 14 together. Just.. kind of a thought experiment.

Hm. I like the idea of Chloe figuring out that emulating Audrey is a bad idea and becoming a better person, but her confronting Marinette about what she said in Queen Wasp, calling her out for that, not forgiving Marinette for it... I don't like that.

Marinette:(groans) You're also wrong about your daughter not being exceptional. In fact, Chloé is exceptionally mean. She's the worst person I've ever met. She may be more heinous, pompous and selfish than you. Compared to both of you, even a rock seems more capable of love. (Audrey and Chloé are furious with Marinette for telling mean things to them.) Chloé and Audrey:(shouting) How dare you⁈ (gasp and look surprised at each other) Marinette: See? You're both much more alike than you think. (walks off; humming)

I mean, yeah, the way she tried to sort-of bond them together by basically saying that Audrey and Chloe are both terrible and deserve each other (which somehow does work enough to get Audrey to notice Chloe) was not the most brilliant idea, but considering everything Chloe did to Marinette and others before and after this point, her sticking on that point just makes her seem like she's a major hypocrite who is still likely to turn on everyone else at the drop of the hat if she can contort some way that she was "wronged".

She didn't really tell Chloe to emulate Audrey, she more just pointed out that Chloe IS very similar to Audrey.

Like I could see Chloe mentioning that this wasn't the best way to go about the situation, but what you outline sounds like Chloe actually blaming Marinette for her own actions and holding her partially responsible for how she turned out.

#ask #miraculous ladybug #chloe bourgeois #ml spoilers #ml collusion

[marshmallowprotection]

Do you think that GE Saeran and MC would have kids? Doesn't he say in his AE that he'd like to be a parent/think that MC would be a good parent?

So, let me preface this by saying that GE Saeran is open to the idea of children if that's something you want to do with him. He thinks you will be a great parent, and it's obvious that if you do have kids it'll be in the future that's a ways away because he's got a lot of trauma work to take care of. He's got insecurities about his ability to be a parent as well and that's not easy to confront. Saeyoung has the same fears he has, actually.

Children who have suffered abuse from their guardians fear that they might be like their parents if they become parents as well. I share the same fear! It's something that's ingrained into your skull and it's not a thought that you can shake away. It's intrusive. It's not easy to shake the fear away once you start feeling it.

It's a game of "What if I do this wrong? What if I do that wrong? What if I hurt this little person and I don't even realize I've made a mistake? I don't want to hurt anyone, in the same way, I was hurt. My actions will shape this person's life and I don't know how to handle this fact. "

Having children requires a lot of prep work and open discussions about the reality it brings. It's not as simple as saying you want to have children. No, you need to sit down and think about the facts. You're taking care of a tiny human. This human won't be a baby all their life. They will become an adult with thoughts and feelings of their own someday. You have to be ready to support them and do whatever it takes to protect them.

If you make life or you adopt a child, that's a commitment that you can't take back. Once that child is in your arms, that's your reality. Whatever it takes to make sure that child is safe, taken care of, and loved is your job. You're not alone, you have your partner(s) and the rest of your family, but this is how it works.

You make that decision and you need to know the reality of it. You will have to make decisions and choices that will protect that child and it means that sometimes some of your needs fall by the wayside. You're not giving up your life to raise your child, but you are making choices that benefit your child's life and sometimes that means you'll have to forgo something so they have what they need. Sometimes people do not have these conversations about what it means to be a parent. It's more than wanting to be a parent.

It's a choice that you make that will last as long as you are alive.

So, if you sit down with Saeran and tell him that you want to have a family with him, whether that means you want to be pregnant or you want to adopt, there's going to be hours of decisions. It's not just the decisions that come from deciding how to raise the child and plan all the ways you want to do things. It's not just about decorating a room or buying clothes and toys.

No, you're going to be talking about all of the emotional decisions and the rest of your lives.

I think Saeran is open to these discussions. He says so himself. If you want to be a parent, "Well, logically, if you want to be a parent, I'll be a father, won't I?" So, yes, that's your answer. If you both decide to be a pair of parents then that's what you'll be. I can't say that he'll be a dad because it hinges on Your Decision With Saeran. The timeline will be dependent on what kind of MC you are.

If you're someone like me who doesn't want children, then you can tell him that outright.

