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#i need them to be in a therapy session together
thecapricunt1616 · 3 days
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The Bear & His Honey - Chapter 18
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♡ Chapter Inspo: The Tortured Poets Department ; TS - 'I scratch your head, you fall asleep like a tattooed golden retriever. But you awaken with dread, pounding nails in your head, but i've read this one where you come undone - I chose this cyclone with you, and who's gonna hold you like me?'
♡ Summary: Winnie meets Donna for the first time, Carmy ends up needing an emergency therapy session.
♡ W/C: 8,071
♡ Posted Date: 04/22/24
♡ A/N: Eep here we are! 18 chapters and the plot is finally starting to thicken up! I'm enjoying where this story is going very much. I hope you all are too! When I heard the golden retriever line I was like - wait....Carmy and Winnie hahahah!!! I'm loving this new album V much - tried not to add too much Taylor-talk in here but it's CANON that Winnies a fan so it would be OOC for her to not be excited heheheh ♡ Warnings for BTC: Swearing, Physical Violence, Alcoholism, Mentions of Police, Family domestic abuse, attempt to enable said behaviors, Sad Carmy
➵ 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 ♡
➵ 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 / 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵 ♡
➵ 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 ♡
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𝒲𝒾𝓃𝓃𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝒫.𝒪.𝒱. 🍯
Her shrill voice bounced off the walls, and quite frankly made my head hurt. I took a deep breath, clearing my throat and preparing for what was to come. I’d been apart of many screaming matches in my life since Id realized I could fight my mother back - so at minimum 15 years worth of defending myself against a raging narcissist.
“You don’t have to talk to her, my purse is just in there- I need it it has our house keys” I said so just we could hear. 
“Where is he! CARMEN ANTHONY. YOU WILL COME SPEAK TO ME I AM YOUR MOTHER!” she shouted. It was clear she was drunk by the way she was speaking and annunciating her words. 
“Baby go- go outside, I’m gonna deal with her” he said softly, his hands were shaking. 
“I’m not leaving you alone, bear. I promise, I’m not gonna add fuel” I said and took his hand, holding it in mine and squeezing gently. “I love you - and that means we do things together even when they’re hard” I whispered and he nodded, swallowing thickly. 
“Donna! Donna sweetheart we should step outside huh? Let’s go, let’s go outside, we'll have a cigarette. The babies are here, you don’t want them to hear this? No?” Jimmy told her, ushering her down the hall towards where we were in the dining room that contained the front door. 
When she saw him it was like everything stopped, I felt like I was trapped in a lions den, or a fucking bear cave more like it. “Who is this?” She said, just above a whisper and she looks at me, then our enclasped hands, then Carmen again. “Who the fuck is this, Carmen?” She questioned 
“Mom. Mom. Listen-“ I interrupt him because I’d never heard his voice sound so small and scared 
“Hi! I’m Winnie?” I said casually. “And- I assume you’re Donna? Right?” I gently rubbed the back of his hand with the pad of my thumb, it felt like I was trying to tame a mountain lion with a smile. 
“And what kind of fucking name is Winnie. What the hell is this- a goddamn cartoon? And why are you in my daughters house?” She asked and I maintained my cool, seeing as the whole family pretty much had silently crowded in the hall to watch this go down. 
“Oh-“ I cleared my throat, trying to maintain my cool and I held our hands up that were laced together “I’m well acquainted with your son.” I drop them back to our sides “he’s lovely. May I just say you did a wonderful job raising him.” I said and he squeezed my hand tightly 
“And I’m here to talk to said son alone. So you can take your cute little carrot top self back wherever you came from and fuck right off missy “ she snapped and I raised my brows, but before I could open my mouth Jimmy stepped in 
“Heyyy! Hey hey! Donna- Donna the girl hasn’t done anything wrong come on-“
“Oh shut up jimmy.” She seethed 
“MOM!” Carmen snapped, “I’m not fuckin’ doing this” he rose his voice so she could tell he was serious “I’m not. That was it- we’re done we’re leaving good fuckin job- I’m fucking leaving. Syd can you bring Winnie’s fuckin purse please?” He called to her and I saw her shoving through everyone gathered in the hallway to get back into the living room.
“Oh so you’re gonna choose this stupid girl over your own mother? What are you too good for your mother now? Is she- is she some hot shot chef? Oh- no let me guess- she’s a nurse since you messed things up with the Doctor, Claire?” She said and my mouth dropped 
“Actually-“ I scoff “I work at a library- your son is the ‘hot shot’ chef. The only one in your family might I add? Donna, you are speaking to everyone horribly right now. Why do you think he wouldn’t want to talk to you when you’re acting like-“ I see her jerk her arm and I am suddenly soaking wet, and my eyes are stinging worse than I’d ever felt in my life. I shrieked, wiping my face furiously and coughing, my lungs burning as the alcoholic drink that had been thrown in my face choked me from when I’d gasped in surprise and inhaled a gulp of it. 
“Oh- Donna!” Jimmy said “no- no now you gotta go dear, what’s wrong with you?” 
“Someone had to shut her up to stop that annoying little speech she was putting me to sleep” she laughed drunkenly 
“Mom what- WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU? ARE YOU FUCKING STUPID?! ARE YOU? WHAT IS YOUR FUCKING OBSESSION RUINING EVERYTHING?! THIS IS WHY - THIS- THIS IS WHY I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE YOU- I CAN'T STAND YOU! I CANT FUCKING STAND YOU MOM” Carmy roars. 
“Oh my god you crazy bitch” Sadie said angrily. I couldn’t even see what was going on, everything was sticky and wet and it was driving me insane. I was still stuck in a coughing fit as I rubbed my eyes but the stinging was getting worse. The amount of overwhelmed, embarrassment, fear, anger I felt threw me headfirst into a panic attack. 
“What did she throw? Oh my god my contacts Sadie - I- I need to take out my contacts” I said gasping and coughing as I felt a hand on my arm guiding me to the kitchen 
“I know, I know, shhhh” she coaxed, bringing me over to the sink. “I’m gonna get them out but you have to do me a favor and stay still” she ordered, but I could barely fucking understand her with the pain. 
I began sobbing uncontrollably and she turned the sink on “I’m so sorry” I said and we heard crashing coming from the front room 
“What? What did she do?! MOM!!!” I heard Natalie shout “MOM THESE ARE BRAND FUCKING NEW CARPETS!! GET HER OUT!!!” She shrieked.
“YOUR FUCKING CARPETS? SHE JUST BLINDED MY FUCKING GIRLFRIEND AND YOU GIVE A FUCK ABOUT THE CARPETS, NAT?! THIS IS ON YOU, YOU’RE THE FUCKING REASON SHES HERE.” Carmy was in a rage. I’d never heard him so angry before.
“Everything e-everything I’m sticking-  i’m sticking oh my god Sadie. Everything stings, Sadie. Help me” I cried, “what did I even say why did she do that?” I sobbed, each time I tried to open my eyes I was faced with a searing pain. All of the screaming, the fear of his mother finding me and doing further damage for god knows why, the worry for Carmy and what was happening to him - it was all too much.
“CALL THE FUCKIN’ COPS THIS SHIT IS GETTIN’ TOO FUCKIN OUT OF HAND.” Richie shouted 
“I am alreadyyy on it- yup okay- let me just- I can’t hear them! I’m gonna go out there“ I heard Syd say awkwardly 
“Open” Sadie said and pried my left eye open, quickly scooping out the contact before doing the same with the right causing me to wince. She had to essentially trap me against the counter and wall so I wouldn't out of instinct slap and kick her for trying to dig in my fucking eyes with her fingers.
“Ok rinse” she said once she managed to get both of the contacts out. I dove for the sink, scrubbing my face over with water, rinsing out my eyes quickly and doing my best to hold them open under the running water despite the burning and uncomfortable stinging.
“G-get Carmen please, please” I said through shaky sobs. I hadn’t even been able to listen to what was going on since Sadie had scooped out my contacts, it was as if she and I were the only people in the house due to all the adrenaline from the pain coursing through my body allowing me to focus on the task at hand the fucking blinding pain.
“Yup ok. Okay I’ll find him” she said and I heard a sharp slap come from the other room
“MOM - MOM!! DID YOU REALLY JUST HIT HIM LIKE THAT! Oh, Carmy- Are you ok? Go- go out of here- go” Natalie shrieks at donna and there’s a loud smashing of glass 
“MY PLATES!!! MY PLATES!!!” Natalie shouts and starts to cry, “Jimmy! Jimmy those are my special china we got at our wedding!” She sobs “Mom! Why are you doing this?!” she pleaded
“That bitch is FUCKED up! What in the fuckin ghetto ass shit! Isn’t this the north side?!” Sadie said, causing Richie to laugh 
“Welcome to the fuckin Berzatto house my friend” he told her loudly over the chaos
“Natalie! Natalie - Honey- Uncle Jimmy will replace your plates, Come on honey we need to get her out I need your help grab her other arm!” I heard Jimmy tell her 
“Oh my god baby” I heard from behind me and Carmy rushed over, touching my back and I flinch.
“Don’t- don’t touch me I’m gonna have a panic response I can’t see- I don’t wanna hurt you” I said quickly, trying to even my breathing and stop crying so hard. “Please get my bag” I told him, continuing to rinse my eyes until the pain had subsided enough to open them. 
“Yeah- uh…yeah” he said and I heard him go into the living room. I felt around the counter until I found the paper towel, patting my face down with it to dry.  
When he came in, I took my glasses out of my purse, putting them on my face to see his cheek was unnaturally bright red- it looked so painful. There was a big raised mark with fanned out stripes from a handprint - she slapped him so hard it would bruise. 
Suddenly, my panic for myself melted away and I went in to protector mode, any worry or fear melted and reformed into concern for the sweet, damaged man before me. “Oh..Bear” I whispered, rushing to the freezer and getting a bag of frozen vegetables. “My poor love” 
I went over, gently pressing it to his cheek and he hissed in pain “yeah…” he said softly. “ it looks bad?” He asked
“I think she should go to jail. Either that or she agrees to go to rehab,” I said softly, gently thumbing out the wrinkle in his brow with my thumb. 
“She’s not gonna go to rehab” he muttered, looking up at the ceiling and swallowing hard. I could tell he was biting back tears, as was I, because this environment wasn’t safe to cry. 
“Then she goes to jail. Because this is gonna give you a black eye - and don’t you know how much I love your pretty face?” I joked, trying to lighten the mood a bit and I kissed his good cheek. 
He cracked the slightest smile, “yeah she really got me. She’s never uh…well not since I was a kid but I don’t think she’s ever hit me with all her strength like that. I was scared for a second she broke my fuckin jaw” he said and I gently rub his shoulder 
“Baby really” I said softly. “Half of your face is gonna be bruised. She needs help” I said quietly. 
“But….she’d never forgive me” he said brokenly, averting my gaze. 
