#inaction is action

[scumsucking]

A man should be judged by his actions, not by his words.

#inaction is action #personal truths

[sarcastic-hats]

Act I: Knowing and believing are two different things.

My take on what happens BLR :)

If you like what I do, buy me a coffee!

#Vashwood #Trigun #Trigun Badlands Rumble #Vash the Stampede #Nicholas D Wolfwood #I always thought about how Vash would react if he came across the results of his action in BLR #Or rahter #His inaction #and Wolfwood's grief always hit me in a particular way #and how he never responded to Amelia when she asked him if he followed Vash's principles #and the glasses #oh the glasses #to see the world from his point of view #Anywho #I love Badlands Rumble #It has a special place in my heart

[theteapotofdoom]

One Piece: *is literally the most influential manga of all times*

One Piece: *sold billions of copies around the world and has been a best seller for more than twenty years*

One Piece: *has consistently been praised by mankagas and other creators all over the world as one of the most iconic and influential piece of fiction of all times*

One Piece: *has massive fandom full of talented and dedicated people who are inspired by the world and the characters and produce magnificent creations in return*

Me, a moron, watching the live action adaptation for the first time: Wow, was anyone going to tell me that One Piece is very fun and good? Who would have thought! :)

#i may be stupid :) #sorry for making so many opla posts in a row after being inactive for months do you still think I’m sexy? #i just think they’re neat #one piece #one piece live action

[watermelinoe]

i know i use radfem as a shorthand for the gyns on here who Believe those Beliefs but i think radical feminism is something one does, not an identity, and i think part of our collective problem is that we're all still submerged in the deep fryer that is identity politics

#i don't think of myself as a feminist bc i don't do feminist action #i do... feminist INactions lol. not shaving. not wearing makeup. not growing my hair out. not dating men. #i try to prioritize women in my life and creatively #but to me feminism is activism #i think we need to get back to talking abt feminist ACTIONS over feminist identity #and then ppl maybe wouldn't take it so hard hearing ''this is not a feminist action'' vs hearing ''you are not a feminist'' #should you try to align your life with your beliefs? of course #but also doing non-feminist things is not necessarily cancelling out every feminist thing you do lol it just doesn't work like that

[perfectlyripeclementine]

hi. there is still time for you to join the fight for a free palestine, or to come back to it if you tapped in in October and then burnt out.

there is still time to call and email your representatives. to learn about the Boycott, Divest, Sanctions movement and find ways to apply them to your life. to connect with local organizations and protest. to tap into the strike.

small things are good too: if you aren’t able to go to protests, is there anything you can do to support your friends who go?

this struggle started way more than three months ago. this is the long haul. it’s allies’ job to figure out whatever we need to figure out so that we can show up with endurance.

i’ve done this before but if you are experiencing guilt paralysis, if your feelings of shame of “not enough” are preventing you from showing up, dm me. there is space for you to tap in. we need to help each other not let perfectionism get in the way of action.

#imperfect action > inaction #if you’ve noticed i’ve not been active on here it’s for the strike

[krisiverse]

An out-of-control trolley is headed towards a track with five people on it, at a speed that anyone it hits will die. You are nearby and can pull a lever that will divert the trolley to a track with one person on it, letting the trolley kill them instead.

You can divert the trolley, causing the death of one person, or do nothing, allowing the deaths of five people.

#trolley problem #polls #i like framing it this way. the option isn't two different actions it's action or inaction

[romantichore]

when I was in college, my Brazilian Literature professor told us this story about an author who wrote weekly adventures for some newspaper. as one would expect, the author was paid peanuts.

as the series grew in popularity, the author started pressing for a raise, and was always denied or told he'd get his raise after x or y issue. so he kept on writing, and funneled the story into a series of amazing plot points, only to reach a cliffhanger that had readers writing letters to rave about it.

he asked for a raise again, and got told no. so he quit, and no one thought much of it. only they couldn't find another writer to continue the original story. "too many loose ends", "no way to rescue the protagonist from this literal cliff", no one could do it. weeks went by and readers were getting impatient.

