#my dad is still mad about not hearing medicine

[devils-dares]

Could I request Matt Murdock x wife!reader, just something with them, they have a toddler aged child (named after Matt’s dad). Maybe hurt/comfort. Thank you

wordcount: 1383

warnings: assault, bit of blood, daredevil is daredevilin', hospital

-----

“C’mon buddy, let’s get home.” You felt bad, almost dragging Jack home from urgent care. He’d been steadily getting more and more sick, so you’d decided to take him tonight. One hand gripped his little hand and the other scrunched the brown bag with his prescription inside. You’d made him some soup earlier, and wanted nothing more than to give him a bath and put him to bed, and then fall into your husband’s arms to sleep.

“Care to help me out, Miss?” You hear a voice call out, presumably to you, but you keep on walking. You could hear the man grumble and the jingle of the coins in the can quieten, but you thought nothing of it as you slightly quickened your pace, deciding your best bet would be to pick Jack up as he was struggling to keep up with you.

“Mommy?” He whined, presumably upset with the pace you were keeping, bouncing him up and down on your hip with the speed.

“I know honey, but we gotta make it home. Don’t you wanna surprise Daddy before he gets home?” He nods enthusiastically, hiding his face in your neck.

“Mommy, that man is catching up with us.” Jack says, his dad having taught him about being vigilant of his surroundings.

“Yeah, bug?” You say, trying your best not to sound nervous, trying to dig into your pockets to find your phone and dial Matt.

You never made the call.

The man had grabbed you by the waist, practically throwing you into the alley next to you. Jack had landed safely, but you landed on your back. Sitting uo, vision blurry, you reach a hand to the back of your head where it had made contact with the ground, warm blood seeping onto your fingers. Your phone had skidded away from you, the cracked screen tauntingly displaying your husband’s picture and phone number.

“What’s in the bag?” He asks, gesturing a knife wildly to the prescription bag on the floor.

“Sir, please-” You try to reason with him.

“I asked you a question!”

“It’s flu medication! Flu medication for my son, please there’s nothing of worth in there.” He dumps out the bag on the ground, a bottle of medication rattling on impact. He picks it up and checks the label, and he must have realized that it was no worth to him as he threw it on the ground. You gesture to Jack, and he makes a mad dash to position himself behind you.

“You’ve gotta have somethin’ of worth on you, lady.” He turns the knife towards you, but before he can make impact, a sickening crunch of bones interrupts him, landing him against the ground in a rough fashion.

“Leave them be.” A voice rang out, one that sent chills down your spin as well as a feeling of warmth and comfort. The man foolishly takes a swing at Matt, and his actions are met with yet another hard impact.

You pull Jack into your lap, covering his eyes and ears so he doesn’t have to witness his father’s other personality. Matt pulls the other man up by the collar of his shirt, pushing him up against the bricks and throwing his fist, not stopping until you mutter his name under your breath.

“Get lost,” he says, “I don’t even want to find you messing with anyone else.” The man nods, sprinting away with gashes across his face to escape Matt.

“Daddy!” Jack runs over to Matt as he kneels down, burying his head in Matt’s shoulder.

“Hi buddy.” His voice is still hoarse from the grunting and the adrenaline running through his veins.

“Can you grab your medicine and Mommy’s bag while I check on her?” Jack nods and Matt plants a kiss on his head before getting up to check on you.

“Where’s the blood coming from?” He asks, voice softening with use.

“My head, back of my head.” He takes his glove off, gingerly weaving his fingers through your strands of hair, stopping when he feels the warmth of blood and your quiet whimper.

“You’ll have to go to the hospital for this,” he says, “they have to make sure it isn’t a concussion.”

“Can you come with?” You ask.

“Course I can. I just gotta run home to change. Is it alright if I drop you off there?” You nod. He stands, reaching his hands out to take yours and help you stand. He turns to Jack.

“Can you hand Mommy her purse?” He nods, your purse almost dragging on the floor because of how small your son is.

“Matty, what-”

“Don’t worry your head about that. I’ll drop you off, take him home, and then change and meet you at the hospital.” He presses a kiss to your lips, and then leans down to carry Jack on his back.

“Are you holding on tight?” He asks, and Jack hums his agreement.

“I can walk on my own,” you say, Matt immediately taking a defensive stance, “I can make it, it’s only a few blocks.”

“Sweetheart-”

“I can make it. Keep Jack safe and make sure he takes his meds, I’ll see you when you put on appropriate clothes.” He shakes his head.

“Fine, but I’m following you all the way.”

“Okay.”