“Forgive you?! Oh bear. No, no my love. Carm, you should be thinking if you can ever forgive her. Not the other way around.” I gently rub his chest “lets go sit on the couch ok? We don’t want this rash to set and it’ll be so much worse. Cold compress should help the aching and the red and the swelling” I explained. He nodded a bit and took over holding the bag, going with me to the living room. 
“I want you on my lap” he said softly and I nodded, sitting down and wrapping my arm across his shoulders, holding the bag with my other hand against his cheek. 
“They’re fine- yeah- Winnie- how are your eyes?” Syd asked as she came in the living room talking on the phone 
“Okay Syd, thanks. It’s Carmy I’m worried about- is your ear ok bear?” I asked him 
“Still ringing” he mumbled, resting his other cheek on my chest and shutting his eyes. 
“He says his ear is ringing. I’m gonna have him checked out tomorrow” I told her and she nods
“Do you…wanna press charges?” She asked and I shrug 
“Tell them well know when they get here based on her behavior and if she’s being remorseful,” I said and she nodded, heading back to the front room. 
“Oh my god- oh god. Carmy - Carmy I’m so sorry” Natalie said, rushing in and sitting next to us, “Winnie- Winnie I’m so sorry please forgive me I promise. I told her she has to go to rehab I told her she has to go or she can’t come here anymore-“ I cut her off 
“Natalie…” I said softly. “If she doesn’t agree to be checked into an emergency rehab center- tonight? She is going to jail. Tonight. I will make sure of it. So if you don’t want her to go to jail, I would go talk her into rehab. There is nothing you have to be sorry to us for, lovey. If anything- apologize to Pete? Apologize to your daughters. But not us. Because Carmen has been saying for at least 2 months he no longer wants to interact with her, and the only time he has to is when you push him to do so. I love you, it’s why I’m telling you this. And I appreciate the roll you have in Carmys life and all you do for him- but you are enabling her. And it’s hurting the family. No matter what happens after tonight- this is the last time either of us will see her unless we’re shown definite proof she is sober.” I explained.
 Carmen just sat silently, his other cheek flush against my chest with his eyes closed, likely pretending to not be here. He didn’t have the mental strength to stick up to her like this right now, nor did he have the emotional capacity to do it gently. So I was stepping up to take the load for him. 
  “Okay…” she nodded “okay.” She repeated and went back out to the front yard where Jimmy had wrangled Donna off to wait for the cops.  “I love you” he muttered into my shirt, and he sounded utterly defeated.
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Donna had chosen rehab- reluctantly. It wasn’t without a huge fight between her, Carmy, and Natalie, with many tears from each side being shed. 
When we finally got home, we wordlessly stripped out of our clothes, I started the shower for us and he got our towels for us and set out our night time lavender lotion we shared on top of the counter. I put the towels in the warmer Carmy had bought for us, since he said it ‘was too much an effort for me to put them in the dryer while we shower, and the floor out there was so cold, and he dripped all over while going to get them’ so the $200 purchase was well worth it to him.  
We had a silent shower, but it was not any less intimate then any of our other shared showers. We still washed each other, we still gently brushed eachothers wet strands of hair off of the others forehead. I had to swallow a lump in my throat each time my gaze met the raised bumps on his swollen red cheek. 
I wasn’t sure how I was going to get through the next few weeks until he healed. I’d much rather her had slapped me. I could hardly imagine what he was going through inside his head right now. I had to actually remove myself and go throw up when I heard him crying, begging her to listen to Sugar and just go with her to rehab- or he would have to tell the cops to take her. 
Apparently, she went through the typical stages of grief an addict goes through when realizing they’ve been backed into a corner and are no longer able to make the choice to keep using for themself. She had started by telling them the classic
‘I know- I know I’ve done some messed up things- I know I’ve hurt you kids! But I’m your mother- you really are gonna send your mother to jail? Hmm? Carmy? My littlest bear. You’d send your mama away? I don’t believe that, Carmen. Oh Carmen Anthony. My sweetest boy. Don’t you  let your sister control the situation- you don’t want this sweetheart you don’t want to do this to your mother’ 
And when Carmen simply told her ‘no- I’m with Sug, mom you need rehab- this can’t keep goin’ ’ she flew off the handle once more, screaming at him, Sugar and the police - telling them that they were crazy- that all of them were lying about her, and that she didn’t even have a problem at all. That her ingrate horrible leech children- the ones that she had left at least, had planned for her to be taken away and locked up because they hate her- for why? She couldn’t give an answer to that in her drunken state. 
For the last part of her Oscar worthy performance - She wailed, she screamed, she cursed Carmen and told him he was a mistake- that together he and Natalie had ruined her life. That she ‘knew she should have stopped at Michael.’ That they drove their father away together, drove her to drink, and then drove their brother to do what he did. That they took everything from her. That her very pregnancy’s and births with them were pure hell- as if she was birthing demons and that she’d been miserable since the day Natalie had been born, and that it hadn’t stopped. And not without telling Carmen he made things all the more worse. 
In her vicious words, as told to me by Syd while Carmen comforted Natalie in the laundry room as she sobbed so hard she could barely breathe - the last thing Donna said after finding out Carmy would be the one paying for her treatment - while she being put in Pete’s car so he could drop her off was; 
“Your father couldn’t handle your social deficits anymore- so he left us. that’s what really happened you drove your father away from your brother and sister. You’re the reason the family is the way it is.” 
After Syd told me, I sobbed so hard I threw up again. 
The look on Carmen’s face when he came to collect me in the living room to leave after tending to Natalie and getting her to bed was nothing short of haunted. 
The drive back, likely goes without saying- was silent. 
Carmy cut off the water after he finished delicately rinsing my hair, opening the curtain and grabbing my towel first, wrapping it around my body. 
“Thanks.” I muttered, squeezing the water from my hair before drying my body off and stepping out. 
He hummed in response. The rest of the evening was that- silent. It was almost a shell shock kind of silent. I felt insane guilt, so much so that silent hot tears rolled down my cheeks as we laid in the dark, trying our best to get some sleep. 
“I- I know we said goodnight already” I sniffle, my voice hoarse and raw from crying. “I’ll shut up after this- I just had to tell you I’m sorry. I’m so so fucking sorry Bear. I’ll listen to you from here on. I’m sorry- It- it was so stupid it was my fault- you know your family better than anyone I was so dumb to push you and to ask to stay. I think back on it and I realize why you got upset when I asked on the porch- but hindsight is always 20/20. I got you hurt. I hurt you and I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I love you. You know I never would intentionally hurt you…right? And it feels like- like I did this to you” I said, gently rubbing his arm. 
He sat up, flicking on the lamp on his side. “It’s my mom.” He said, wiping my tears. “Please. Baby. Please. I- I can’t be away from you tonight- but if I start gettin’ worked up again- I’m not gonna be able t’sleep here. Please. Princess,  Honey - I love you. I fucking love you. Is that what you need? I need you to be okay right now baby- at least not cryin’. I’m hangin’ on-“ he took a shaking breath “I’m hangin by a thread. I already texted Jazz” he whispered, rubbing his face over to rid any building tears. 
I swallowed thickly “I love you, Ok. Ok I’m done, I just had to tell you how sorry I am…” I said, quickly shoving all my emotions into a too small box and locking the bulging lid. He needs me right now. 
“Here, you’ll be little tonight. Turn off the light” I said, laying flat and opening my arms for him. 
He shut off the light, nuzzling his face into my neck, pulling me close as he possibly could. With a featherlight touch, I brush his hair off his forehead so it doesn’t tickle my mouth, gently dragging my nails across his scalp. “Thank you” he muttered.
He shivered a bit, his breath hitching slightly before he melted into me, sighing deeply. “I love you, so much, Carmen. Wholeheartedly. As sure as I am the sun will come up tomorrow, that’s how sure I am I love you. With every cell of my being. And I want you to know that it’s okay to be hurting. It’s okay to show you’re hurting, bear. You’re safe” I said quietly, before kissing his forehead tenderly. 
He remained silent, fingers gently moving along the skin of my back. I continued gently scratching his scalp, rubbing his back in long soothing strokes, the only sound in the room being our breathing and my noise machine. It remained that way for about 20 minutes, before he started softly shaking with silent sobs, holding me tighter and sniffling every so often. 
It went on like this for quite a while. My neck was soaking wet, so was my pillow he was nuzzled on- I didn’t care. I could flip it over. The itch of tear droplets gliding down my skin was only temporary. What he needed right now, was to be held. And to be loved. So that is what I’d give him, without any stipulation, or question, or expecting him to offer any answers. 
“You didn’t deserve it. Any of it. Remember that, ok? I know it hurts. You deserved a good mother, Carm. We both did.” I said softly, kissing the side of his head. 
He nodded gently, tightening his grip on me. “My fucking face hurts again. Like a bitch” he whimpered sadly. 
I swallowed the lump in my throat that formed at the sound of his wet tear filled voice “Give me a second Bear, I’ll be right back yeah? You’re getting too hot, It’s worse cause you're getting all warm and its makin’ the blood rush to your face and it’s throbbing. Cold will help it feel better, let me help you sweets” He wordlessly let me up and I quickly padded out to the freezer. 
Persephone meows, twirling around my legs for attention. “Hey you” I sniffled, tears brimming my eyes without an ability to stop them. I crouched down to pet her and blinked the blurry haze away, the offending tears rolling down my cheeks and dripping in 2 thick droplets onto the floor. 
“Carmy is sad right now, ok? Can you come give us your sweet Sephy snuggles and make him feel better? I know you can make him giggle silly girl” I wiped my face with his white shirt, shaking my head and trying to get ahold of myself.  
“Mama can do this, kittens. I can do it” I told myself, standing up again and momentarily resting the ice pack on each of my puffy eyes before blowing my nose with a tissue and heading back. 
“Hi sweet boy” I said softly, carefully getting back in bed and laying with him. 
“Hey” he sniffled.
I opened my arm for him “Here, we can both be cold” I joked. Resting the ice pack where he usually laid on my chest and patting it. “This will make it feel so much better, Bear” I assured him. 
“Thank you” he said, gently resting his cheek and closing his eyes. He was hiccuping and doing one of those post-sob sniffles every so often, as I resumed petting his hair. 
“Everything happens for a reason, Bear. And I’m really grateful I’m able to tell you I love you, tonight. I love you, and I’m here- I’ll always be here” I said softly and kissed his forehead with a gentle peck.  “You too…” He whispered, and that was the last thing either of us said that night.
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The next morning naturally due to the stress I woke up extra early. Well- shamefully half because of the stress. Half because Sadie was coming over for coffee and we were gonna do our usual Taylor album release antics.
I grabbed my phone carefully, seeing that Sadie had sent me twenty seven texts since midnight. The last one being 
THAT CRAZY BITCH!! SHES RELEASING A PT 2. 31 FUCKIN SONGS WIN!!