What Saeran says here relates a lot to what I feel about a family and children. I know that while I would be able to do everything it takes to be a parent, there are things that I value and go through that wouldn't make me a good fit to be a parent. Having this awareness of myself is a good thing though. Knowing what you value now and what you are capable of means that you've put in some thought about parenting a lot of other people don't consider.

If you know you're meant to be a parent, that's great! Saeran is open to being a father and you've got a lot of talking ahead of you. If you're not the type to want children, Saeran is right there with you, too.

This is a conversation that he values immensely and you don't need to be afraid of your answer. You have to say what you want and be at best, clear with your thoughts. If your answer changes at some point, that's okay, too. It's okay to change your mind about it. It's okay to be firm about your wants in a relationship, too.

You need to be open and honest with a partner about your wants and needs.

#character analysis #ge saeran #saeray #saeran choi #choi saeran #mysme #mysticmessenger #mystic messenger #anon #ask #mod kait #saeran

[mbti-notes]

Hi mbti notes, I'm INFJ and I hope it's okay if I share my problem here.

My nagging fear of appearing as unskilled/incompetent stops me from being honest with people and taking decisive actions. That is why I always try to learn as many new things as I can, but my anxiety doesn't go away. Whenever I have a chance to make things better, I feel like I'm not ready yet, I can't handle it yet, I need more time to prepare, etc. etc. I delay this decision for better time, but this better time never comes. What makes this problem even more complicated is that people in my surrounding overestimate my smarts. It seems that I convinced everyone that I`m capable and can be trusted with important tasks but I'm still not sure whether it's true. I feel like the skills/knowledge I have are never enough, so what should I take into account and what should I work on to get rid of that fear and make positive changes?

You name the problem as "fear of appearing incompetent". Thus, you concluded that you had to learn more or be more skilled to solve the problem. Yet, no matter what you learn or how you prepare, your fear never goes away. Why?

1) Unhealthy Ni: You live in your own little bubble of unrealistic beliefs. You believe that it's possible to be so competent that you'll never ever feel incompetent again. Striving for impossible ideals ends up exacerbating your fear because you are constantly reminded of how you fall short of perfection, which triggers feelings of low self-worth.

2) Unhealthy Fe: You fear looking bad in front of others, so you try to figure out how to get affirmation. Somehow, you came to believe that a worthy person must be "competent" and/or "decisive", so you've tried to turn yourself into such a person. This means your motive for learning doesn't come from a pure or noble place; you don't genuinely love and value learning in itself. Getting validated for shallow attempts to appear competent only serves to reveal the falseness of the self-image you're trying to construct, which triggers feelings of low self-worth.

3) Unhealthy Ti: Instead of facing up to the truth of yourself, you hide the truth of who you are behind a mask. You manipulate people's perception of you as a means to get ahead of any potentially negative judgments and criticisms. In the end, however, you cannot escape criticism of yourself. You can't help but feel like an imposter because the fact is that you are one, which triggers feelings of low self-worth.

4) Unhealthy Se: In the end, you have trapped yourself in a lie, but you can't give up the lie, because the alternative is to face reality. The reality is that you are but a human being with limited mental resources, so you cannot be prepared for every possibility or make perfect decisions like an omniscient being. Instead of having faith, nurturing adaptability, and accepting yourself for who you are, you overreact, overthink, and micromanage yourself into a corner, often feeling stuck and incompetent, which triggers feelings of low self-worth.

Excessive/irrational fear is an emotional problem. One of the most important aspects of improving your emotional intelligence is to stop treating your feelings and emotions as the enemy. Feeling afraid threatens the ego, so you label fear as a "problem" and try to get rid of it. You end up in self-sabotage because you have missed the point. Fear exists for a reason.

You're asking the wrong question. You're asking how to get rid of fear when you should be asking where your fear comes from, to get to the bottom of it. The way through fear is to confront it head on. Why, exactly, are you so afraid to appear incompetent in front of people? Why don't you believe that you have the right to be who you are and make whatever decisions you want at whatever speed you want? Why do you self-harm trying to twist yourself into some unhealthy image of perfect "competence"?