the newspaper reached out to the author and offered him more money. whatever would get him back, and the story out of the corner. naturally, the writer accepted it, but at this point everyone was curious to know how he'd keep the protagonist from meeting his grisly death. how could he possibly solve all those problems he had created in the narrative?

the following week, a new issue was published, and the story continued: "once all those problems were behind him..."

you see, this was just meant to be an entertaining story about how fiction was published in the olden days, told by a professor to future teachers. I like to think my professor was also trying to encourage us to try our hand at writing, seeing as he was a published poet himself and passionate about it.

it's been a decade since, and I think about his story often. in particular when I've been sitting in front of my computer for an hour and can't find the perfect way to end this chapter or introduce this new plot point. writing seems so complicated, and so many people have so much to say about it. what's right, what's wrong, what works, what doesn't.

but it's really simple, isn't it? start a new line, put all those problems behind you. if nothing goes right, go left. sometimes the simpler explanation is the best one. maybe there are better ways to go about it, but a patch is better than a hole.

go and open that wip, the one you gave up on writing because the plot seemed so convoluted or too difficult. press enter. put the problems behind you and keep going

#virgil chats #adventures in writing #needed to rant #i've been thinking about this a lot #so often i avoid writing because it doesn't feel right. doesn't feel perfect #but imperfect action is better than perfect inaction isn't it #plus. no one lives in my head but me. #i am the only one who knows where this story goes #all i have to do is convince you this is exactly what i had planned from the start

[commsroom]

eiffel's problem is that he sees every injustice as an interpersonal issue. he doesn't understand how his flippancy or apparent leniency towards hilbert might look to hera; in his mind, it doesn't contradict his support for her. to eiffel, it seems obvious - he is also one of hilbert's victims, hera is his friend, of course he's completely on her side - but he fails to fully grasp how the stakes are different for her.

ep 19: "you need to stop treating this like a joke, officer eiffel." / "hey, i'm the person for whom the joke tolls." / "i get you're scared he put something inside you. but i hope you haven't forgotten emergency code alpha victor. he put that in me." and ep 51: "they're just jokes! they don't really mean anything." / "see, eiffel, you get to have that. they can be 'just jokes' for you because you're... well, you. but we don't get that."

the issue in shut up and listen is eiffel's repeated, if unintentional, microaggressions, but it's also his general use of dark humor as a coping mechanism - jokes he feels justified in making because of how the subjects of those jokes have impacted him. eiffel sincerely believes in treating people equally, but his idea of 'equal treatment' can be idealistic and naive. he has an awareness of interpersonal harm, but he's lived most of his life without ever being confronted with the reality of structural harm - being pre-judged and othered and having his life devalued on the basis of outside categorization.

but the thing about that is that it has happened to him, too. eiffel is an addict, and a convict, and marked as from a lower socioeconomic class than minkowski or lovelace, and those things are the reasons goddard futuristics was able to buy him as prison labor and - without his consent - consider him expendable for medical experimentation. none of that is a coincidence, but he doesn't see the systems at work, only his own actions and regrets. which he then equivocates to the worst actions of people who don't share his sense of morality or guilt.

eiffel's ability to recognize and bring out the humanity in the people around him is one of his best qualities, but... on the basis of his identity, he's been able to live a life where he conceptualizes himself as the default person, and that's been reinforced by the pop culture he loves so much. that's a massive blind spot. he assumes everyone navigates the world in a similar way, and so, on some level, he sees everyone around him as an extension of or a reflection of himself. if evil is always personal, then it can always be reasoned with.

