I think it would really benefit people to internalize that mental illnesses are often chronic and not acute. Some of us will never be able to jump the hurdle of managing illness, much less sustaining a sense of normalcy. Many of us will never "recover," will never manage symptoms, will never even come close to appearing normal - and this is for any condition, even the ones labeled as "simple" disorders or "easy-to-manage" disorders.
It isn't a failure if you cannot manage your symptoms. It isn't a moral failure, and you aren't an awful person. You are human. There's only so much you can do before recognizing that you cannot lift the world. Give yourself the space to be ill because, functionally, you are.
Nico and Percy's dynamic through the series is eternally funny to me, because it's just. like.
Percy's having a constant mental struggle between his fatal flaw of loyalty with a promise he made to Bianca to protect Nico, versus his Big 3 kid desire to maim other Big 3 kids / Poseidon descendant urge to totally maim Nico specifically. He hates Nico so so much. He thinks Nico's annoying and weird at best, and creepy/sketchy when he's older. The only positive thoughts Percy has towards Nico are "He's Bianca's brother and Bianca was my friend and I owe her/He's Hazel's brother and Hazel is my friend and would kill me if I was mean to him," "He's a powerful asset and useful ally (if questionable)," and "He's kinda pathetic and I feel maybe a little bad about it." Percy has multiple occasions throughout the series where he strongly considers - and on one occasionally actually goes through with - throttling Nico.
Meanwhile, Nico is following around Percy like a lost puppy. He explicitly can never bring himself to even dislike anything about Percy no matter how hard he tries. He has a whole bit in BoO where he's mentally going "UGH he's so stupid BUT IT'S ENDEARING HOW DARE HE." He's totally smitten. He's making deals with his dad for Percy. He's making convoluted plans to help Percy stand a chance against Kronos. During the entirety of BoTL it's like he's playing tsundere - "I'm helping NOT PERCY SPECIFICALLY with this quest! Me helping Percy would be SILLY because I DEFINITELY HATE HIM." Then he proceeds to show up to Percy's birthday party to basically ask him on a weird date and spend the entire next book scrambling around trying to help him or protect him or impress him. And Percy could not give less of a shit.
Just. That dynamic is so funny to me. Percy is the founder of the Nico Protection Club in that he's the one they're all protecting Nico from and meanwhile Nico is throwing himself at Percy to the point where the literal god of gay love calls him out on it.
vaggie, miss "im not used to fighting with long hair" who's out of practice actually battling someone or really stabbing ppl...
...still had the arm and hand strength, the REFLEXES, to do a bare handed blade catch on a SWORD, who's user had been doing an aerial dive with it aimed at vaggie's FACE
then sling around and THROW her opponent with it
i know she wants a peaceful-ish life with charlie, but i really wouldn't mind seeing her getting into just a FEW more fights >:D
also also side note:
carmilla was able to eff her up earlier so easily bc vaggie fought like an exorcist, no thought to getting hurt or personal defense, the headspace of 'i can't get killed! wheee! DIE DIE DIE' that got that other exorcist killed
and the main advice vaggie got from carmilla was take advantage of that sure, but first and more importantly, defend yourself better
which kinda plays into the whole "be out for love thing" too
aka the fight isn't important, it's what you're fighting to still have Afterwards that matters- the people you love, having a life with them
(the hotel, the hazbins, charlie)
carmilla doesn't send vaggie off with a 'you're ready to go kill angels'. she's only satisfied and ends their little lesson / sparring match when she can say "you might just survive this"
feels like she wasn't teaching vaggie to take out angels. she was reminding her and showing her how NOT to get KILLED
so it's just so nice seeing vaggie blocking, dodging, and grappling lute later. how good she is at focusing on avoiding or neutralizing those attacks aimed at her. how Seriously she takes them
binding lute's both lute's arms and wedging them into her own body so lute's sword CAN'T be angled towards her
the way this shot emphasis's the THREAT of the sword hanging over vaggie
and how her flash-fast recovery and block shows she's READY for it
dodging, not attacking
she's not in this for blood or vengeance, this lady is trying to stay the fuck alive. she's got things and people to live for
things like the idea of mercy. that thing both her and charlie show their enemies, people who came down to hell for murder and spent this fight trying to kill them and got damn close to doing it.
and sure there's a pretty big tone difference between charlie's "Whoa whoa dad. He's had enough" and vaggie's "No, live. Live knowing that you only do because I let you" but both end at the same place, with someone who hates them still getting a second chance
(UNLESS ITS NIFFTY WITH THE ANGELIC BLAAADE)
and vaggie wants that second chance too. she wants a life with charlie, and fights hard so she can stick around for it
epic fail, lute... have you considered getting a hobby...?