Therapy might be a good idea. You seem to suffer deeper problems related to low self-worth, low self-esteem, self-loathing, or shame. You overcompensate by trying to fool everyone into thinking you are skilled instead of figuring out why you have low self-worth to begin with. When you come to understand your true worth, you won't be afraid of appearing incompetent in front of others because: 1) you would have realistic expectations of yourself, and 2) you would embrace mistakes and failures as necessary for learning and growth.

Have you read the study guides and researched past posts, because low self-worth is a common INFJ problem that has been discussed before? If not, you've got some studying to do. To address negative emotions properly, you have to listen to them and understand them. This requires empathy and compassion - two things you do not offer to yourself. When you don't have empathy and compassion for yourself, you'll never truly know yourself. It's very difficult to learn and grow when shame keeps the real you locked away in a dark cage.

#infj #ti loop #indecision #self worth #shame #fear #anxiety #social anxiety #self compassion #competence #self confidence #emotional intelligence #ask

[who-is-page]

you shut down a transphobe at work? 👀 care to share ?? of course you dont have to, especially if it was a shitty experience but i love hearing people shut assholes down

I work in retail; my pronouns are listed on my nametag, underneath my name but above my job title, and I verbally correct people when they misgender me. I always assume ignorance over malice--retail has taught me that people legitimately cannot read and comprehend half of what's in front of them--and I'm good at my job so I'm always polite and cheery when I do it.

I was covering a loader's job with another associate, and we had an older woman show up. It's policy to sign receipts before we load customer vehicles, but when I approached her she comically started going "nuh-uh-uh! I don't believe in a women working this job!" and trying to give the receipt to the coworker standing five feet behind me, while still not getting out of her car. And I cheerily explained that that wouldn't be a problem, because I wasn't a women anyways! But the customer insisted, and aggressively gestured at my tits going, "Then what are these? Huh? You're female." And I got to go off into a spiel about how I was actually unsure of my chromosomal makeup because of an instance of colorblindness that traditionally doesn't affect people with XX chromosomes, and how I didn't personally see myself as female in that capacity because of it, but that I would still happily help her.

And she tries to huff and puff, saying that she "doesn't see color" (uh??? what??) and "doesn't believe in that stuff" and that she doesn't believe in "women doing mens' work" again.

I shrug at her, and tell her that regardless of her personal feelings, I'm still more than ready to help load her vehicle if she'd like.

My coworker's eyebrows are up SO HIGH at this point at this woman, and he's actually snatched her receipt out of her hand and signed off on it for me. He shoves it back into her car door window and she rolls the window back up, driving away from us and parking in front of the pallets of mulch that she's buying.

My coworker, chad that he is, stands behind and lets me take charge on it. Asking the woman to please open her trunk, picking up the bags two at a time to put them in the back of her car just so that I can flex, and chatting to her (non-responsive, pinched face) about what a lovely day it was. Despite her initial reactions, there's no other option she's left with other than A) Let me help her load the mulch and deal with the fact that I'm perfectly capable, or B) Go inside, find a manager, and complain until someone who is AMAB loads her. She folds and picks A, probably because from the combination of my cheerful attitude and my coworker's lack of intervention on her behalf, she knows that she'll sound absolutely out there if she tries to make demands. She blinked first. She stiffly thanked me and drove off after I finished, when I wished her a good day.

This is what I mean when I say that bigots are inherently cowardly when they get caught up in a 1v1, especially if you're acting (comparatively) like a normal fucking person. Their stakes in it are significantly lower a majority of the time, so they always lose the game of chicken they put themselves in. They might complain, might make side comments, but if you meet them head on they always flinch first. And being a trans person who often corrects pronouns and honorifics, someone who is ergo used to consistent confrontation that most other people would and do avoid, I don't know the meaning of the word "flinch" anymore.

Also, I'm fucking jacked from lifting bags of wet mulch and soil all the time, so they know I'm going to make them sincerely regret it if they throw a punch.

#ask #no joke those bags of mulch can get 40 lbs easy when wet. Soil is even heavier #So lifting yunno hundreds of those bags for hours on end... you get some muscle!

[toiletguy04]

Was supposed to be a take but it turned into a short fic so yeah enjoy ig 😭

Okay but what if the “You lied” confrontation isn't actually gonna be about Mike and Will but Will and El?!? Like El confronting Will about the painting, and Will being speechless then she'll pull off this Edwina Sharma monologue “You love him.” And Will would retaliate, wanting to speak versus wanting to apologize, but El beats him to it. “Friends don't lie.” And Will can only bite back his tears. “It wasn't my intention to lie to you. Or to Mike. I just wanted to help.”