He’d called Claire while following you, asking her to take care of you. She agreed, and was there to bring you in from the door. Your cracked phone buzzed a few minutes later, a message appearing from Matt saying he and Jack had made it home.

“Is it throbbing?” Claire asks.

“Starting to.”

“Hm, that’s the adrenaline wearing off.” She separates your hair, cleaning off the sticky blood with alcohol wipes to make sure the bleeding has stopped. She does her assessment, diagnosing you with a concussion, and keeps you there for monitoring.

“Matt’s here,” she says after about twenty minutes, “he brought the kid.” Sure enough, you hear the stomping of little shoes running down the hallway towards your room, little four-year-old sneezing and sniffling Jack pushing himself up onto your bed.

“Mommy!” He shouts, nuzzling up to you. You laugh, watching him burrow his way into your blankets. Claire pats Matt on the shoulder, and he turns his attention towards you once she steps out.

“Hey,” he smiles, pressing a kiss to your forehead, “how are you feeling?”

“Head’s throbbing, but I’ve got Doctor Jack,” you tickle his sides and he giggles, “to take care of me.” Matt smiles down at the two of you, reaching up to remove his glasses.

“I was telling Daddy, he went ‘boom!’ and ‘pow!’ and he scared that man off, Mommy! Did you see? Daddy looked so cool!” Jack excitedly babbles.

“I did see, bug, but you gotta keep that a secret, okay?” You say.

“Daredevil is my favorite superhero.” He says, and Matt grins widely.

“Okay, buddy. Let’s get on this couch and let Mommy get some sleep, okay?” He nods, reaching his arms up towards Matt, who takes him and lays him on top of his chest.

“Goodnight, Mommy. Goodnight, Daddy.” He says, voice still nasally but sounding just a bit brighter.

“Goodnight, Jack, we love you.” You say, turning over and letting sleep take you.

Matt stays awake, the background noise of the hospital too loud to rest. Jack is mouth breathing on his chest, and he can’t get mad at the kid either, he’s getting over a nasty flu, and the patient in the room next door has a wheezing issue. His head aches.

“Matt?” He hears your voice call out.

“What is it? Are you in pain?” He whispers back.

“No, but I can hear you thinking.”

“It’s just loud,” he sighs, “struggling to rest.” He hears you sit up, rummaging around somewhere.

“What are you doing?” He asks.

“Here, catch.” You toss him a small container.

“What’s this?”

“Earplugs. Just enough to block out most of the sound, but not enough to block out what’s near you.”

“You didn’t have to.” He says, slipping them in. Sure enough he can still hear your’s and Jack’s heart beats, but not the wheezing next door anymore, or the beeping a few floors away.

“How’s that feel?” You ask.

“It feels amazing, thank you.”

“Love you, Matty.”

“Love you too.”

[its-a-ittle-bit-cold]

I traveled fifteen hundred miles to meet you

Maverick x daughter!reader

series masterlist

my masterlist

summary: you begin training and quickly make a name for yourself

a/n: soooo I decided to get rid of the hangman romance that I was gonna put in, and kind of wrote over the scenes as hangman x phoenix (sorry) I didn’t wanna get rid of a whole section ..

ps : sorry for the wait :’( i’ve been swamped with life stuff

warnings: PTSD, child abuse (mother- daughter), feeling unwanted, violence ? canon typical mostly, death, loss of a loved friend

The drill is simple in theory. 

Shoot down Maverick, you win.

But, like your unfortunate lack of skill playing eight ball, the execution is getting there. The first team to go in is too cocky.

He gets them, easy.

Hangman and Phoenix give him a run for his money, but not by much. You’re up next, with Hangman as your wing man. 

Strapping into your jet feels almost surreal. It’s an awesome feeling to be back.

It’s not until you’re in the air that the flashbacks start. 

You and Hangman take off, having decided pre-exercise that you were going to try to divide and conquer: one of you as bait, the other lying in wait for Maverick to take it. You, as the pilot with the best evasive skills and maneuvers, drew the short stick as the bait in the experiment. 

you know that Hangman is notorious for leaving his wingmen behind, so you’re going to be looking for chances to give him a little of his own medicine.

“Ready, team?”

You’ve become more comfortable with the notion that Maverick is your dad. 

It hit you, while you were  lying awake last night, that maybe you should be mad that he left. Your mom always had been angry at him, but could you really blame him for leaving the crazy woman who gave birth to you?

the answer is no, because you did the same. 

“Ready when you are cap’n.” You flick on the proper controls and Hangman gives you a Shaka sign, signaling his okay. 

And then you’re off. 