#wolf 359 #w359 #doug eiffel #like. his answer for 'what is your worst quality?' #is a very tongue in cheek job interview answer: 'i empathize too much with others.' but from a certain angle... #i just think it's interesting. he has such believable faults and biases and assumptions about the world. #and the other thing is. eiffel's values are the show's values!! in some way he is also correct!! #but it's the line between diplomacy and centrism. #and the understanding that inaction is still an action that can hurt people. and that there's often not a right answer. #eiffel values the right things as far as the show is concerned #and as far as i'm concerned #but he lacks necessary perspective to really enact those values. decentering himself enough to really listen #while still keeping that personal focus. #i love that line where he says he's going to 'keep debugging his code' because it's so deferential like #'sorry for talking about you like this' and also 'i'm trying to see myself through your eyes.' means a lot to me. #and of course. the dear listeners literally reflecting eiffel while viewing him as the representative of humanity. there's something there #especially with the way eiffel externalizes both his good and bad qualities and projects them onto others #really good show. really good character writing. you know.

[funnysideblog]

When sisyphus prime is at half health he changes form and resembles himself in life further. It shows he is enjoying himself, and that it makes him feel more whole? complete? happy? He gets his hair and beard back and the blood on his hands and feet start to have this particle effect and its all very spectacular and he is just radiating energy. Hes content and doing what makes him happiest.

Which makes me wonder. Could this have happened with minos prime? He is newly formed after he comes out the flesh prison, and battling is not something he would have been used to or a big fan of, definitely not something he would feel human again through. If he had survived and found happiness or fulfilment would it have changed him? Like it did to sisyphus?

#ultrakill #minos prime #it does make me wonder. probably not because i believe minos would be so overwhelmed by the grief and guilt of everything that it would just #it erodes him into nothing really. the sheer amount of loss he has experienced and the grief of his own actions/inaction would like weigh on #him forever. he could never move past it #but yknow. i think he could have happiness. for just a little while.

[soledadcatalina]

augh that fucking kim line from the moralist quest after ripping harry a new one that's like "do you know what the worst part is? the more time i spend around you the more i feel im becoming like you" is still a succinct point of self awareness of how he's made worse by his proximity to cop culture and his centrism. just keep holding onto that feeling, confront it!!!

#ramblings #its such a good choice for the moralist questline too #i think kim is capable of being radicalized and get out of the rcm but it really has to be some shit thats like #particularly fucking brutal consequences of his own action/inaction #disco elysium

[eskawrites]

okay who’s gonna take one for the team and write a super soft ptsd/recovery ronance fic with the title ‘if you wanted you could do no harm’

#is it gonna be me #ronance #can you tell it's been on repeat all morning #the thing about maya hawke's music is that i'll be vibing to the song as a whole right #and then out of nowhere one specific line will sucker punch me and ruin my entire life #and it's great #ANYWAY do you see the vision??? #idk i can't fully put into words what i'm thinking but i'm THINKING #like #something-something post-canon they've won and they're still so angry #(nancy is so so angry) #something like the closure nancy fights so hard for in s2 but on a much bigger scale #looking at all the terrible things the government has done and how none of this would've happened #she never would've lost ANYTHING #if it wasn't for their actions or inactions #something-something a la katniss at the end of the hunger games choosing peeta over gale bc she chooses peace over war #healing over anger #bc there will always be someone to fight and something to fight for #but how long can you really stay in battle? #at some point the something you're fighting for has to be yourself #at some point the strongest thing you can do is choose to heal #SOMETHING-SOMETHING KERREK IN CRITICAL ROLE C1 #a hammer to fight vs a hammer to build #do you SEE the VISION

[cuckweeds]

if you think you are morally responsible for Trump's actions if you do not vote against him then why do you not think you are morally responsible for Bidens actions if you do actually vote for him?