And El's gonna be like. “So you put your words under my name? You still lied.”

“El, I'm sorry.”

El couldn't even look at him. Will hated himself more. “When are you going to tell Mike?”

Will snapped his eyes at her. “What?”

“He needs to know.”

“No he doesn't. It's not—”

But El can only look at him with disdain, she was hurt. Will knows it. “I'm not stupid, Will. I'm not as stupid as the both of you think I am.”

“El—”

“Tell him or I will do it myself.” El turned around, walking away.

And Will was left there, guilty, pained, scared and confused.

Then Will was ready to tell Mike but the last war already began and it was too late for that. But amidst the war, Mike found out by connecting dots like El's letter about not knowing the painting and he confronted Will about it but Will never got a chance to explain because duh they're in a war so he was like “I was planning to tell you!” “You waited years to tell me?” Will faced life and death, so as El. El was ready to sacrifice herself for Will but Will didn't let her. And when they're safe, El in the hospital, Mike was being a total bitch around Will, like purposely ignores him and focusing more on El. Came to a point where Mike asked Will to leave because he wants to spend alone time with his girlfriend, and of course, El noticed Mike's repressed anger, so El talked him through it.

“Did you and Will fight?”

“No, it's just, it's nothing important.”

Then El holds Mike's hands, Mike couldn't look at her.

“I'm not stupid, Mike.”

Now Mike looked up, a little anxious, a little scared. At the back of his mind: she knows.

“I can see the way you look at him.”

Mike gulped. “I don't understand what you're trying to say. Just rest, El.”

El pursed her lips, now stern. “You can never look at me the same way you look at Will, Mike. And I deserve more than that.”

Mike froze. She knows.

“Mike...”

Mike refuses to look at her.

“You love him.”

“I don't!” He snapped.

El gripped his hands tighter. “You do.”

“Just rest, okay?” Mike stood up, frantic. “You're not well. I'm going to tell Hopper you're resting.”

Mike was ready to walk out the door but El said something. “All this time, I've always wondered why you keep lying to me. Why I keep lying to you. But you know what I realized? That we're both lying to ourselves. I love you, Mike. But I don't think I really know what that means.”

Mike was silent.

“I hope you find the courage to stop lying to yourself. Friends don't lie, remember?”

Mike gripped the door's handle tighter. “It's not as easy as you think.”

“I know, but it'll never get easier as time go by so when are you gonna face the truth? When everything's too late?”

Mike didn't answer. “Will... he cares for you, Mike. More than you think. More than I am capable of. He cares for you the same way you care for him.”

Mike catches his breath. He does?

“So tell him the truth, before everything's too late. Who knows what tomorrow will bring afterall?”

Then boom Mike finds Will. Jonathan told him he left to change his clothes. When Mike got to Hopper's cabin, Will isn't there. He went to the old Byers' house, he isn't there. And when he reached Castle Byers, Will was standing in front of the ruined fort, just staring.

“Will.” He calls out. Will jumped, startled to see him. He tried wiping his tears and Mike tried stopping himself from doing so. “I was looking for you everywhere.”

Will clears his throat. “You are? Sorry, I was just, I was planning to change clothes but I just thought I need some air so, I kinda, uh...”

Mike smiles. “I didn't realize it was this wrecked.” He stood beside Will, looking at the pieces of woods, and muddied carpets, molds forming everywhere.

“Yeah, me neither.”

Mike gulped. “I'm sorry—” They both said at the same time.

Will chuckled, Mike shook his head. “I was the one who should apologize. I was being an asshole again, and I—”

Will interjects. “I lied. I deserve that.”

“You don't —”

“I do, Mike.”

Mike was silent, surrender. A beat of silence, neither was talking, just staring at the remnants of the place that held many memories.

“El... told me something.”

Will slightly stiffened. “She did?”

“Yeah she basically broke up with me, again. But this time, it's sure.”

Will gulped, worried. “Was it because of my painting? I'm sorry I didn't know it'll end this wa—”

“No, it's more of her decision. And I think she's right. All our life we've been dependent on each other but I don't think we really needed each other.”

