didn’t figure out i was autistic at all until my 30s. why? well in a funny twist of what some might call irony but probably isn’t: one of my main special interests since childhood... people. behavior. how folks feel vs how they behave, why they do things, what motivates them. i became a “peacemaker” type as a kid because i could observe an argument between two people and fairly accurately guess how each felt and was able to kind of... do some emotional translation for both of them to help them find an understanding. and BECAUSE of this, people were like “you’re wise/good with people/etc” and for years people also said “that means you’re not autistic, because autism means not being good at socializing”
but like. i’m not? i’m OKAY at socializing. but since childhood i’ve found a lot more success in just being the observer. WATCHING people, paying extremely close attention, that’s what i was good at. i learned early to never TELL people outright i was doing that, people get weird when you say you’re observant and have noticed their behavior/emotions/etc
I don’t regret this being a special interest of mine. It’s been an uphill battle since my 20s to figure out how to be a PART of all that socialization? (and i still feel like i constantly fuck it up, translating the neurotypical habits mid-conversation is much harder than observing it as an outsider and having more time to process it) But... I like that I’m an observer. I like that I can see the clear causes and effects of emotions that people have, their experiences, how it can all bleed together? I like it. I’m glad my childhood brain decided to latch onto the concept of People and humanity in general. It can get frustrating sometimes feeling like the only one in a group of people trying to be considerate of what the others are going through but... I still wouldn’t give that up. I’m glad I’m weird about humans. They’re pretty great actually.
There's no real story attached to my Nonsense AU but when it comes to an excuse on how both P and shiny new Carlo can interact I suppose it goes something like this... 👨👦👦
your job, your family, your relationship, those things should all come second. the most important thing in your life should always, always, be committing to the bit.
Kyoshi: Guys, there’s a monster under my bed and it’s really ugly.
Wan, on the bottom bunk: Honestly, f*ck you.
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Roku: Many people are mildly dehydrated and don’t realize it. You should drink at least six glasses of water per day.
Korra: No, eight glasses!
Aang: I heard ten.
Kyoshi: You need to drink at least five glasses of water per minute.
later…
Wan: Okay, I just read through every study I could find to try to figure out whether low-grade dehydration is even a real thing.
Roku: What did you learn?
Wan: If you spend all day doing research and forget to eat or drink, you start to feel pretty bad.
Korra: I’ll get some water.
Wan: But how many glas–whoa, feeling dizzy.
Kuruk: Maybe you should just drink straight from the tap.
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Rise of Kyoshi be like:
Yangchen: Well, Kyoshi, is there anything you would like to say to Kuruk?
Kyoshi: How do I put this delicately? You’re a horrible Avatar and nobody likes you.
Yangchen: How about we frame our statement with “When you do this, it makes me feel this”?
Kyoshi: When you exist, it makes me angry. Because you’re a horrible Avatar and nobody likes you.