I gasp quietly, ever so gently untucking Carm’s arm around me and getting up carefully. I picked up Seph who was comfy laying on his hip, squeaking in protest. 
I shush her, kissing her nose and carrying her to the kitchen. “Queen put a new album out fluffabutt!!” I whispered, taking out 2 coffee mugs. 
I grabbed my phone, FaceTiming Sadie “oh! Perfect! I’m at Starbucks what are you feeling?” She asked and I opened the cabinet, putting away the 2 glass mugs. 
“Can I have a large like- triple shot added americano? With extra oatmilk - vanilla and cold foam, iced?” I said and she laughed 
“Jesus Christ ok I’ll be ready to do CPR I guess” she joked. 
“Yup, Carm and I had a late night, shall I spare you the details?” I joked and she snorted, pulling up to the drive through. 
“Please- I don’t have to hear it twice.” She paused to put in our order “what does he like?” She asked
“Oh- black with sugar. He’s a weirdo. Thank you- I’ll cashapp you” I told her and she relayed it to the person working the line 
“Don’t worry about it- I’ll be there soon Kay?” She asked and I smiled a bit and nod 
“Sounds good. Love ya drive safe!” I told her 
“Love you!” She replied as I hung up. 
I heard stirring in the bathroom and the toilet flushed, so I headed back over to the bedroom just as Carm lays back down on his side of the bed.
“G’morning lovey” I said softly
“Hey- whats’up why’ya outta bed?” He yawned. My heart ached slightly at the sight of his puffy eyes and red nose from crying so long last night, but mostly the reddening on his cheek.
“Uh- it’s Taylor day- Sadie was coming over but we’re gonna get outta here so you don’t have to listen to us, don’worry” I sit down on my side of the bed. 
“Why?” He asked, wrapping his arms around my waist and tugging me to him. 
“We don’t wanna bug you…” I shrugged a bit. My past boyfriends would sometimes get annoyed about my passion for music- especially Taylor, and Sadie was just as loud and enthusiastic as I was- and especially due to the previous nights events. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’d be feeling snappier then usua & didn’t want to deal with our squealing and excited antics. 
“Why’d you bein’ happy bug me, honey?” He said softly, resting his head on my lap and looking up at me. 
I shrugged, gently playing with his hair. “I dunno… I guess if it’s ok we’ll stay, we’ll make sure t’be quiet cause you need your sleep baby your eyes are exhausted” I said softly, gently running my thumb over the bags under his eyes with my other hand. He sighed contently nuzzling his face in my stomach. 
“Sounds good t’me…Can I ask you somethin’ and you won’t laugh?” He asked, eyes still closed. 
“I’d never laugh at you, baby. Well- except that one time you thought rupaul were 2 different people.” I teased with a giggle and he snorts a laugh 
“Stop it I’m serious. Did that all….really happen? Last night?” He asked and I gently bit my lip. 
“I love you, and your mom is getting help. If that’s what you mean” I said, trying to lead with the good and put the bad as gently as I possibly could. 
He sighed softly “mmhmm.” he muttered, remaining quiet for a little bit. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he didn’t want to speak any more about it. Considering last night was the first time i’d met his mother- he was likely feeling embarrassed knowing him (which he shouldn’t be) but nonetheless- nothing I could say would remove that shame from him. The shame of being the child of an unhealed alcoholic was a wound that no one or nothing could heal unless she got the help she needed.
“Wait don’t we gotta go get the album or whatever baby? From Target yea?” He peeked up at me. My heart swelled at the fact he remembered that I told him about the little process Sadie and I had when Taylor would release an album. We didn’t go as far as to having a huge party and staying up until midnight how we used to, but we’d both take the day off work & get starbucks before going to target and buying the Vinyl & CD & listening it in her car together while we do a mini road trip and get lunch.
When I’d told him about it- he said it was ‘really sweet’ and that it seemed like a great time, I told him it was and jokingly invited him expecting him to pass- but surprisingly he agreed, & told me he likes hanging out with Sadie and I because we were ‘funny’ which just made me fall in love with him all the more that he enjoys my best friends company how I do.
I shook my head a bit “No carmy. We can just relax- we had a hard night. It can just wait you’re more important” I said gently and he sat up a bit, furrowing his brows slightly.
“No- no, I have therapy at 2 we got time you’ve been wantin’ this baby. I wanna see too what it’s about. All the letters and stuff? Mm? It’ll be fun right?” He rubbed my arm gently. I had been telling him all about the letters Taylor had been posting on her social media in preparation for the album. I  never expected him to be actually listening since I was just rambling on and I know he doesn’t listen to music so I thought he was just letting me go on because he cares about me.
“You really…you really care?” I asked, astonished he would even humor me by tolerating my interests- let alone actually asking questions about them and wanting to learn and participate in them the same way I’d ask him about cooking. 
“What? Yes. Yes, honey, I love listenin’ t’you talk about this stuff. Y’fuckin light up when you do. How could I not like it if it makes you happy?” He asked and I felt tears welling up behind my eyes. 
I hugged him tightly, nuzzling my face in his neck and he wrapped me in a bear hug, laying back on the mattress as I curl myself around him. “Y’think I don’t realize when y’tell me things you’re lookin’ forward to babe?” He asked gently and rubs my back soothingly. 
“I love you. So much” I whispered, blinking away hot stinging tears. “Nd you give such good hugs” I giggled, smiling when I feel him chuckle against me. 
“So you’ve told me” he kissed my temple “Now tell me princess, how do we do this? You said it’s a process hm?” He asked and I smiled big, sitting back and looking at him with my arms wrapped around his neck loosely. 
I knew he wasn’t a particular fan of hers, Carmy wasn’t really a fan of anything. He barely listened to music on his own, but because I listened to music near constantly - he’d gotten well adjusted to something always playing, and it was usually her. He would make it a point to say “ I do really like this one honey what’s it about?” When he’d heard ones he liked while cooking dinner or breakfast for us and of course I’d happily oblige. 
“Uh..” my cheeks heat as he kissed down my jaw and neck “so - we usually listen to the first single separately…” my breath hitches as he stops at my collarbones, tugging the collar of his shirt down over my shoulder easily and biting down gently on the fleshy part. He hummed as if to say ‘go on’ 
“That- would um..be the first track so. Yeah and then we listen to the rest together but like slow- we relisten to the songs over and over, it’s weird” I said, losing my train of thought as he kissed the top of my breast, sucking lightly before pulling away and looking up at me.
“Put it on then mm?” he rested his chin in the hill of my breasts looking up at me with those big blue puppy eyes of his. 
“I’m gonna tell you a lot today but I love you and you’re the best” I kissed his forehead gently and grabbed my phone from the nightstand. 
He smiled a bit, blush creeping across his cheeks. “So since im the best…does that mean we can fool around before Sadie gets here?” he sucked on my neck gently and I scratch his hair gently as I one handedly checked her location. 
“She’s 7 minutes away don’t think so especially since she has a key” I connect my phone to my bluetooth speaker. 
“Mmm” he huffs brattily,  leaning into my touch and closing his eyes.
“Ok, it’s been less then 24 hours, you little pervert- this one’s called Fortnight, A Fortnight if you don’t know is a period of 2 weeks. If you can remember the name of one song from this album before we go to bed I’ll do whatever you want any position at all” I smirked and he looked up at me quickly, like a puppy being asked if they’d like to go on a walk. 
“The mating press one?” he asked and I roll my eyes playfully with a smirk.
“Yes you horny fucker. Now shhh” I kissed his lips gently as I hit play on the song so he couldn’t ask any more questions.
He hummed happily and cupped my cheek with his calloused hand, rubbing his thumb over my cheek sweetly. When he pulled away he said, “The beat is cool” which made me smile big and pull him into another sweet kiss, gently rubbing over the back of his neck.
I gently rested my head on his shoulder as I listened and he snorted a laugh at the line ‘Your wife waters flowers, I want to kill her.’ “She’s so honest about her feelings, it’s refreshing” he mutters and I giggle a bit.
“Well yeah- if I lost you and then you went off and dated someone else and got married and we ended up being neighbors? If you didn’t move i’d fantasize about killing that bitch every day” I laced our fingers together.
He chuckled and shook his head. “Marriage would be completely off the table if you left me, so it’d never happen” He said and I blushed pink, squeezing his hand gently. 
“I’d never leave you, Bear. Ever, you know that. Here let me see hows your cheek baby?” I gently turn his face and bit my lip at the fanned out pink and deep red marks as well as a blotch in the middle of his cheek. 
“Yeah I look fuckin…horrible” he cleared his throat, looking away from my gaze. I shook my head quickly
“Baby-” I swallowed thickly, trying to hold back my tears and maintain an even normal voice. He hated when I cried, it always made him so upset, so the last thing I needed was to make him hurt more then he already was right now. “It looks fine.” I lied “I meant are you hurting? Can I get you some tylenol or something? Want me to ice it for you?” I asked and barely even brushed my finger over it and he winced.
“Ah- don’t” he hissed and I frowned. 
“I’m gonna go get an ice pack love” I got up and went to the freezer. The way he wasn’t fighting on me, meant it really was hurting him- but Carmy is Carmy and wasn’t ever going to complain. But it still bothered me how he would just sit there in pain & not say anything about it so I could take care of him.
I came back to bed with the icepack and gently held it to his face and he sighed in relief. “Thank you angel” He said softly. I paused the song before it could start the next one without Sadie here and kissed his forehead. 
“Of course sweets, I’m gonna get dressed mm?” I said and he hummed in agreement, taking the icepack and holding it to himself, laying back on the bed and sighing softly to himself. 
“So do you have a special Taylor outfit too baby?” he asked as I opened my closet. I smiled a bit, looking through it.
“Kinda- I’m gonna wear my Folklore cardigan” I took it out and tossed it on the bed and he looks at it carefully, dragging his finger over the embroidered stars “Cause that’s what Sadie’s wearin’ so were gonna match” I said and speak of the devil, I heard the door open.
“In here! He’s already up, Oh my god!! ‘My husbands cheating I wanna kill him?!’ Bitch this albums gonna be insane” I called out to herand she came to the bedroom, baring a tray of coffees.
“Stop it’s been on repeat since last night for me, It’s so good!! Hey Carm” she greeted him and goes over, setting the tray on the nightstand and handing him the only hot coffee in the tray.
“Oh-Uh, thanks…” He said shyly. He still hadn’t been able to be out of his shell fully unless it was just us, but he was slowly getting there. His eyes slightly widen as I started stripping and putting on a fresh pair of panties and a bra while Sadie and I continued casually talking.
“Oh the first part about being sent away- literally us” I said causing us both to laugh as I hit play on the song again. 
“First thing I thought when I heard it, oh are we twinning?! Cuutee!!” She said excitedly with a smile.
“So…you just look at eachothers tits?” Carm asked bluntly and Sadie and I both laugh.
“No- weirdo- shes just changing i’m not staring at her. You don’t change in front of your dude friends?” she asked and he shook his head.