Will listened like he always does. But for the first time, he doesn't know what to say. And maybe Mike doesn't need to hear anything anymore.

A couple more minutes passed when Mike spoke. “I called, you know.”

Will looked at him. “What?”

“A week after you and El left, I called but no one really answered.”

Will was taken aback. “I didn't know—”

“I had to wait a whole week to confirm from El's letter that it was indeed the number because no one's really answering. I called a few times, Nancy was giving me an earful about it. As if she wasn't hogging it all to herself when Jonathan calls.” Mike glanced at him, embarrassed. “At least, Jonathan calls.”

Will gulped. “I'm sorry...”

“I really thought you forgot about me, you know. You called maybe once or twice. I thought you were having problems and I wasn't there for you but El told me all of you were doing fine so I figured, maybe you don't need me anymore.”

“That's not true.”

Mike grinned. “I know. But I was so scared and angry. I didn't even know why I was angry or that I was pissed until Dustin called me out. But I was just so annoyed I couldn't reach you. And when I did, you seem so distant... I thought you're the one who isn't interested in anything I had to say. I really thought I lost you.”

Will looked at him, unblinking.

“Then I got El's letter, about a painting and a girl. She told me you like a girl and I was angry at you for not even telling me. Like did I seriously have to find that out through a letter? Why can't you just tell me?”

Will rolled his eyes, laughing. “Did she really say that?”

Mike chuckled. “So yeah, maybe I was being purposely a douche at you in the airport. Maybe... a little jealous too but it's not like I know that! Okay?”

Will nodded amidst his laughter.

Mike liked it a little too much he had to jokingly roll his eyes. “You're enjoying this too much.”

Will shrugged, taming his laugh but failing miserably. “I'm not.”

“Whatever, Will.” Mike looked down, letting Will's laughter die down. And when it did, Will was already looking at him. Mike needed to scoff. “So I guess what I'm trying to say is...”

Will smiled.

“I love you.”

Now Will paused. The smile turning into a firm line, eyes blinking rapidly.

“I'm sorry, what?”

Mike pursed his lips, opened it, closed, then with a sigh “I said I think I'm in love with you.” A hesitant, quiet, beat. “Always have been. But I was so scared. And I think, I was also scared that you will find it weird, find me weird, cause we're kids and boys. We're both boys and we aren't really supposed to be liking each other, at least that's what I was taught growing up. But I have always liked you. I was just, I think I was too scared to admit it even to myself so I kinda pushed you away, rip you off like a bandaid but, I mean, you can't blame me I was a kid and—”

“Mike, I love you too.”

“And— what?”

Will smiled at him. “I love you too.”

Mike blinked, cheeks flushed, unable to breathe and with a clipped breath he scoffed. “You do?”

Will chuckled, nodding. “I do.”

Mike starts nodding to himself, now a painfully wide smile on his lips, unable to look straight at Will. “Cool.” He repeated.

A moment of silence.

“Does that mean—”

Will snickered. “I think we should go back?”

Mike pressed his lips together. “Yeah, totally.” He scoffed, pushing the question down. What are we? “Geez how long were we away anyways? I can already imagine Max nagging me all day. I still wonder why she hates me. Like did I do something wrong?”

“You didn't, Michael.”

“I know but she looks at me like anytime she'll slash my throat open.”

“Well, you're an ass boyfriend.”

Mike glares at him. “It's not my fault I was in love with you or something.”

Will scoffed. “Oh so now it's my fault?”

Mike looked away, biting the inside of his cheeks, hiding a smile. “I didn't say that.”

Will can only shake his head affectionately. “You didn't have to.” He mocked, Mike laughed pushing Will a little. Will pushed back.

Max swore the two were holding hands when they arrived. Lucas only shrugged. Dustin asked if they should say something, and El was laughing as if she knew something.

Fin :'D

#byler #gonna respectfully pass out #didn't bother checking grammar and spelling sorry :')

[linklocus]

It's Ghostbur (DreamSMP) again!! :D

This is more of a question than a confession, but is it okay to interact with IRLs, Alters etc. as an Otherlink(er?). The fact that otherlinking is voluntary makes me feel this sort of personal illegitimacy and I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable with me or make anyone think I'm just roleplaying with them. I mean, yeah, I am Ghostbur, but also I don't want to make anyone with involuntary identities feel invalidated by my prescence. I guess I'm just looking for some advice or affirmation?