The rush is exhilarating. It’s not until you can hear Maverick behind you and Hangman warning you that he’s on your tail and you need to shake him that the flashbacks start. 

You grunt, forcing your jet up and over in a backwards barrel roll to escape Maverick’s targeting system. You begin a classic evasive maneuver, the realize he’s not even on your tail anymore. 

“Majesty! he’s on me!”

“Shake him, then!”

But you follow your radar to where Hangman’s getting chased in a high speed game of tag, and readying your targeting system. 

“Majesty, where are you?” Hangman shouts into the comm. You hear the familiar beeping.

He’s done.

You’re on your own.

Majesty! Keep moving! there’s still a mission to complete! 

the rough voice of your former commander rings in your ears as you pull up in a steep climb, about to try a new maneuver. 

(Y/n). I’m sorry. Duchess’s vitals aren’t looking good.

You metaphorically slam the breaks in your plane (which you can’t do because there are none) and let yourself free fall. It’s a special trick that you and Tae always practiced. 

“What the fuck kind of maneuver was that?” 

Maverick’s rough voice breaks the comms. You click your targeting system on and hit him. The beep over the comm would be music in your ears if you weren’t stuck in the past. 

“Wake up! Y/n, we need to go fly before training starts!” Tae, your best friend and wingman (wingwoman?) has always been an early morning productivity person. You always joke about her absolute inability to sleep in, even when you’ve stayed up till three the night before engineering new tricks and stunts to try the next morning. “I have an idea!”

“Uh oh,” you say through a yawn, already tossing on your uniform and tying your hair back. Tae rolls her eyes, then practically sprints out of your dorm room, you got on her heels.

she collected me, up off the ground where you abandoned things 

“That was some damn good flying out there,” Hangman tells you. He’s bought you your first mocktail of the night - a fancy-looking ombré concoction that Penny’s cooked up for you. “If only I’d been alive to see it.”

“Don’t you worry,” Phoenix butts in. “We all saw it, and we also all saw her hang you out to dry!” her tone is just a little too gleeful. “Now that’s something to toast to!”

“You wound me, Trace.”

You toast with Phoenix, then excuse yourself from the pilot’s table, seeking some fresh air. You’d snapped out of your flashback, but Tae’s laugh still rings in your ears. You make your way out to the deck and lean on the railing overlooking the beach and the ocean.

“You’re one helluva pilot.”

You rub your nose with your forearm. 

“That’s what I keep hearing.” You close your eyes, wondering if you should confide in him or not. Probably not. He’s your instructor, not your dad. 

I mean, he’s also your dad.

“whatcha drinking?” You steal a glance at your drink, which has faded to a dull pinkish orange. Maverick’s holding a bottle. 

“Some kind of mocktail Penny came up with.” you take a sip of it. “I don’t drink,” you add after a moment. 

“Well, you’re better than all of us, then.”

You grin and shake your head. Looking out over the water, it’s easy to forget why you’re here and be transported back to the past.

“Now that,” Tae begins, setting down her gin and tonic on the table and admiring the multicolored mocktail Penny concocted. “That is what I call a mocktail.”

You take a swig.

“See, Duchess, Apollo was wrong. Mocktails can be fun!”

“I never said they weren’t!”

This is the last night you have at top gun, and, appropriately, you’re a spending it at the Hard Deck, which is a newer bar that just opened. You’ve made fast friends with the owner and her daughter - Amelia.

You glance outside and gasp, standing up. 

“Come on! look at the sunset!” 

You rush out to the front deck, wide eyed and giddy at the pure beauty of the sunset. Tae trails behind, watching you watch the colors paint the evening sky. 

“Can you believe it’s over?” You ask her. “No more coming to the Hard Deck, no more Apollo or Clipper, and pretty soon we’ll be deployed on the other side of the world.”

Tae sighs. 

“You know what I think? I think this experience will stay with us forever. I’ll always remember the pranks we pulled on the guys and the late night beach walks. It’s like graduating high school. or the academy. This chapter of life is over, and we need to move on.”

You give her a wry smile. 

“You know, you may be a dumbass ninety five percent of the time, but you do give some damn good advice.”

“Want another?”

you nod.

“You’re a damn good pilot. You’re top of the class for a reason. Don’t you ever forget that.”

you meet her eyes.

“Duchess-“

“Hey. You with me?”

Maverick snaps his fingers in your face, trying to snap you out of your daze. you shake out your neck.

“Yeah. Sorry. What were you saying?”

“I was telling you I’ve never seen a plunge like that executed correctly, and then you zoned out on me.”

You focus your gaze on a spot on the horizon.