“You’ve never changed in front of other dudes?” she asked to which he shook his head again lightly as he held the icepack to his cheek.
“He didn’t play any sports bug” I told her as I jumped and wiggled into my jeans before buttoning them. 
“Ahhh- ok. That tracks, when did you graduate?” she asked him.
“High- High School? Er…” he asked, looking at me nervously before looking back at her. If she’d been a stranger I’d willingly save him from the discomfort of being asked about himself - but it’s healthy for him to branch out and talk to people since he refused to do it himself, and Sadie was more then safe for him to try that with.
“Yeah! I went to Gage Park and graduated in 2012 - same year as Win” she nodded 
“Oh- uh..no I um… I went to Foreman and graduated in 2011” he replied and took a sip of his coffee. “How’d you know?” he motioned to the cup and she shrugged with a smile
“If I said i’m a coffee psychic i’m not sure you’d believe me, your lovely pooh bear has your order memorized,” she said and I rolled my eyes, putting on my deodorant with a small smile.
 “It’d be more impressive if he remembered my order since his is literally just sugar” I said and Sadie grabbed my cup from the nightstand, covering the sticker.
“Boyfriend test! What’s her coffee order?” she teased him and I looked over at him raising my eyebrows playfully.
“Here’s your real test of love” I joked, slipping my cardigan on and grabbing my hairbrush, beginning to detangle my rats nest from not tying it up before I went to sleep. 
He rolled his eyes playfully. “Iced americano, with shots in it depending on how tired she is- and then add vanilla, and extra light with the oatmilk shit, and extra of the cold foam stuff on the top - and cinnamon” he said and Sadie raised her eyebrows in surprise, looking over at me.
“Trained ‘em well” she said and I laughed, pausing my hairbrushing to come give him a well deserved kiss.
“Do I love you yet?” he joked and I giggle, pinching his bicep playfully. 
“Remembered the cinnamon huh?” I kiss the tip of his nose and he pats my bum gently. 
“Yes- can we please turn on the next song now? We’ve heard it 50 times now babe” He asked and I laugh a bit. 
“More like less then 10, but ok lover because I don’t want you sick of us just yet” I hit skip to start playing the next song which was the title track as I sat at my vanity and finished brushing my hair. Sadie came up and put my coffee on the vanity for me, going over to my perfumes and smelling various ones as we listened. 
Came the part of the song where the lyrics were ‘I scratch your head, you fall asleep - like a tattooed golden retriever’ and Sadie and I stared at eachother for a moment before looking at Carmen, then back to eachother and cracking up. She had witnessed many times now when we’d have little dinner party’s with he and Syd when they insisted on cooking for us and showing us a new recipe, he’d work himself so hard that sitting on the couch after everything had been cleaned up when I was gently playing with his hair he’d fall asleep in my lap and miss them leaving. 
“Hey- What! What’s funny?” he asked, not even realizing the lyrics we were laughing at, not having been paying attention like we were and he puts his coffee down. “Tell me! Tell me what did I do?” He whined a bit with a slight pout, how he usually did when he realized he’d missed a joke and I laughed at his adorable childlike tiny tantrum.
“Nothin’ - Taylor had a little tattooed golden retriever too I guess” I shrugged and he put the icepack down, confused. 
“Hell’s that mean?” he asked and came over to me, watching as I put on my eyeliner. 
“It means you’re cute and have nice energy, baby” I said before resuming to carefully draw a sharp wing.
“Mm” he grumbled how he did when he didn’t understand me but was just deciding to let it go. “How long will this take? I wanted you t’try that sauce i’m makin’ when we get back” he kissed the top of my head lightly as I paused to shake the pen so more ink would go to the tip.
“Not long, Bear. We’ll be back with plenty of time to try your sauce, yeah? Go shower baby” I said, leaning into the mirror as I start my other eye. 
“Kay…y’look pretty” he said softly and rested his hand on the desk, leaning. I smiled a bit 
“Thank you, you’re hovering, lovey. Did you want a kiss?” I puckered my lips and his cheeks redden in response as he leans down and kisses my lips. 
“Thank you” he muttered 
“Baby you can ask me for loves when Sadies here, shes not gonna judge you” I assured him and she looks up from her phone.
“What?” she replied, clearly not having paid attention. 
“See” I assure him and rub his chest just above his belly gently. “Make sure you dont let your face hit the hot water ok lovey?” I ask and he nodded a bit. It was more than clear that last nights events were causing him to be much clingier and wanting of physical touch which was more then normal after something like that, especially for him. The last time he’d had a big blowout fight with his mom, he’d not even wanted me to go to the bathroom alone - his mind was absolutely a prison in times like this, and me being near made it easier to manage. 
“Mm i’ll be careful” he said and went to the bathroom, shutting the door since Sadie was here and preoccupying Sephy so she wouldn’t feel the need to go and scratch.
“So…How was like- after” Sadie asked when she heard the water start. I cleared my throat, nervously stretching my back and shaking my eyeliner pen some more. 
“Not much. He’s not a talker, made sure he knew I was here. He cried a little, it’s better then nothing. He’s seeing his therapist.” I told her and she nods a bit, looking at me in the mirror. 
“His sister was a mess too, like- her husband had to drop her kids off at his parents house so they wouldnt see the rest of it. She kinda bitched me out when I opened the laundry room by mistake, Syd said she didn’t mean it, though” she picked at her nails nervously.
“She didn’t, Sadie. Natalie really is one of the nicest people. His family is just…” I sighed. “She said it was like this before their brother, but- now its like…no love left. Like he was the main string that tied the family all together and now that he’s gone- it’s impossible to be together. My therapist says that a tragedy like that either breaks a family or brings them closer together- Chris broke mine too, so I don’t blame them. I wasn’t strong enough - er…my family wasn’t strong enough, either.” I explained and she shook her head.
“No way, Win. You’re so strong, and so, so smart. It wasn’t your job- it was your familys job.” She said and I sighed softly, finishing up my eyeliner. I wanted to believe her - but something in me couldn’t help but feel weak at the fact I had no family left that bothered to speak to me other then my Grandma, and I had Carmy and his family right in front of me in dire need of help and I’m not even the one hurting this time- and I still cant save him from them. 
I’m pulled from my thoughts by Carm’s phone ringing - “Hand it please” I requested since Sadie was laying on my side of the bed, she leaned over and grabbed the phone before reaching out to me and handing it over. 
Natalie's name flashed on the screen and I slid it, to answer putting the phone to my ear.  “Carmy? Mom had a seizure last night apparently- uh…they’re saying she has some…some- disease from drinking? Please- how fast can you get here? I really don’t wanna do this by myself…”
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➵ 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 ⋘ 𝐖𝐈𝐏 ♡♡♡ ⋙
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goat-boy-sounds · 1 year
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I love frank and matt because they hate each other but also if they were in pacific rim they would be drift compatible
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tennis-kittens · 3 months
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AO 2024 • Doubles • R1 • Miscellaneous
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michaelmilligan · 7 months
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I also thought they could have done so much more and better with Adam.
I have a head cannon going where he still become a doctor but a psychiatrist and working with/helping hunters with what they see.
Sorry about dumping this on you when we haven't really spoken before.
Omg, don't apologise, I love receiving Adam thoughts in my ask box. 👀👀👀
The idea of Adam, who got eaten by monsters and then survived hell, turning those experiences around by using them to empathise with hunters is so. 🥺🥺🥺
When someone has survivor's guilt/watched people die, he could not only give a 'You're only human, and believe me, if you were a higher power you would not be out there in the field to begin with' speech and have it resonate bc he's very open about his experiences (namely, possession, in this case).
But he could also go 'I was literally killed by a monster and don't think that's the fault of any random hunter who didn't manage to be there in time, why would any other vicitim think different?'
Just. Him helping people be kinder to themselves and not take their perveived failures so hard. 😩 Beloved blorbo.
He could work with Mia, the shapeshifter therapist. 👀 It might be difficult for hunters to accept her, but it could also help show them that not all who are different/are seen as 'monsters' are actually bad.
(And if Adam still has a little bit of archangel grace in him after over a thousand years of possession and is a bit of a cryptid himself, well, barely anyone notices when his eyes glow a little brighter.)
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thedreadvampy · 7 months
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idk I had a very interesting therap today but I just
like it's all very well to recognise that I gotta have a fucking open-ended breakdown and jump face first into the Sadness Bog sometimes instead of sitting on all my feelings
but like
I still have to go to work, you know? it's like. ok yeah have a breakdown which like until you jump into it you don't know if it's going to last an hour or a year. yeah go ahead that's all grand. you do have to get up in the morning and go to work though. you're not allowed to not do that. or to not pay the rent or not shower or not eat.
like all my friends and loved ones are constantly like 'you know you're allowed to be sad right' and it's like. AM I??? because I STILL HAVE TO PAY RENT.
#red said#the thing my therapist keeps pointing out is like. i got on this adulthood thing WAY too early#metaphorically i have Had To Go To Work In The Morning since i was like. 4. bc i am congenitally incapable of#Not Thinking About Consequences. and it's so important to be Good and Tough and Have It Together#but like. maybe if id done more crying and melting down when i DIDN'T Have To Go To Work In The Morning bc i was a Literal Infant#i might be a more balanced adult now that i actually DO. Have To Go To Work In The Morning.#what do people like. do. when they have to have feelings but also meet adult responsibilities? impossible. gotta choose.#i think it doesn't help that i already really struggle to work a full time job. like I'm already late basically every day bc i a night guy#so it's like. there's no give in this. maybe if i was back into a 3-4 day week? but idk if i can afford that#but also the work is only partly work. it's also like. having human relationships. eating. washing. being a person.#but idk. like. until i have some genuinely open-ended time i think I'm gonna always find it impossible to actually let go#i said in therapy it's like. like sadness specifically is like a thick muddy bog. and i can dip a foot in it#but bc i know i need to be able to keep moving#i can only stick a foot in and deal with a bit of it if I'm holding onto something. so in practise i can only cry#right before it becomes inappropriate to cry. so like. end of a therapy session. heading to a train station after seeing someone.#that kind of thing. it's a safety thing.#it would be much more effectively Dealing With to go dive into the bog and plough through it#but I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT'LL TAKE and i have to like. come out all muddy and deal with that#and there's always somewhere i gotta be soon. i can't just jump into the mud. not cause I'll get hurt i just Don't Have Time#anyway. feelings. how do they work. embarrassed about having them. embarrassed about suppressing them. generally just embarrassed.
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cheesesteakphil · 2 years
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Unpinned my Comms sheet since I’m keeping them closed now I’ve finished my queue. Kinda running out of power juice and want to take the time to recharge and get my groove for drawing my favorite gay muppets back in my own time. Unsure when I’ll open them back up but I’ll be sure to let y’all know when I do. Thanks again for everyone who shared the post and commissioned me :)
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cocktailjjrs · 2 years
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Just had a thought,
What if Senju reminds us so much of young Mikey is because she tries to imitate him? Her every action and way of fighting is deliberate, made with a sole thought process of what Mikey is?