- Ghostbur (DSMP) here again (sorry) to correct myself. I don't think "affirmation" was the right word but more so assurance? That's all hhhhhh

In my personal experience: It depends.

I wish I could give you a clear answer, but it really depends on the person you're talking to, and there's no clear-cut ways to know whether or not they're comfortable talking to 'linkers unless they outright state that they're uncomfortable with types of alterhumanity outside of the borders they set. Some people do point out borders, but a lot of people don't because they don't feel the need to. Like, an otherkin sending out a kin call expecting only 'kin to see it. What you can do when seeing such a call is saying "Hi, I'm an otherlinker of... so I'd love to talk.". You'll see whether or not they react. If you're already talking, I'd recommend letting them know early on and asking them if that makes them uncomfortable. It's a hard question to ask out of fear of rejection but it's what's right to do and doesn't breed problems down the line.

Then also, a lot of people don't even know what otherlinking is! Be ready to go through the process of explaining it to them.

You're absolutely not illegitimate. Linking isn't rping and if someone views you as illegitimate it's best you stay away from them. If you catch the vibe that they're viewing you that way, confront them and/or distance yourself. And if someone thinks you're just roleplaying with them because your identity is volutary, then that's on them and not you. 1. Linking isn't rping. 2. If they feel like you're viewing them to be a linker instead of whatever they are (irl, fictive, kin, ...) and thus feel disrespected, I trust you're mentally capable enough to not equate everyone's experience to be the same as yours and instead view them as Them. Like. If someone believes in angels and I don't, I'm not gonna go around thinking they're weird. I'll go on knowing that that is their reality and not second-guess THEIR position, only my own position. They can't read your mind, so if they feel you're thinking that, all you can do is see if you might be sending off the wrong signals. It very well might not be you doing anything, but their own anxieties imagining things. I hope that makes sense.

#otherlinking #otherlink #ask #ghostbur

[spacecadetspe]

Apr. 8, 2024

Thanatos gave Dox twenty coins, to pay the fare of whoever might die during his campaign. Sixteen died, including Adonis. Dox survived, but lost an arm, and was distressed enough to reach out to call my youngest son, Ad Astra, a creator deity. But as the battle wound down and the darkness dissipated, Ad Astra vanished.

Dox has been beside himself with guilt, and has refused a large part of the treatment plan that the healers had in mind for him. He doesn't sleep, doesn't speak much, and refuses to regenerate his arm (which he is fully capable of doing, as he is part oneiros).

After much deliberation, Dox went down to the kitchen and asked for a potato, raw. The puzzled cook gave him one, and Dox returned to his room and began peeling it. Because suddenly, peeling potatoes and doing monotonous chores made more sense than what was going on in his head at the time.

I brought in a ten-pound bag of potatoes and sat and began peeling them with him. We said nothing for over an hour. A passing healer asked what I was doing, but I just shushed them and told them to wait.

Sometimes there's nothing that can be said.

But he finally told me what happened. How guilty he felt. How being a leader wasn't what he thought it was. And how he was just waiting for those last four coins to be used up.

In response, I summoned Ad Astra into my arms. I told Dox that being a leader means empowering your teammates. They don't follow you because you're strong or smart or fearsome; they follow you because you teach them to love themselves. That takes time. It's painful. And you learn how heavy your sacrifices really are.

He finally allowed the healers to treat and sedate him, and I took Ad Astra down to the ICU to begin treatment. The nightmares were prepared to help him process, whenever he became ready.

I stayed the night by his side. The curse that had absorbed him was eating away at his mind and at the same time extending into other nearby patients like a disease. He was holding the remainder of it off better than expected, but I still worried over him.

The inside of Ad Astra's mind is like a sunny, overgrown ruin; ancient roots with something green and living blooming on its surface. And the curse was eating away at it, disintegrating it piece by piece. I went in and confronted Adonis and the last dark fragment of Aphrodite. She said something was wrong with my eyes if I couldn't see the beauty in what she was doing; I replied that she had "rabbit eyes; nearsighted and frightened."

After several healers took the time to sit with Dox, he agreed to come down and help Ad Astra defeat the curse once and for all. We stepped back into my son's mind, and I asked Ad Astra, "Whose mind is this?"