#it truly doesnt make sense to me how you guys can think this way #you are responsible for your inactions but not for your actions? #also why do you guys think that every vote that isnt for joe Biden is a vite for trump #do you know theres people who voted third party instead of trump? #thats right i know multiple people who voted for jill stein last election instead of trump! #not everyone voting third party is someone who wouldve otherwise voted blue and its silly to assume so #sometimes voting third party takes votes away from republicans too! and you could encourage more republicans to vite third party too! #i stg the democratic party is so sad #all of you “blue is ALWAYS better than red no matter what” sound so ridiculous like #so if trump switched parties right now hed be the good guy? #bc thats essentially what yall are saying when all you care about is whether they call themselves a democrat or not

[aresmarked]

why are the 4star medics so good i just read chestnut's profile and. this precious man. the wear and tear of being a doctor getting to him but then just. recentering himself, and still with doubt in heart, deciding to keep going. why are the 4star medics so good tumblr user aresmarked?

...y'know anon, i was thinking of a joking answer (they're all alters in waiting) but i think everyone has At Least one 4* medic they hold in their heart because they are real in a way most of the higher ranked ones cannot be. Real, in a, 'we could be doctors and scientists and paramedics and nurses like them' way. people who know well their limits and expertise, and hone themselves everyday to try helping just one more, one more person. Chestnut's attempt to come to terms with how much cannot be prevented, Sussurro's exhaustion in her operator record... all grounded.

#war replies #anonymous #arknights #none of us can be Early Necromancers #nor Magi-Sci experiments #or have the backing to make medical drones #but the strength of rhodes island's medical department is not derived from them alone #i think the 4 star medics reflect an aspect of arknights that is the real heart under all the urban fantasy #that humanity that desire to offer care and change #people who are devoted to delivering the care necessary #be it surgery or aromatherapy or the determination to understand #the roots of so many ills #to recognise how little individually we are but... nothing will come from inaction #and inversely #every action does create an effect—however small #and others are similarly small #and often need what we can offer #jksdlfj this gets the ramble tag #warproduct rambles

[puphoods]

theyre so beautiful to me like delicate little flowers

#chirps #dungeon meshi #dungeon meshi spoilers #action vs inaction. or whatever #i really think the both of them wholeheartedly believe they were the only ones that could do anything about this #idk i dont really have anything to say i just think the pages were really cool and interesting #also flamela seemingly knocking mithrun unconscious surely will have no consequences

[bones-of-a-rabbit]

Mad as a March hare is what you are!- sun probably idk

#bones of a rabbit art #hazel the daycare hare #hazy day zy #hazel the happy hare #fnaf oc #fnaf sb oc #canon x oc #self insert x canon #doodles #uncanny #mad as a hare in March #I kinda wanna draw hazel with afton virus interacting with sun/moon who also have virus #but it would be. bad #very problematic of her unu #idk I do love some catharsis but I’m afraid of freakin ppl out #this time not with violence but with implications #action in inaction type thing #idk anyway bye

[fallenwhumpee]

Why

• Masterlist •

Warnings: Guilt, mentioned past torture, blood, betrayal, self-blame.

Right Hand wasn't supposed to feel like this, they scolded to themselves as they walked towards Leader's office. Right Hand wasn't weak, and not helpless.

But they let Leader down once, and Leader was still recovering from... everything. Leader was doing their best to act like nothing happened, but Right Hand could see through their facade.

They wouldn't stand doing nothing again. Not after spending a week at Leader's bedside, waiting for them to wake up. The others were another story, though. The squad often thought Leader was invincible or unbreakable.

And that was what Leader wanted, Right Hand realised long after. To become a pillar even when they weren't there. To guide, to be a voice in Right Hand's head to be better while restraining Right Hand's little self-destructive habits.

Right Hand sighed, wishing that they could do the same for Leader. They weren't good at it, but they could try.

They could try now.

The offices were mostly empty at this late hour, save for a certain insomniac and workaholic commanding officer.

Right Hand knocked the door and opened it without waiting for an answer.

Leader quickly turned their chair, half facing Right Hand and half still glancing at the papers they were dealing with.

"Right Hand?" Leader prompted, their voice hoarse.

"You should be in bed." So blunt, so straightforward. They had never been good with words, so unlike Leader. Their approach was always simple.

Leader chuckled, their laugh turning into a light cough towards the end.

“And leave the planning to you? Or would you prefer the Captain to do it?” Leader smiled.