No, this is not the shipper in me talking rather I have a feeling this is for Haruichiyo.
Now, this might get a bit messy and my thought process is all over the place, so forgive me if it turns out to be confusing.
When we first meet her – she explains her sole objective is to take down Mikey and in turn Kanto Manji Gang. As we move further into the manga, we also get to know that her current Vice-President is her eldest brother and the current Vice-President of KMG is her second brother. There are still many mysteries around these siblings – so I think Senju had rightfully called themselves as the “Three Mysterious Siblings” (Ch 216)
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In the same chapter we also get to know this – even after all these years, Senju is hung up on her second brother – him not acknowledging her, even if Takeomi supports her, Sanzu is not interested in Brahman or regarding her as the leader. She had a wishful gaze as she explained that to Takemitchi. (Sad?)
The recent chapter (ch 263) we also saw that Sanzu had an air of admiration towards Mikey (ripped mouth or not); That means in current timeline (2008) it’s been almost seven eight years of Sanzu obsessing over Mikey. I think when this phase started, he started neglecting everyone who was not upto Mikey’s standard. Since Mikey was taken by Strong individuals then, Sanzu also only acknowledged those who were strong (probably).
Ch 241 states Sanzu was the one who spent most time with Senju; with Takeomi telling him to set good examples for her to follow, even though he got scolded for that sometimes – he was still nice to her. Idk how many people can relate to this, but we all have one favourite sibling we are closest to; we share everything with them and forgive for anything that they do wrong – I think for Senju that sibling was sanzu. She admired him, loved him and wanted him to be with her always.
We saw how derailed Takeomi was after Black Dragons disbanded, it’s okay to say he was not much around, she had only Sanzu to cling onto.
So, when things started to go astray and Sanzu’s admiration towards Mikey grew to the point where he left his sister (Again, I don’t think the whole plane incident was the only reason for their estrangement) – From the way Senju saw it, only Mikey or someone Mikey-like will be able to get Sanzu’s attention.
She started with Strength – Practicing and fighting with Waka and Benkei; thinking of starting her own gang. Trying to look like Mikey.
But her most physical appearances have also resembled early 2005 Mikey, before thing’s started to actually go down the hill for him. I think this is also because, Senju only interacted with Mikey when they were younger, when he didn’t have to shoulder deaths of his siblings and friends.
I think she kept tabs on Toman for a while – don’t know for how long though. But it was definitely till Sanzu became Vice-captain of 5th Division. From where I see it, there was a time when even Mikey had no handle on Sanzu, making Senju worry about his well-being and that made her keep an eye out for him and in turn for Toman. But when he settled into the role of Vice-captain, she kinda stopped? Or had other things to deal with maybe (most likely starting Brahman).
So, when we encounter her in in 2008, the info she has about Toman is that it disbanded, and Mikey instead started KMG – Brahman was a part of this from the start.
But in spite of her trying hard, being regarded as someone who could stand on the same plane as the “Invincible Mikey”; she still failed to get Sanzu to notice her. I think one of the reasons to join Toman 2.0, apart from Takemitchi convincing her, was also to have a chance to talk with Sanzu and get her brother back. 
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She tried to talk him out of fighting, ready to lose the fight, to leave the whole sibling rivalry thing, but we know what went down after this (I really wanted to snap at sanzu here the way mitsuya did with Taiju that time)
Because, honestly, the more I look at senju, the more she looks and sounds like Mikey (at the same time not, she has this distinct characteristic about her that I just can’t place but it’s there that makes her unique in her own way, but that’s beside the point)
Anyway, that about sums it up.
Toodles!
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thebibliosphere · 1 year
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Speaking of therapy, I say, as though we're old friends, and you're not a stranger trapped in this metaphorical elevator with me and you can hear the suspension wires starting to fray.
I've been doing a lot of work recently that's focused on imposter syndrome and the feeling that no matter how well or how much I do, I'm not good enough. That I'm somehow tricking everyone into thinking my work is actually good.
Some days it's a minor niggle in my head that I can gentle and soothe with logic and affirmations. Or smother, depending on the mood. Other times it's loud and all-consuming and the mental anguish it causes me is so real I can feel it twitching in my muscles. This desperate fight-or-flight instinct with nowhere to go and nothing to fight but myself.
Anyway, because I'm several types of Mentally Unwell™, I was switching between workshop sheets ahead of next week. Filling in different forms. (Trying to get a good grade in therapy) And I got my "recognize your harmful ADHD coping mechanisms" worksheet mixed in with the "you're not actually lying to people, you just feel like you are because your brain is full of weasels" worksheet, and seeing them side by side made something go topsy turvy in my head, and I just had to sit and breathe for a couple of minutes until the urge to scream passed. Because it clicked, it all suddenly clicked.
The reason the imposter syndrome workshops and therapy sessions aren't sticking was because I do routinely trick people into thinking I'm someone I'm not.
Because I'm masking my ADHD for their convenience.
I've always known there was something wrong with me. My neurotypical peers made it abundantly clear I didn't fit in or was failing in some way I couldn't see nor remedy, no matter how hard I tried.
So I compressed myself into a workaholic box of hyper-competence in the hopes they'd stop noticing the flaws and exploit like me instead. And then subsequently lived with the daily fear that if they looked too close, they'd realize I'm a monumental fuck up with enough personal baggage to block the Suez Canal.
If you ever need someone to burn themselves to ashes for your comfort and convenience, I'm your gal.
Or I used to. Until I had a bit of a breakdown, and the rubber band holding my brain together snapped and pinged off into the stratosphere, never to be seen again.
Unfortunately, the trauma of living like that didn't also fuck off and instead left a gaping maw where my personality ought to be, so now I get to deal with that aftermath.
And it's that aftermath that's affecting the imposter syndrome shit. Because yes, I am hyper-competent and good at what I do-- but it doesn't feel real because that is how I mask.
And the truly frustrating thing is I am good at what I do. I am not pretending. I worked hard to be good at this. It just feels like I'm dicking around because 90% of my personality turns out to be trauma masquerading as humor in a trenchcoat, and having people genuinely like something weird I'm doing is so foreign my brain has decided it's just another form of masking.
I'm pretending to be a good author so people will think I'm a good author, and my brain thinks we are in Danger of being found out. We are in Danger, and writing is Dangerous because then people will know I'm Weird and not whatever palatable version I've presented myself as for their NT sensibilities.
Like the neurotic vampire with a raging praise kink wasn't an obvious giveaway.
Anyway. I got nothing else. Thanks for listening.
I'm going to go be very normal in another room and not stare into the abyss of my own soul for a bit.
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mx-paint · 1 year
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chaos-coming · 2 years
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My aunt and cousin dont understand why my sister and i are fucked up, bc our parents abused us and did not make decisions based on our wellbeing, only their own. But my aunt was not abused by her parents the way that her brother (our dad) was, so she isnt fucked in the head like our parents are, and so in turn she did not abuse her son (our cousin), and neither of them can comprehend just how badly our parents treated us in comparison to how she raised her family. And it makes it really hard for me to see how my aunt did everything so that my cousin would have good experiences and grow and learn and explore, while our parents did everything to make their own lives easier, and their children were just a nuissance that gave them anxiety and whom they disposed of at the earliest convenience (lock them in the house) or else needed micromanage because they had too much anxiety and no desire to view children as humans instead of housepets who obey orders and produce academic successes they can brag about, and never have needs of their own or want to leave the house. My aunt took my cousin travelling all over the country, we were taken to the house and dropped off like luggage, forbidden to leave or interact with anyone. To say that i'm jealous my cousin had a childhood that didnt come straight out of a shrink's notebook would be a wild underexaggeration. I resent our parents so much for being shit at being parents and my aunt and cousin have zero clue how terrible they were and all they can say is stop being so negative not everything is your parents' fault. Which is super frustrating and invalidating bc its like if YOUR parents had abused you the way my parents did and their parents did, then youd understand just how thoroughly and deeply abusive parents can fuck your life up
#also hes an only child so hes not used to sharing. anything#which becomes really obvious every time we travel together as a family#and also like my aunt will be like stop asking ke every 5 seconds if im ok or mad at you#and the time i accidentally sbapped the handle to her tote bag bc it got stuck in the car door and i didnt realize#then was so so scared to tell her i broke it and apologized profusely for like 5 full minutes#and she was like calm down its not a big deal its a plastic strap#and im like np you dont understand if this was MY mom id get a 20 minute scream-lecture about how i was a bad person for breaking it#and not taking care with her things amd how upsetting it was that the strap was broken and its my fault and now i need to make it up to her#if this had happened when i was a kid i would have been punished and screamed at for at least 30#min#(not even getting into the fact that my mom is autistic and very very emotionally attached to inanimate objects#and they must be kept in their perfect original condition or she would tell her kids that they are a bad person)#(and also she is so mentally ill and literally made of anxiety that the idea of any permanent alteration to literally anything makes you#a bad person#basically doing anything except being an inanimate object makes you a bad person#and a problem child#and because im therefore a problem child it justifies the abuse#now in all fairness i dragged them to fsmily therapy for a year (well my dad got kicked out halfway for being uncooperative.#there is no salvaging an ego that big and hes an academic to boot. completely intolerable.)#but at least they were forcibly told in session that they were abusive parents and i think they kind of see it#at least reflected in how fucked up their kids are. my sister is literally nonfunctional and so volatie that we#cant be around her for more than a few hours at a time. max.#but my aunt doesnt understand amy of this she thinks its completely unnecessary to do family therapy and that im just trying to blame them#for all my problems. bc she only ever heard their perspectives for 25 years and also never saw how her brother was abused bc she was spared#its like no you dont understand i got shit parents and my upbringing was hell. you did such a wonderful job raising your son tjat#you literally cant comprehend how shitty our childhoods were#you put your son first but our parents put themselves first and if we were miserable nonfunctional and traumatized it wasnt their problem
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love-belle · 8 months
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when i said we could be friends, guess i lied !!!
*ੈ✩‧₊˚ in which their post break-up era is them trying to be friends and failing miserably.
or
for when you can't forgive and forget so fuck you and fuck that is the way to go. ˚ ༘♡ ⋆。˚
social media au // carlos sainz x fem!reader
warnings - language
author's note - posting this bc i promised y'all i will!!!! only one part of this series left before i start with all of their second parts!!!!! thank you so much for reading, i love you <3
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yourusername "the grudge" is now officially yours <3 !! it took me exactly 178 days to complete this song and it's easily one of the most vulnerable and raw songs i have ever written. every feeling i have felt for the past few months is sewn into words and i hope you all like it just as much as i do. i love you <3
13,628 comments
username WHAT THE FUCKKKKK
username oh my god
username my undying LOVE now i hold it like a GRUDGE
username this has ruined me wtf
username no bc how can she write "it takes strength to forgive but i don't feel strong" and expect us all to be okay??????
username WE 💔 BOTH 💔 DREW 💔 BLOOD 💔 BUT 💔 MAN 💔 THOSE 💔 CUTS 💔 WERE 💔 NEVER 💔 EQUAL 💔
-> username she's never reaching the pearly gates for this
username carlos sainz i will haunt u in ur dreams
francisca.cgomes such a raw and heartfelt song!! felt every second of this!!
