kids remind me, often, of the things i've taught myself out of.
i have a big dog. he looks like a deer. he is taller than most young children. while we were on a trail the other day, a boy coming our direction saw us and froze. he took a step back and said: "i'm feeling nervous. your - your dog is kind of big."
goblin and i both stopped walking immediately. "he is kind of a big dog," i admitted. "he's called a greyhound. they are gentle but they are pretty tall, which is kind of scary, you're right. their legs are so long because they are made for running fast. i am sorry we scared you. would you like us to stand still while you move past us, or would you feel more safe in your body if we move and you stay still?'
"oh. i didn't know that about - greyhounds. i think i ... i want to stay still," he said. at this point, his adult had caught up to us. "i'm nervous about the dog," he told her, "so i'm - i'm gonna stay still." she didn't argue. she didn't make fun of him. she just smiled at him and at me and held his hand while goblin and i, with as wide of a berth as we could make, crept our way through.
behind us, i heard him exhale a deep breath and kind of laugh - "he was really big, huh? she said it's because greyhounds have to go fast."
"he was big," she said. "i understand why that could have made you a little scared."
"yeah. next time i - next time do you think i could maybe ask to touch him? when - i mean, next time, maybe, if i'm not nervous."
later, going to a work event, in the big city, i stood outside, trembling. my social anxiety as a caught bird in my chest. i took a deep breath and turned to my coworker. she's not even really my friend yet. i told her: "i feel nervous about this. i am not used to meeting new people, ever since covid."
she laughed, but not in a mean way. she said she was nervous too. she reached her hand out and held mine, and we both took another deep breath and walked in like that, interlinked. a few people asked us - together? - and i told the truth: i feel nervous, and she's helping. over and over i watched people relax too, admitting i feel really kind of shy lately actually, thank you for saying that.
the next time i go to an event, and i feel a little scared, i ask right away: wanna hold hands? this feels a little dangerous. i hesitate less. i don't hide it as much. i watch for other people who are also nervous and say - it's kinda hard, huh?
i know, logically, i'm not good at asking for help. but i am also not good at noticing when i need help. i've trained myself out of asking completely, but i've also trained myself to never accept my own fears or excuses. i have trained myself to tamp down every anxiety and just-push-through. i don't know what i'm protecting myself from - just that i never think to admit it to anyone.
but every person on earth occasionally needs comfort. every person on earth occasionally needs connection. many of us were taught independence is the same thing as never needing anything.
each of us should have had an adult who heard - i feel nervous and held our hand and asked us how we could be helped to feel safe. no judgement, and no chiding. many of us did not. many of us were punished for the ways that we seemed "weak".
but here is something: i am an adult now. and i get nervous a lot, actually. and if you are an adult and you are feeling a little nervous - come talk to me. we can hold hands and figure out what will help us feel safe in our bodies. and maybe, next time, if we're brave, we can pet the dog that's passing.
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Can we expect any chet in your Snake Boi fics? 👀
For Snake Boi Callum fics I have
i can't help it: in which Kpp'Ar gets out of his coin and at first, mistakes Callum for Viren
i asked god to take the damage out on me: Callum does the same spell Viren did to save Soren in order to save Ezran
some say in ice: Callum uses the blood freezing spell in order to protect Rayla.
it still floats: Soren POV fic on Callum's selective loyalty (and what it means to be adjacent to, but not directly, have it)
CHET plans are being reserved for my fanon S6 fic "Teach Me How To Name The Bigger Light" (4/26ish chapters done? Maybe?) as anyone who follows me / my theories will not be surprised by much of the lore or endgame plot decisions.
However, if you do want some CHET fics, there are some lovely ones written by other people:
Post-exchange fic by @zuppizup
Post-exchange fic + 5 related drabbles (scroll to the bottom of the screen to start at the beginning) by @jelzorz
prelude / buildup by @mandaloriandragontrainer
exchange & aftermath by @rayllurn
the exchange & the aftermath by @lawchan89
these art pieces by @chimpukampu in order: 1, 2, 3
As well as a few by me such as
My own post-exchange fic
the originator, featuring like 12k of buildup and AU as of S4 but I'm still very proud of the fic as a whole
loosely adjacent post-s5 drabble
a post-s4 speculative (s6?) prelude
10.2k oneshot that's not CHET but it is about callum being all "i'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe" (post-s4) about dark magic so it was 100% written as a CHET prelude, canon confirm (and one of the reasons 5x08 made me do a lil happy dance)
As you can see there is quite the little collection, and I am excited to add to it one more time - as getting to said scene and being able to write it again to reflect how the theory/scenario has matured and evolved since its first inklings - god, a full three years ago? - is one of the reasons I'm most determined to actually make my way through writing all of fanon S6.
And of course if I missed anyone's fic or drabble or art piece, feel free to add it in the replies/reblogs - I'd love to see/read it! <3
Bonus: my favourite meme I've probably ever made
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