Right Hand and Captain's strong suit was commanding the field, and coordinating. They weren't good at planning. That was also the main reason for taking so long at rescuing Leader.

Guilt clawed Right Hand's mind, and they looked away. Leader deserved better than what they had done.

Right Hand looked back as they felt a hand cupping their chest. “None of that, I'm just teasing.”

Oh, how much they had missed this. Falling into their usual pattern, Leader reading them like an open book.

The familiarity was comforting and gave Right Hand hope that maybe things could be like before. Before Leader had sacrificed themselves to get the squat out, and before they were forced to find their footing without Leader for months.

Right Hand briefly wondered how their plan was shattered by just one mistake and how the enemy looked so ready as if they knew the plan but focused on the problem at his hand.

“It's past midnight,” Right Hand didn't let go of Leader's cold hand. Cold like death.

“That is my line,” Leader smiled. It only upset Right Hand more.

Yes, Leader would often have to drag them out of the training rooms. Leader smiled, likely thinking the same thing.

Leader stood absurdly, nearly falling. Right Hand caught them as they gasped, their all weight dead on Right Hand's arms.

Right Hand helped them to sit on the table, Leader clinging them like Right Hand was the only thing keeping them up. They leaned their head to Right Hand's shoulder, eyes distant and drained.

“Did you get your medicine today?”

Leader nodded and mumbled a weak yes.

After a long moment of rest, Leader pulled back slightly, calming their breaths.

“Stood too fast,” they murmured, more to convince themselves rather to ease Right Hand's worries. Leader stood again and leaned to Right Hand, barely able to stay straight on their own.

Sometimes it seemed like they were getting worse each day. Their hair, even though it was still clean, was damp. Their eyes were smaller, with big dark circles looking like bruises. They were slightly sweating throughout their pale skin. Their fever rose again, Right Hand thought as they wiped the sweat on Leader's flushed cheeks.

“Maybe we should get some late meal," Right Hand offered. It was accepted without any protests, making the moment strange. Usually, Leader would be the one offering, and Right Hand would deny it until they were both preparing something light for themselves in the empty cantina.

They walked to the mess hall anyway, Right Hand deciding it was too much of a work for that night. And perhaps, they didn't want Leader to be on their feet any more than neccesary, and it was closer to Leader's quarters.

As they entered the mess hall, Leader's grip on Right Hand's arm tightened, but they starightened, slowly gaining their posture. There were not many people, but a few were eating a late meal, probably just back from a patrol, and the cooks were quite busy until they could get a warm meal served.

They had peaceful ten minutes before Captain barged in and locked eyes with Leader, a creepy smile crept onto their lips.

Right Hand understood it too late, and Captain's smile grew as they shouted into the room.

"Leader, since you seem so eager to prove you're still fit to lead, how about a friendly sparring match in the training room?"

"I would prefer a more appropriate time for it," Right Hand growled, protective instincts in them rising. This was a challenge, and the decision for calling one was supposed to be made in one's right mind, not in the middle of the night with everyone tired.

They didn't even start about Leader was still recovering.

"No one asked what you would prefer," Captain snarled back.

"I will give you a second chance to think what you said," Leader pushed them aside, towering over Captain. Perhaps it was less intimidating with the muscle mass Leader lost, but they were still pretty bulky, making Captain look so small.

"I said what I said."

Leader turned to Right Hand with a short, hesitant stop before opening their mouth.

"Call everyone to the training room, please."

Right Hand took the order with a protest they buried under their heavy heart, the people in cafeteria already off to spread the word.

Right Hand hurried through the dim corridors, calling out to the members of their squad to gather in the training room. They knew the confrontation between Leader and Captain was inevitable, but the timing couldn't be worse.

Chief Medic should have tied Leader down or knocked them out until they looked like they weren't dying. They knew it had happened before. It was the only way to keep Leader down.