*liked by yourusername*
username i miss the drivers in her comments section :////
-> username carlos really snatched the most iconic friendships from us
-> username fr like give me my charles and y/n, lando and y/n, daniel and y/n, MAX AND Y/N back
username carlos i am in ur walls
username I TRY TO BE TOUGH!!!!!!! I TRY TO BE MEAN!!!!!!! BUT EVEN AFTER ALL THIS UR STILL EVERYTHING TO ME!!!!!!
username 178 days.........THEY BROKE UP EXACTLY 178 DAYS AGO
username i need this song injected in my brain
username no bc i thought it'd be a song about revenge or like shitting on him but this makes me wanna die whatcthrbfuck ur paying for my therapy
lilymhe so proud of you 💌
*liked by yourusername*
username i NEED all the drivers to comment in this post stat so i can know that they're all friends 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
username DO YOU THINK I DESERVED IT ALLLLL
-> username YOUR FLOWERS FILLED WITH VITRIOL
-> username YOU BUILT ME UP TO WATCH ME FALL
-> username YOU HAVE EVERYTHING AND YOU STILL WANT MORE
username how could anybody do the things u did so easily 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔
-> username no bc if i catch him out on streets it's on SIGHT
username she genuinely looked so sad in her ig live i wanted to cry for her 😭😭😭😭😭💔💔💔💔💔
username the fact that carlos broke up with her over CALL like mf at least do it with ur chest
alexandrasaintmleux 🤍🤍🤍
*liked by yourusername*
username is it js me or this feels like the end of y/n's friendship with the drivers and their partners like they haven't liked this post and only a few wags did and while they also commented, y/n did not reply to them
-> username no bc i will actually CRY if that happens 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔
username "it takes strength to forgive but im not quite sure im there yet" fuck forgiving if i was y/n i would SWING
username i honestly thought that they'd make it like they were just SO real
-> username they were together for 6 years EVERYONE thought that they'd make it
carmenmmundt 🫶🏼
*liked by yourusername*
username PLEASE IM SCREAMINGGG WHAT THE FUCK
username y/n ur paying for my therapy sessions
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carlossainz55 when i said we could be friends, guess i lied
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yourusername you have everything and you still want more
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uccmd · 9 months
Text
THE LIST of domestic things about Crowley and Aziraphale during S2 as my free therapy session:
The apology dance
Crowley knows why exactly Aziraphale might call him (the list consists of only three reasons) and can understand which is relevant at the moment by Azi's voice
Crowley doesn't wear his glasses in the bookshop
Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy
"Ourselves"
"Do you need a lift somewhere?"
Them discussing their favorite romantic tropes like it've never happened to them
Crowley casually ordering the drink Aziraphale asked for
Crowley being absolutely done with everything but still managing to help Aziraphale every way possible participating in his investigation and making sure they're not killed
"OUR car"
Crowley actually letting Aziraphale to drive the Bentley!!!
They have a room where they discuss their questions and problems (like with the Gabriel's and Muriel's visits)
Crowley sitting on the arm of Aziraphale's armchair
"Good job" "You really think so?"
Aziraphale calling Crowley right away to tell him more about the clue and what he found out (aka searching for his praise)
Crowley supporting Aziraphale while he performs his little handy magic tricks
Aziraphale slowly getting more comfortable with calling Crowley his friend (aka "we go back in a long time" and etc)
"A little us time"
Them casually touching each other
Dancing while talking and talking while dancing
Crowley not letting other people buy or take Aziraphale's books while he is out of bookshop
Crowley trying to communicate with Gabriel after Aziraphale advices him to do so
Crowley cleaning up the bookshop while Aziraphale is on a walk with Metatron (he knows this place so well + «stress-cleaning» @sgam76 )
Aziraphale asking Crowley to be his assistant in the lethal magic trick and letting Crowley point the muzzle of a loaded gun at him when they can't use miracles
Crowley's hands shaking because his first shot ever was about to be made while he was pointing a gun at Aziraphale but when he just got himself together because fuck him if he will ever hurt his angel
Crowley trusting Aziraphale because he asked
Crowley waiting for Aziraphale to change his mind in the end until the very last moment
Aziraphale complimenting Crowley's work during The Begging
Aziraphale's attempt to put his hand on Crowley's shoulder during the kiss because he wanted them to be closer to each other
Aziraphale has a diary with a description of his every meeting with Crowley (as i suppose)
"But you like waiting inside"
How literally every character made a remark about their relationship being a little bit more than just friendship and how they're flustered by those comments
"I am, but rescuing me makes him so happy"
«Crowley going “NGK!” when Azi briefly corners him in the pub with a hand on his chest» @babbeldumpsterfire
"If any harm goes to Aziraphale-"
«“we both get PLENTY of use out of it” regarding the bookshop» @nightgoodomens
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aryxchse · 1 month
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hii! could you do f! reader dating percy headcannons? i loved you jason grace one <33, thanks!! but also no worries if you can’t do it
ocean eyes. | percy jackson x fem!reader
a / n : i 💃🏻 am 💃🏻 on 💃🏻 to 💃🏻 see 💃🏻 my 💃🏻 husband 💃🏻
warnings : percy jackson's hot self, cursing
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- alright mr obsessed af
- dating with him is like dating with a mama's boy who never leaves his mama's side
- you are the mama btw
- constantly hugging you, or has an hand on you, follows you around like a puppy etc
- overprotective, possesive, jealous, would kill someone for you, obsessed
- those are his red flags
- i won't write green flags because it doesn't end
- the only main problem is his fame
- at least five people falls in love with him the moment he enters somewhere
- but, he's only looking at you ofc
- 'everybody's watching him, but he's looking at you-u-u-uu'
- he does have girl friends but you know them all
- you know when he's shitting at this point
- the type of guy who does something and it looks unintentionally hot
- but he doesn't get why you're drooling all of a sudden
- hearts from water in the lake
- matching outfits
- sleepovers in his cabin, because cabin 3 has a calming aura
- being the mom and dad of the camp and leading the activities
- do i have to mention that sally knows you before he even introduced her to you??
- swimming in a bubble, exploring the sea
- wearing his silly shirts
- you constantly break the dressing code just to wear his sea creature shirts
- sword practicing together
- exploring the camp's forests
- sneaking out from the camp just to see a movie or visit an aquarium
- long talks under the cozy blankets
- matching shark plushies that are married
- your shark is pink
- "jewel told me that blue made her upset."
- "no worries, i already beat the shit out of him."
- dirty words whispered in your ear out of nowhere
- like, now-i-have-a-pool-between-my-legs kinda dirty
- he loves playing sports, he doesn't only swims, so you can often cheer for him on his multiple games
- like that one night he organised a football game night with the gang, and as girlfriends you cheered the boys
- wearing his jumpers that has your lucky number behind it
- kissing you after winning the match
- serious talks that turns into a therapy session
- carrying eachothers ugly childhood pictures in your wallet
- shopping together to buy camp's needs
- surfing together
- hanging out in the nyc on his skateboard
- constantly going on an adventure
- loving the shitty quests like 'finding hecate a special gemstone' or 'stealing aphrodite's hair clip from the museum'
- being in love with either or both of you is the camp's rite of passage at this point
- inside jokes
- babysitting estelle
- dancing in the kitchen
- you may think it's romantic like any other couples do but you guys dance to disney songs while both of you pant from jumping
- going to greek mythology musicals like hadestown
- dating with percy is like dating with that one boy best friend of yours that you loved all of your life and realised he was the one this entire time
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confused-wanderer · 9 months
Text
Batman and superman are their opposite personalities in civilian form.
.. so this gives us a perfect opportunity for the most disastrously chaotic dynamic (and love square) EVER.
ESPECIALLY if they don’t know the others true identities, or even they did and are just being lil shits anyways
Give me:
grumpy skeptical Clark to Bruce’s sunshine playboy persona.
Clark *trying to down as many aspirins as he can, half tempted to throw himself into the sun* : Bruce we needed to surround the enemy, not SEDUCE them!
Bruce *currently on his way to a dinner wearing the most seductive outfit known to man* : Well, you know the saying. We can’t gatekeep or manslaughter our way out of it. Girlboss it is.
Clark: Bruce you are going on a date with a STRAIGHT MAN
Bruce: Give me five minutes and then I’ll let you hear him scream my name
*horrified Clark noises*
==================================
Brooding and detective Batman meeting lie-detector and very effective investigator journalist Clark Kent
Batman: Tell me where the bombs are Riddler!
Riddler *currently tied up* : Hehe you’ll never find them~
Clark: Mind if I record this session Mr. Riddler?
Batman:
Riddler:
Clark:
Riddler: Who the hell-
Batman: .. Kent. How’d you even get here?
Clark: Irrelevant questions. *waves recorder* so..?
Riddler: Sure..tell the public I’m going to paint the walls red-
Clark *in investigative journalist mode* : So which devastating rock bottom led you to lose your mind and pursue this as a career?
Riddler:
Riddler: hey wait hang on this is a fulfilling career!
Clark *raising a judgemental eyebrow*: So.. you fighting a man dressed as a bat, with that atrocious outfit you must’ve gotten from hell and riddles that you’ll give him the answer to anyway.. this is fulfilling?
Riddler *voice breaking* : .. yes?
*questioning and judgemental silence*
Few hours later
Red Robin: .. why is Riddler crying and why does he also have a career counselling book in his hand?
Batman *just as surprised and kind of disturbed at how methodical and impressive Clark was in breaking down Riddlers plan based on evidence and connecting the dots* : Honestly I thought he was here for me and he started ignoring me so out of concern for his safety I demanded he paid attention
Red robin: And?
Batman: and he said “oh you don’t want me to pay attention to you” and showed me.. a lot of details and screenshots I don’t know how he got his hands on
Red robin:
Batman: Riddler also then attempted to escape and Clark just.. punched him so hard Riddler still doesn’t know which universe he’s in..
Red robin: well it could’ve been worse.. Clark could’ve pulled out a gun
Batman: .. he has a flamethrower
Red Robin: IM SORRY WHAT
Batman: .. and he told me we should work together sometimes, and I gave him few crime stories and plots to help raise awareness for the public and stop them.
Red robin:
Batman: also he gave me a therapy card.
=========
Give me ray of sunshine and leader Superman with no sense of self preservation Bruce Wayne
Superman: Good evening Mr. Wayne, there’s a credible threat against you so I’ll be on the lookout for today-
Bruce *sidling upto him* : .. damn.. when I said send your hottest stripper you did deliver..