“Yeah, uh, I was just remembering.. something.”

He looks at you, doing a once-over, face skeptical. He almost looks.. concerned? Again, you wonder, if you were in another life, would he be worried for you, his daughter, instead of you, his pilot. 

“Anything you wanna talk about?”

Yes. You’ll understand. You’re probably the only one here who would. 

You smile sadly.

“Goodnight, Captain.”

he filled the holes that you burned in me at six years old 

The next morning, Maverick sends you all an email to wear “beach clothes you can run around in”, so you, Phoenix and Halo all put on your shorts and sports bras, and Halo puts on a t-shirt. The email also ordered you to meet in front of the Hard Deck, so that’s what you do.

You leave significantly earlier than the rest of the group specifically to see Amelia, who you still haven’t seen since coming back to the base. You tap your knuckles on the doorframe, drawing her attention. She looks at you, looks again, gasps and sprints towards you in some kind of flying tackle- hug. 

“Hey!” You exclaim, squeezing her tight and spinning her around in a circle. “You got big!”

Amelia giggles into you. 

“Mom told me you were back. I almost didn’t believe her.”

“Well, I couldn’t just never see my favorite tea party partner again, now could I?”

Amelia pulls away, observing you. Her eyes brighten as she remembers your tea parties from when you were in Top Gun.

“I’d forgotten about those! And Tae would bring those little cucumber sandwiches!” 

Her face falls in a frown.

It’s like a sneak attack, having someone mention her in passing. You’d been up almost the whole night before trying to calm the memories that have been resurfacing since your return to Miramar.

“I miss her.”

Sometimes you forget that Tae was almost as close to Penny and Amelia as you were. She would always come with you to watch Amelia and hang with Amelia and Penny on the slow nights. 

“Me, too.”

“Well, look who the cat dragged in.” Penny comes over to you from the storeroom and hugs you. She then holds you at arms’ length and looks you up and down. “Now, I know you’re busy, but tomorrow isSaturday, and I’d love for you to come for dinner like we used to.” 

The unspoken with Tae beats down on you. You glance out of the window to see the rest of the squad gathered there in varying forms of swimwear. Most of the guys are wearing obnoxiously printed swim shorts, obviously wearing no shirts. 

“That sounds… great. I’ll be by. Text me, okay? I have to go.” You give Amelia another squeeze and beeline out of the bar, joining the group of your fellow pilots. 

Maverick’s the last to get here, wearing a white shirt and a pair of jeans, holding two footballs.

He introduces the game: dogfight football, offense and defense at the same time. It doesn’t really sound like there are very many rules in the game, only that you get touchdowns occasionally. 

He also divides the teams. You and Phoenix are together, Bradley too. 

And then you’re starting and you have actually no idea what you’re supposed to be doing; you never were adept at playing football. 

You’ve been paired up with Hangman, who must be going easy on you, because you get past him every time, even scoring a touchdown once. About half and hour in, he strikes a deal with Phoenix.

“Okay, Trace. Here’s the deal,” he says between plays. “The next touchdown, if it’s your team, I’ll buy a round for everyone the next time we all go out.”

“okay,” Phoenix glance at your team. You’re all looking pretty skeptical, as you should. “What’s the catch?”

“I my team gets the next touchdown…” he drags out. He leans in and whispers in her ear. Her face breaks into a cautious smile.

“Deal, Bagman, but I’m just warning you, that’s an awful deal on your part.”

He shrugs, flashing you a perfect smile. 

The next touchdown goes to Halo, who’s on Hangman’s team, and everyone turns expectantly to him, wondering what the bet was. He walks up to Phoenix, dips her and presses his lips to hers.

You let out a wolf whistle. She breaks the kiss and flips you off before pulling Hangman in for another one.

Coyote’s making a point of covering Bob’s eyes. Rooster has a hand over his mouth, pretending to retch and you jog over to him, patting him on the back, face splitting in a smile.

Penny shares a look with Maverick as they watch the two young people kiss. She’s smiling, and that makes him smile. 

“What do you think of her, now that you’ve flown with her?”

She nods at the pilot in question. 

There’s so much he can say about her: smart, confident, thoughtful. Reckless and sassy and a little bit too stubborn. She’s talented, anyone can see that, maybe even the best on the squad, but she’s holding back.

She’s hesitant to fly with anyone but herself, even leaving her comrades out in the open in favor of shooting down the enemy, which is surprising, considering her most recent deployment.

Her deployment. He finally got around to looking into that, the incident that sent her into leave for more than half of the last year. 