And it was a cheap play by Captain. To challenge Leader's authority when they were clearly at a disadvantage felt like a betrayal of their shared history. They had faced so many things together, trusted each other with their lives, and now Captain was too eager to undermine all of that.

The training room buzzed as the squad members gathered, some still sleepy but snapping as they saw what was going on.

Right Hand stood at the front, their heart pounding as Leader and Captain faced each other in the centre of the room.

Leader's voice still carried a commanding presence, but Right Hand knew better than assuming Leader was fine. "You think challenging me in this state is a testament to your strength, Captain? It only proves that you're willing to challenge authority only when it's weak."

Captain sneered, circling Leader, their eyes gleaming with arrogance. "Authority that can't defend itself isn't worth following. I'll prove I'm the stronger leader, and those who choose to follow me will know the difference."

Right Hand looked away as they began to circle. Seeing Leader's guard was enough to know their tactic.

Right shoulder exposed, weight resting slightly more towards the right foot. Yes, that would give Leader the strength they needed to use their good - left - arm, but it also left the wide whip wound on their right side open. The fight was going to be violent.

Right Hand scolded themselves. They had to watch this.

With a shaky breath, they eyed the audience made of a hundred professional mercenaries, staff, and guests, only brought together by Leader, for the last time before turning to the fight.

It was strange to know that not all of them came from the same place but sticked together for training or safer missions. People were even brought to take care of them in some ways, just because Leader wanted a systematic and more effective way if dealing with things. None of them could've dreamt of such stuns they pulled in missions alone.

Captain made the first move, lunging at Leader with a swift punch. Leader's countered it with their good arm, exposing their right side again.

But Leader had a plan. Right Hand could see it in the determined glint in their eyes. They baited Captain to believe they had the upper hand. Captain could press their advantage as much as they wanted, but Leader was waiting for something.

Captain continued to press the attack, taking advantage of Leader's exposed right side. The crowd watched in silence, and Right Hand couldn't hide the concern from their face.

Right Hand fought with their emptions— they wanted to stop this fight, to protect Leader, but they knew it would only damage Leader more. Damage Leader's authority, too, a smaller concern.

Captain, getting angrier with each hit not gaining the impact they wanted, started to attack like a mindless beast, showing everyone how unfit they actually are.

Leader suddenly shifted, their injured right side taking another hit. It seemed as though Captain was gaining the upper hand. Right Hand's heart staggered.

But Leader didn't stop. They braced hits after hits, finding rare opportunities to get solid blows to Captain's chest but failing to deliver a powerful one. Captain was not staying at their place, aiming perfectly but not hitting quite.

Leader was turning subtly to soften the impact, pissing Captain off.

Just as Right Hand realised that, Leader caught Captain's arm, and before they could blink, Captain was being launched over Leader's shoulder with a loud thud accompanied by a cracking sound.

The room fell silent as Leader stood over Captain, triumphant.

"Go now, with anyone who wishes to follow you." Leader growled, "I don't want the blood of my own on my hand today. But the next time, there will be only your corpse to be kicked out."

Captain, defeated and humiliated, picked themselves up and looked at the squad as they left left the room, a few following them.

"To your rooms now, if anyone else wants to challenge, they can try me," Right Hand shouted. People left as Leader stood still, the tension in the room seemed to dissolve.

But the calm was short-lived. After everyone left, Leader's gasps for breath became audible, and they faltered, nearly collapsing.

Right Hand rushed to their side, helping them down. They froze at the wince it earned, Leader smiling weakly to the reaction.

"Blood loss may be making me say that, but I actually need to go to infirmary this time," Leader mumbled without changing their expression, chuckling lightly. They both knew Right Hand was seconds away from freaking out.

-•-

Only when they arrived at the infirmary did the full extent of the betrayal become apparent. Chief Medic's departure must have been a calculated move, Right Hand thought, leaving Leader alone once again.

Right Hand's hands shook as they carrief Leader's weakened form. Panic clawed at them, but Leader was quick to guide them with calling Medic, who was supposed to be there in the absence of their CMO.