Superman *beet red* : Im not the stripper sir!
Bruce: Really?
Superman *furious nodding*
Bruce: okay then.. hey listen, I’ve been learning about important dates in history lately.. do you wanna be one of them?
Superman. Exe has stopped functioning
Later
Superman: Mr. Wayne there’s a blackout and the building is under attack! Evacuate!
Bruce *running with gunshots behind* : Are you outside? You’re invulnerable right? Nothing can hurt you? Not even gunpowder or explosives?!
Superman *touched and pleasantly surprised* : yes.. so you don’t have to worry about me Mr. Wayn-
*glass breaks and Superman catches the dark mass falling in the air*
Superman: See? You’re safe-
*realises he’s holding a huge bomb about to detonate*
One explosion later
Superman: … you threw a bomb at me
Bruce: What?? You said you were invulnerable! I didn’t know what else to do with it??
Superman: So you didn’t think to tell me? Not even a warning?
Bruce: Listen that bomb was hot but compared to how smoking hot you were I didn’t think it ever stood a change
Superman: Mr. Wayne, listen. You should’ve atleast yelled or said something so I could’ve gotten it away in time. What if I hadn’t?
Bruce: I did! I yelled GET READY FOR A BLOWJOB
Superman:
Bruce:
Superman:
Bruce: ?? Did I do something wrong?
========
And obviously.. the usual golden retriever Superman x black cat Batman that we all know and love so I’m just going to leave it at:
Batman: Someone is going to die.
Superman: Of fun!
Batman: Sure if you consider burning to death fun
Superman:
Superman: Oh come on be a little optimistic! We must have hope! We will persevere!
Batman: we are literally being held hostages by aliens
Superman: ..listen okay, let me do the talking. We just gotta de-escalate the situation
Alien: You intruders! You will never get our superior defender systems-
Batman *done with this bullshit* : I already hacked into it twenty days ago and found all of your identities, families and now have full control over your systems of defends and weapons. If I wanted to hurt somebody.. I would’ve done so already.
Alien *tries to punch him, gets headbutted instead*
Alien *chuckles* : You have a thick skull Batman..
Batman:
Superman *frantic whispering*: Dontsayitdontsayitdontsayitdontsayit-
Batman: .. atleast mines protecting a brain. Wish I could say the same for yours
Superman *heavy sigh*
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kaisacobra · 2 months
Text
Deal - Tara Carpenter
Summary: After a long time apart, you and Tara have to figure out if you can still save what you had or if you are too broken to be fixed.
Warnings: A bit of angst (maybe)
Word Count: 3.9K
a/n: This is officially the end of the whole "second best" saga! Thank you so much for everyone who read it till here, it was really fun to write. I hope you guys don't mind the open ending 🤭
Fourth part/Alternate ending of Second Best
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Tara couldn't remember the last time she felt this nervous. She stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror for what must have been the hundredth time, adjusting her bangs again, sweeping them from side to side until they looked almost the same as they did initially. The bright light in the room highlighted her freckles and wide, brown eyes filled with anxiety.
It had been a little over a year since she last saw you, since you accepted a spot for a study abroad program after recovering from the injuries caused by the last ghostfaces attack. You went with Kate, and as far as Tara knew, you and the girl spent that time living together.
She vividly remembered the day you left, as everyone else bid you farewell at the airport while Tara drowned in her own misery in her room. She wanted to go, say something, maybe even plead for you to stay, but she didn't have that right. She had sworn not to get close to you again until she knew she had her emotions under control.
Still, she allowed herself to be a bit more flexible when she noticed that her contact was no longer blocked by you. She let her fingers type an honest and heartfelt message about her mistakes, how sorry she was, and her plans to become a better person in the future. You responded with a heart emoji and nothing more. Nevertheless, it relieved the weight on Tara's chest just to know that you didn't hate her as much as she feared.
Tara remained true to the promise she made, a kind of devotion to you and what you represented in her life. She continued her therapy sessions regularly and decided to set aside some of her pride when trying to find new coping mechanisms, even if some of them required the help of others.
Writing remained her favorite, and she had hundreds of pages to prove it. She would be lying if she said you weren't the most mentioned topic in her journals, but over time, she started expanding her writing, and it became common to see her with a small notebook in her bag at all times, ready to express her opinions and feelings when necessary.
But she didn't have the notebook in hand that day. It was Mindy's birthday, and Tara wanted to be 100% dedicated to her friends, actively participating in games, conversations, and any other activity they needed. She knew she had been a bit absent-minded since you moved away, and it made her friends uneasy, not knowing exactly how to deal with the situation and with Tara herself.
But the day was supposed to be happy and carefree, so that's what Tara was going to appear to be.
Or at least, that was the plan until Tara arrived at Mindy's apartment and heard from the birthday girl herself that you would be arriving any moment. From that point on, Tara only remembers feeling her heart almost leap out of her throat and rushing to the bathroom in a failed attempt to prevent hyperventilation.
She sighed again and gripped the sink so tightly that the knuckles of her fingers turned white. She was anxious to see you, but she had no idea how you would react to the encounter. What if you looked at her with distaste? Or if you didn't even want to look her in the face? Tara knew she would deserve that kind of treatment, but it didn't mean it would hurt any less.
Because the truth is, all this time, Tara just wanted you back in her life.
---
Ringing a doorbell should be a simple task, but still, you couldn't help but stand in front of the door, second-guessing before pressing the simple buzzer.
"You know, if you want, we can turn around and leave, but we both know that's not what you want."
You sighed, turning to look at the girl beside you. Kate Bishop had her hands in the jacket pockets and displayed a fond smile on her face, which you imagined was an attempt to make you feel better.
"I hate it when you're right," you scoffed, but both of you knew your indignation was just a joke, having spent enough time together to read each other's reactions like a book.
This wasn't what you expected when you accepted the offer for a year-long study abroad program at Cambridge, but you also couldn't say you weren't satisfied with how things turned out. You didn't even know you needed this change of scenery, but it made sense after everything you had been through. You needed time away from painful memories.
The British air provided a calmness you hadn't felt in a long time, without fear of seeing familiar faces on the streets or places that would remind you of certain memories or people. Of course, good company also played a significant role.
You could hardly believe it when Kate offered to share an apartment with you near the college. She had already done so much for you, being by your side and supporting you throughout your rehabilitation process after last year's attack. You didn't want her to feel obligated to continue taking care of you.
But Kate barely listened to your concerns, saying that she needed to go to other countries to try to expand her company's contacts and that it would be good to have a roommate to share expenses (even though you were pretty sure Kate had enough money to buy three apartments in central London if she wanted to).
It was one of the best decisions you had ever made, and quickly you and Kate fell into such a comfortable rhythm that it felt like you had always lived together. Your relationship even turned romantic for a while, but it only lasted until you both realized that you were better off as friends, which was agreed upon between the two of you.
"Come on, ring that doorbell already! I'm starving!" Kate lightly pushed you, and you rolled your eyes with affection, feeling a bit less tense with your friend's moral support.
"Starving," you laughed and actually pressed the doorbell, taking a few steps back to wait for the moment the door would open. Your hands were trembling, and you felt as though you were about to sweat even though it was quite cold in New York. Of course, you missed your friends, your family, but that wasn't enough to ease your anxiety.
When the door finally opened, you were faced with Mindy Meeks-Martin, with her signature sarcastic smile and her short, curly hair reaching her chin, much longer than the last time you saw her. "Well, well. If it isn't our new European! Do you only speak with an accent now?"
"You're ridiculous." With a smile, you advanced and enveloped Mindy in a long hug that she quickly reciprocated, both feeling the longing emanating through the touch. The contact lasted for a few long seconds until you both untangled yourselves again. "I hope it's not a problem that I brought Kate along..."
"Pfft! Of course not!" Mindy waved her hand, indicating that she didn't mind the newcomer. "It's even better you brought her because I needed to thank her in person for taking care of you." She looked at Kate with a playful smile. "I think we all know our y/n is too kind to be alone in a distant country. She would try to help a stranger on the street and get kidnapped for sure."
"Hey!"
"Wow, have you heard about the time she took the wrong subway, and then..."
"Okay! Enough about my misfortune! Can we go in?" You interrupted Kate, feeling your cheeks flush a bit. Despite being slightly embarrassed, you were still happy that two important people in your life had the potential to get along, and that was all you could ask for.
Mindy made room, and finally, you entered the apartment. It was new, considering the twin and Anika had recently moved in together, and it was sparsely furnished but beautiful and comfortable enough to feel like a home. You and Kate approached, she with her hands on your back as a silent support, and you greeted your friends with enthusiasm and a longing to catch up.
Chad looked stronger than ever, and he seemed excited about both college and his part-time job as an assistant at a gym. Apparently, he got a discount for training and using the equipment and was clearly taking full advantage of it. He and Kate engaged in a conversation about diets, weights, and workouts that you honestly couldn't follow, but you were satisfied to know that they had gotten along well enough to plan to train together someday.
Anika was happy and radiant, making you laugh as she always did. She wore a cropped top, revealing the huge scar forming a line in the center of her stomach, something she seemed to wear with pride. You never expected this reaction from her; on the contrary, you had imagined that she would want to distance herself from the group, out of fear or trauma. Still, it was reassuring to see that she had stayed for Mindy. They were the kind of couple you hoped would last forever.
Sam seemed somewhat lighter since the last time you saw her, as if a huge weight had lifted off her shoulders. She was smiling, albeit not very widely, and welcomed you with a warm hug that almost made you cry with relief. Part of you always wondered if Sam was glad with your departure because of... well... your conflicts with her sister, but she seemed so happy with your presence that it was almost embarrassing that you had that thought in the first place.
And then, she came. A pair of bright brown eyes that haunted your sleep without permission. It was unfair how she looked as beautiful as the last time you saw her, as if time worked differently for her, and only for her. Your breath caught in your throat, and your heart seemed to beat so fast it was about to explode.
How could it be possible that your entire system changed just by her presence? How was it possible that, with a glance, she could change your heartbeat and make your head spin like a carousel? Maybe she didn't even know she was doing it, but you couldn't comprehend why, even after so many years, your body reacted so instinctively around her.
It was almost humiliating to realize that your efforts seemed to have been in vain. You had gone to another country, met new people, explored new horizons, even had a girlfriend for a brief period. During this year, you had thought so little about Tara that you almost thought you could leave her in the past, that you had overcome your feelings, so pure but so conflicting. All of this, all this effort to come back and realize that you seemed to still be stuck in the same place, like the same foolish girl who would do anything for Tara Carpenter against your better judgment.
You could still hear her screams on that last night you had together when you thought you were going to die, and your biggest concern was that Tara had to leave that room alive. You still remembered the conversation you had before, Tara begging for your forgiveness and saying she loved you multiple times.
Those were memories that left a hole in your chest. You knew Tara had her problems, but you always lost so much when she distanced herself.