HAPPY EXTENDED SOUNDS OF BRUTAL PIPE MURDER DAY I SEE THE REMINDER ON MY PHONE AND THE TIME HAS COME TO DO ANYTHING BUT PAY RESPECTS TO THE MAN WHO HAD SO MANY FUCKED UP IF TRUE BOOKS
do you guys ever think about how c!quackity LIKED the torture. Like straight-up admitted to liking it. Fully with his whole chest embraced sadism. Doesn't regret it. Never recants any of this out loud. Never opens the door to the possibility that he was wrong.
Tortures a guy for three months straight, then shrugs and goes back to his day job.
AU where Jason doesn't come back and attack Tim, and the Batfam doesn't know he is alive, but he still becomes a villain
*pre-batfam knows Jason is alive*
Batman and Tim/Robin: *storm into an out-of-town building with bad guys*
Bad guy: Oh my god, you're-
Batman, used to it: I am Batman
Bad Guy: Jace's dad
Batman, visibly confused: Jace?
Another bad guy: oh god, you're right, that is Jay Jay's dad, hold on, let me facetime him really quick *pulls out his phone*
The phone: hey, what's up? Finally got the money to pay me?
Bad guy: dude, it's like 50 grand, we're working on it, so chill, but guess who we're with right now?
*Batman rushing up behind them so he can see Jason*
The phone: it better be someone pretty important, you guys interrupted me while I was reading.
Bad guy: *moves to the side so Jason can see Batman as Robin starts to climb into frame to see him too*
Jason: B? What are you- OH MY GOD, DID YOU REALLY GET ANOTHER ROBIN? Wait a minute, Larry, call me privately, I wanna talk to you *ends FaceTime*
Batman: I want that number right now. Give it to me RIGHT NOW
*phone rings, "JJ" pops up on the screen*
Bad guy, holding up a finger to tell Batman to hold on: *picks it up* no we're not in Gotham, he came here to us- no, no, I'm sorry, we forgot you haven't told him- well I-
Batman takes the phone: how dare you pretend to be my dead son, I don't know what kind of ploy or game you're getting at-
Jason: Jesus Bruce, you're so dramatic. Dont worry, I haven't told any of them your identity, or even my last name so they can't piece it together, they just think Batman is my dad, so I'm not gonna sully the family name or whatever
Bruce: that's not-
Jason: Little women are getting into some big problems over here so I'm gonna let you go. Bye B. *Hangs up*
Little Sonic very much was a little shit with an additude[affectionate] that had only himself to take care of, to pick the most dangerous and coolest path perceived to him and never let himself be hindered by bystanders. But then suddenly he had another kid to take care of. He had to learn to be responsible for more than just his own survival, he had to ration his resources better, to take the needs and desires of another person into account, to slow down explain and be patient, and realizing that having people around that he can lean on is a good thing sometimes. (even if he doesn't really carry that lesson with him. He knows it's there but a dunce hat on you if you think he'd remember it's there for his own sake)
But what if he met Tails way down the line or never at all? What would their relationship be like then, when Sonic mostly figured himself out with no strong outside influence.
I believe he would still go from doing what's cool to what he believes is right, beat Eggman along with any villain that crops up in his path, and make friends all over the world, but without Tails by his side so early on, I don't think any of the relationships he could hold would be as deep or meaningful to him because he only ever had himself to worry about, never feeling the need to connect with anyone beyond friendly hello's and occasional team-ups to defeat the big bad of the week. He would be friendly, but without a little guy around to always keep an eye on, also double the reckless and additude heavy speedster one would be usually accustomed to.
Always at arm's length and never quite reachable, no matter how close he holds his friends when rescuing them from a mad doctor's trap.