"Easy." Leader tried to soften Right Hand's nerves. "I've faced worse."

Right Hand's jaw clenched, their fingers curling into fist at their side while Leader kept holding their other hand.

Medic, the less experienced officer came soon, the first thing they did being cutting Leader's blood-soaked shirt and bandages, revealing torn stitches. They worked carefully, their hands shaking slightly as they cleaned the wound. Right Hand watched every move, their guard still up.

Medic finished restitching the wound, Right Hand watching their every move.

"Could I ask something?" Medic's voice came, meek.

"Go on," Leader hissed as Medic cut the first torn stitch.

"What was the first treatment after you got injured? This... doesn't look like it had been treated well from the beginning. Did you observe the initial treatment?"

Right Hand frowned at the question. They had been there for Leader since the rescue, but their knowledge about medical procedures was limited.

"I was with Leader after their rescue, but I'm not a medic. I don't know much about treatments," Right Hand admitted, their worry increasing. "Why? Is something wrong with the way they were treated?"

Medic carefully avoided eye contact with Right Hand and continued, "The stitches, they were sloppily done. It's a miracle they held up during the fight. I would like to talk with who was responsible, though. I dont want to accuse anyone, especially now."

"Chief Medic left with that traitor," Right Hand said sharply to shut Medic up. "Now you can go. You've done enough."

The kid seemed to understand the unspoken message and nodded before quietly leaving the infirmary, leaving Leader and Right Hand alone in the sterile silence.

Right Hand dressed the wound carefully, checking the ingredients of IV before finally collapsing to Leader's bedside.

"They were doing their best, Right Hand. Not everyone will try to take me down," Leader whispered.

"I- I will apologise to them later."

"Good. Just don't scare people like that again. We will hunt for spies later, though. I don't want this to happen again, but I don't think I can handle more action tonight."

Right Hand drew a sharp breath. "I'll do it. But you will rest."

Leader's lips curved into a sad smile. "You've barely slept in last few days."

"I'll be fine," Right Hand's voice was almost a whisper, their eyes refusing to leave Leader's face. "Don't want to be alone now," they admitted.

Leader stayed silent, just squeezing their hand lightly. Perhaps they understood that Right Hand didn't want to leave Leader alone because the mere thought was enough to spiral their thoughts down with worry. And maybe, maybe Leader didn't want to be alone too.

They started to talk about everything and nothing, wishing to distract Leader from the pain until the painkillers kicked in.

Minutes passed, and the effects of the medicine began. Leader's breathing steadied, and a calmness settled over the room. But then, tears welled up in Leader's eyes, their expression pained but not crying.

"I don't understand. Just— just why? Was... was I not enough?"

With a little hesitation, they moved closer, sinking to their knees beside the bed. They reached out, gently running a hand through Leader's hair.

"Neither do I, but this is not your fault."

Leader's fingers trembled as they tried to stop Right Hand's hand. "I should have seen it coming."

That could be translated to I didn't deserve this kindness too easily, Right Hand realised.

Right Hand knew the feeling well, and they had overcame it with Leader repeating the opposite like parrot in the littlest opportunity. Right Hand should've realised Leader felt this way, since it seemed like Leader was just incapable of taking their own advice in every matter.

Right Hand leaned in, their arms wrapping around Leader in a comforting embrace. "You're the strongest person I know, Leader. This isn't about you. It's about them being arrogant and selfish. Not everyone can hold this many people together."

Leader's head rested against Right Hand's shoulder, their silent tears soaking into the fabric of Right Hand's uniform. "It will be alright. This could've turned out a lot different."

"Not very comforting," Leader chuckled weakly.

"It will sound better in the morning," they returned. "Now sleep. I'll stay here."

#whump #whump writing #leader whumpee #leader whump #guilt #mentioned past torture #tw blood #betrayal #tw self-blame #im not very proud of this but i think the action scene is well #though not really accurate #anyway sorry for the inactivity #will happen again i guess