"I don't know," he said hesitantly. "It feels like mine and lots of other people's, all trying to take up the same space."

"Well that's no good," I said. "You need to be certain. Because if you aren't, this curse is going to try to take it from you."

Dox stepped in and placed his dream nail in Ad Astra's hand. Relinquishing his own power to empower his friend.

"So whose mind is this?" I asked. "And therefore, who makes the rules?"

Ad Astra leveled the sword at Adonis and Aphrodite's curse. "I do." And with that, he pushed the curse back, well past the limits of his own mind, and it faded into nothing. The mindscapes of all those affected began to heal.

Since then, Ad Astra sleeps. And Dox has returned to the kitchens, quieter, more detailed, more humble... and more numb than before. I won't heal him yet. He still wants that pain, and it's his to cope with as he sees fit. When he's ready, if he's ready, I'll heal him.

I look at him in much the same way I do for Morpheus. He's been engaging in risky, self-destructive behavior because his children were hurt. Even the Reckoning has noticed. We even made a trip to see the doped-up dream god; likely high as a kite on opium. Reckoning pulled an ancient piece of Hypnos from Morhpeus' mind, and just like that, the dream god relaxed into an easy sleep.

He's been asleep for a couple of days. I tried to be affectionate; to cuddle and comfort him, to nag him gently... but sometimes there's nothing I can say.

I told Mother that's why I stay in my room so much. Not because I'm hiding, or feel unwanted or uncomfortable, but because I don't feel like there's anything to be said.

She sighed at me. "I guess that's my fault," she said lyrically. "I did tell you the hardest part of gardening is the waiting."

I might as well be comfortable while I do it.

#mythology and folklore #dreams #trauma #shadow work #magic #tw death

[defenderschool]

Implementing Civilian Active Shooter Training for Protection and Surviving Skills

In the modern world, staying safe means being prepared for anything, including scary situations like an active shooter. It's not something anyone wants to think about, but knowing what to do can save lives. This is where learning how to respond if something terrible happens becomes super important for everyone, not just police or security guards. Civilian active shooter training teaches regular people, like you and me, how to protect ourselves and others during these terrifying events. Let's dive into how this training works, why it's helpful, and how it can give us skills to survive if we ever find ourselves in such a situation. Importance of Civilian Active Shooter Training Learning how to react can make a huge difference in a crisis. This training gives people the confidence to make quick decisions that could prevent harm. It's about having a plan so you're not caught off guard, which can help reduce fear and panic. Saving your life and how you can help others in such a situation is another necessary factor to keep in mind. Skills for Surviving This training emphasizes the importance of escaping a dangerous situation without harming yourself and surviving that situation. The primary skills you learn include: ● Noticing danger signs. ● Deciding the best action to take fast. ● Knowing how to protect yourself if you must confront the shooter. The goal is to get away safely and prevent the shooter from causing more harm. Additionally, you'll learn to use your environment to your advantage, identifying potential tools or barriers that could protect you. Training for Everyone It doesn't matter who you are or where you work or go to school; this civilian response to active shooter is for all civilians. Schools, workplaces, and community groups can all benefit from learning how to respond to an active shooter. It's about ensuring as many people as possible know how to stay safe. Emphasizing inclusivity, this training adapts to various age groups and physical abilities, ensuring everyone can participate. Empowering Through Education Civilians' response to active shooter events can take a proactive approach in empowering individuals with the skills needed for personal safety. Their specialized training programs offer practical advice and strategies for civilians to respond to active shooter scenarios effectively. Focusing on realistic and actionable steps ensures that participants not only learn these vital skills but also understand the importance of awareness, preparedness, and the power of quick thinking in critical situations. Their dedication to spreading this knowledge is a testament to their commitment to community safety and individual empowerment. End Results In our increasingly uncertain world, having the expertise and capabilities to address an active shooter scenario is essential. Civilian, active shooter training bridges the gap between uncertainty and preparedness, providing individuals with the tools to protect themselves and those around them. Through programs like those offered by Defender School LLC , people can gain the confidence and readiness to navigate these challenging scenarios. This training is more than just a set of instructions; it's a lifeline in times of crisis and a step towards fostering safer, more resilient communities.

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