She raised her hand in an awkward greeting, and you think you gave a half-smile in response. It was too much. You were still feeling too much, and it drove you crazy. Still, you pretended everything was okay for a few moments, just not to create an uncomfortable atmosphere at the party. You talked to the others, sharing a bit of your experience in England, but your mind always unconsciously turned to Tara, analyzing her reactions and trying to read her thoughts.
Tara was quiet, maybe even quieter than you had ever seen her. You couldn't read her expressions very well, straining to see her only from the corner of your eye, but you could feel her attentive gaze on you, as if nothing in the world was as interesting as you.
Finally, you stopped talking for a while and found an excuse to leave and try to restore some of your sanity. The door to the balcony was open, and even though the view was nothing but New York's industrial buildings, the cold wind on your face helped alleviate some of the nervousness you were feeling.
A gentle touch reached your shoulder, and it was familiar enough for you to recognize the owner. Kate's image appeared by your side as she leaned on the railing, looking directly at your face in deep thought. "So?"
"I thought I had gotten over this. This is ridiculous." You responded with your head down, feeling ashamed to continue in this cycle of liking Tara Carpenter.
Kate shook her head and held your shoulder again, silently asking for your attention. "You can't control these things, you know." A second of silence passed, the faint sounds of the city serving as a soundtrack to your emotional confusion. "If it helps, she spent the whole time looking at you. She seemed... I don't know, regretful, maybe? I don't know her as well as you do."
"I don't even know if I still know her." It was a true confession. Even after everything, even the attacks and the message Tara sent you when you were leaving the country, you still weren't sure if she had the capacity to return to what she was before everything went wrong. You were afraid, and honestly, who could blame you?
While you were away, sometimes you checked your friends' Instagram, just to see what they were up to. Multiple times, the posts contained photos with Tara, and she seemed happy, maybe even lighter. You even wondered if the two of you were just destined to be apart, like a more brutal version of Romeo and Juliet.
"You're not obligated to anything, but don't you need some sort of closure?" Kate advised. "Just to move on, if that's what you really want."
"What do you mean by that?" You retorted defensively.
The blue-eyed girl smiled and shook her head slightly, as if dealing with an irritated child. "I saw how you looked at her when you arrived. I'm not saying you should do anything, especially because I have my doubts if she could really be good for you, but it's clear that you feel something for her that's bigger than you can control."
"Yeah, and that's pathetic."
"Don't be so hard on yourself. I understand that your situation is complicated." Kate placed her other hand on your shoulder, now holding you face-to-face with her. "But you know you'll have to face this someday, right? Whatever the conclusion may be."
"Yeah, I know." You sighed, but eventually a smile broke through, lighting up your expression. "When did you become so wise, Bishop? Last time I saw you, you were trying to put aluminum in the microwave."
"Shut up." She grumbled while also having a smile on her face and pulled you into a hug that you didn't even know you needed. That was Kate, a warm person who always gave her best to the people she loved. You couldn't be more grateful to still have her in your life, even though your relationship didn't work out. 
The affectionate moment almost made you forget your conflict. Almost.
Until the reason for all your doubts appeared standing in front of the door, staring directly at you.
_
Tara regretted going after you.
She should have expected, especially since you came to the party with Kate, especially because you spent this whole year living with her. But that didn't mean it hurt any less to see you embraced with her, looking so comfortable that you wouldn't need anything else in this world.
Especially if it was someone known for hurting you and breaking your heart repeatedly.
She stood there, rooted to the ground like an idiot, until you two separated and noticed her presence. When your eyes met, she looked like a deer in the headlights and immediately started stepping back, embarrassed to have been caught like that.
Tara was already planning how to hide from you for the rest of the party when Kate stopped her. "Hey! No need to leave."
The Latina girl halted her route and looked suspiciously at both of you. You didn't seem to understand the situation, just like her, but Kate seemed sure of what she was doing because she continued. "You two need to talk once and for all. No imminent death or text messages, just eye to eye."
"Kate." You called her, grabbing her arm as a form of protest. Tara couldn't help but wince when she noticed how just how much you were against the idea of being alone with her. Not that she could blame you for it.
"Thank me later." That was all the other girl responded, and with a short nod towards Tara, she returned to the living room, leaving two tormented souls by themselves on the balcony.
Tara took a few small steps forward, analyzing what your reaction would be to the proximity. You seemed to be doing your best to ignore her, looking into the distance as if there were something interesting in graffiti-covered billboards and dimly lit lamp posts. She leaned on the railing, trying at least to have a view of your face. "Sorry if I interrupted your intimate moment; I didn't mean to."
You released air through your nose, but Tara couldn't tell if it was a laugh. "You talk as if Kate and I were dating."
"And aren't you?" The younger Carpenter replied, trying to contain some of the excitement she wanted to show. That had been one of the best news she had received in a long time. 
"No, not for a while. I thought you saw it on my Instagram; I unblocked you." You finally looked at her, and Tara could see that you were analyzing her, as if she were a puzzle to be solved.
"Yeah, I stopped checking a while ago. Thought maybe it would bother you."
"And it wouldn't bother me for you to say you love me and not visit me in the hospital once after almost dying in front of you? It wouldn't bother me that the only news I had from you after that was that message before I boarded the plane, since you didn't even bother to show up at the airport?"
Tara felt the anger in your voice, and she accepted each of your frustrations as a penance. God, she would probably accept a punch from you if that would make you feel better. "I had promised myself that I would only get close to you again when I was better, okay? When I sought help and there was no risk of being an idiot with you again. I didn't lie when I said I love you, and it's because I love you that I knew it was better to stay away until I could be a version of myself that would be better for you."
A minute of pure silence passed, and Tara almost thought the conversation would end there until you spoke again. "And did you? Get better, I mean."
She sighed and crossed her arms as if that made her less vulnerable. "I think so. I don't feel as much uncontrolled anger as before; I also don't feel the need to take out my frustrations in drinks or parties. It's been a while since I argued with Sam, and I think that's good for both of us. And my therapist is nice, even though he's old enough to not know what Twitter is." Tara laughed, even though she was full of anxiety bubbling inside her. "But he advised me to write, and that has helped me a lot."
You looked at her with curiosity. "Write? About what?"
"About everything." Tara shrugged, almost as if she were relaxed. "My day-to-day life, college, my friends... you. Writing makes what I feel not stay trapped inside me, so I have no reason to explode. Everyone wins with this, and I must say that my essay grades even increased after that."
A short laugh escaped your lips, and the sound made Tara minimally satisfied with herself. "You write about me?"
"Yeah, actually, most of my journals have something about you. Memories of our childhood or what I feel for you." Tara admitted, feeling her own face blush with embarassment. You didn't seem to notice, or just didn't care, because you continued to look at her very carefully. "But most of it is about things I regret. Things I said, things I did... I'm really sorry."
"I want to believe that. I mean, I believe you, I know you're not lying, but..." You placed your hands on your head and closed your eyes, your elbows resting on the railing. It seemed like you were trying to block your own thoughts. "It's all so complex, and I feel so much... pain."
"I understand. I don't expect you to forgive me, and I'm willing to spend the rest of my life apologizing if necessary." Cautiously, Tara took a few steps towards you. "But if you want me to stay away, just say the words, and I'll go."
You sighed with evident exhaustion. "Of course not, Tara."
She took a few more steps, and now her arm almost touched yours. "I know I have no right to ask this, but... do you still love me? Or do you think you could love me again someday?"
"Of course, I still love you, Tara! Don't you see that's the problem?" You moved away from the railing, raising your voice as the conversation stressed you. "I shouldn't still love you! I shouldn't still want you around! What does that say about me?"
Tara waited a few seconds until you calmed down, keeping the distance between you to avoid making you more irritated. When your breathing started to slow, she continued in a weak voice. "I hurt the person I loved most in this world. What does that say about me?"
You didn't say anything in response. She spoke again. "Why don't we make a deal?"
"A deal? About what?" You replied with sarcasm dripping from your voice.
"Let me prove that I've changed, that I've improved, that I deserve a place in your life again. We can start slowly; I won't force anything and will respect any boundaries you want." The girl pleaded, almost clasping her hands and kneeling at your feet. "And if I do anything, anything at all, that makes you uncomfortable and hurts you, I'll leave you alone forever."
"What's the point of that?"
"To stop this doubt that I know we both have. Stop us from wondering about the 'what ifs' and really put to the test if I've changed. That's what you want, isn't it? To know if there's any chance the old Tara can come back? Well, that's all I want too."
You stared at her, clear doubt and apprehension in your eyes as you thought about the presented arguments. Tara's foot tapped rapidly on the floor, demonstrating her nervousness.
A few seconds passed until you spoke again. "What does this mean for us?"
Tara's expression softened as she understood your caution. It was understandable, your fear. "I don't know, but we can find out together. Do we have a deal?"
A few more seconds, and then, a nod.
"Deal."
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duubaloo · 2 years
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i have been dedicating my free time reading the song of Achilles or being on bts stan twt or being on star wars stan twt or reading a Star Wars book or fanfiction and all these are so immersive my mind is playing tricks on me sometimes I feel like turning around and talking to these characters/people in person or sometimes I’m existing and my mind thinks I’m in the situations they face and start to feel afraid or worried depending on the chapter/episode I was on and I have to remind myself to hold up and come back to earth…it’s bad for me now
#not allowing one single thought about my life cross my head#and my mind is allowed to think is fictional scenarios that’s all#of course bts are not fictional but just thinking about their interviews or their words makes me happy so that’s were my mind goes when I#mention them#once again maybe I need to go to therapy#but the last time I went (also the only one) was so bad I’m just afraid to go again#therapists are different and I could try a new one but the last one kept making my worrries feel less in a way to help me but it just made#me feel invalidated all together and they were things that I had tried so hard to understand that were important#like my major problem was that I hadn’t been brave enough to realize those problems were important and she was just like other people have#ir worse :) like??#as I’m already over sharing ..the reason I went was bc my bf at that time was verbally and emotionally violent and I hadn’t left bc ?? I#thought he was one day going to be again like in the beginning and I thought maybe I was overreacting so I stayed#and the last straw was when he started being physically violent and threw me to the floor and chased me and left me bruises#so when I told the therapist while I was crying she told me that other people have it worse#i don’t know if that helps other people but like…that’s why i it took me so long to leave that relationship bc me made me feel like I was#overreacting and then she comes and tells me other people have it worse#and yes yes i know other people have it worse but that doesn’t mean what I went through wasn’t bad or shouldn’t affect me#it was one of the scariest things I went through and it took me two years to EVEN be able to talk about it without crying#anyways.. I didn’t go back for another session and now I’m kinda scared to go to therapy at all because my problems are not the same but I#still don’t feel good about other things and I’m afraid they are gonna tell me it’s not a big deal#because it is a deal for me#anywaysssss 8:37 am and ranting about this
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