The report had been brief: routine patrol, they had gone to investigate a distress signal, not enough ammo or fuel. Someone detonated a missile too close. Duchess went down. Majesty took down three bandits in the span of five minutes before her aircraft was too damaged to continue flying.

There had been no saving duchess. she was waterlogged and impaled with a scrap of metal before Majesty was even there to save her. 

Very, very traumatic. 

It reminds him of Goose.

he’s surprised she’s even willing to fly at all after that.

“In all seriousness?” Maverick looks out over the game. She’s awful at football. Can’t throw a spiral. “She’s a good kid. Even better pilot. She’s been the closest to finishing the course out of all of them.”

She glances over at the two of them, waving to penny before jumping for the ball. 

“She reminds me of you,” Penny tells him. “You’re more similar than either of you know.”

Admiral Kazansky, AKA Iceman has been a mentor to you since the beginning. He’d taken a liking to you and your reckless flying when you’d first joined the Naval academy. Said you reminded him of a friend of his. You’d always thought he meant his wingman, and he had, but more recently, you’d realized that his wingman was the one and only Maverick, AKA Pete Mitchell, AKA your dad. 

You knock on the door and his wife lets you in. Her eyes are red and puffy.

“Sarah…” you say, hugging her. “It’s back?”

she shakes her head. 

“we don’t know. he can’t even talk without the pain coming back.”

You squeeze your eyes shut. 

“Maybe I shouldn’t-“

“He’s in his office,” she tells you gently. “You know he always wants to see you.”

You purse your lips, smiling tightly. 

“Thanks, Sarah.”

You ease the door to Ice’s office open, He turns to face you. He’s paler, gaunter, and wearing an overcoat and a scarf. you know enough to know he’s not doing well.

“Hey, Ice.” 

He points at the seat across from him.

Right. He can’t talk.

“I had to see you.” You sit down and reach into your purse. “Kevin sent me this.”

You pull out the wrinkled, folded photograph and hold it out to him. His shaky hands pull it taut as he squints at it. You hold your breath, waiting for some kind of surprise to show on his face. Something, anything. 

“Did you know? Is that why you kept me around?”

Your voice shakes uncontrollably. Like most things recently, you want to be angry, but you just don’t have the strength or conviction anymore. You just want to know.

Ice hands you the photo back and types on the computer. 

Yes.

No.

your breath catches. 

“How long?”

Since we met.

You sigh shakily. 

“Why? why didn’t you tell me?”

Ice stares at you. 

You stare back. 

“How long did the doctor say you have?”

Weeks. 

You gnaw at your lip. 

“I don’t want to lose you, too.”

You’re not going to.

You shake your head, wiping under your eyes, trying to stop the tears from falling. 

Losing Ice hurts. He’d always been there for you when you needed to talk. Even now, when he can’t use his voice. 

He clears his throat.

“Tell… him.” His voice is raspy and wet. It grates on your ears like it must on his throat.

you nod vigorously. 

“I will. I just… I want him to like me, you know? before he feels obligated to, I mean.” you stare at the picture of the two of them on Ice’s desk. “I don’t even know if he’d be happy to know.”

He will.

there’s a soft knock on the doorframe. It’s Maverick. Of course it is.

You grip Ice’s hand.

“Looks like your next appointment is here.” Your laugh is wet. “Bye, Ice.”

You nod to your father as you leave. his brow is furrowed in confusion, but he nods back.

Penny and Amelia’s house is one thing in North Island that’s always stayed the same. the smell of candles burning constantly, amelia’s artwork hanging on the walls, (which, admittedly, has gotten a lot better over the last few years) and the little bits of clutter scattered around the house. 

You’ve dressed up a bit, put on some makeup and washed all the gel out of your hair for the occasion. when you get there, Amelia drags you to her room almost before you can say hello to penny. 

“Okay. Where’s the fire?” You tease, once the door is shut and you’re sitting on Amelia’s bed. She’s giddy in anticipation to tell you her news. 

“I have tea,” she whispers conspiratorially. You lean in.

“Lay it all out for me.”

“Mom had Mav over last night.” her tone is smug. She’s obviously very happy to be able to tell you this news. “He tried to sneak out but I caught him. And,” she looks around and lovers her voice even more. “He’s coming over for dinner tonight!”

“No!”

“yes!”

“That’s crazy.”

It’s crazy that you literally keep running into him. It’s not like you’re avoiding Maverick, per se, but you still don’t know how to break the news to him. 

Hey man, great lesson today. Oh, by the way, I’m the daughter you didn’t even know you had because my mom ran away when she found out she was pregnant. Yeah, I know it’s fucked up. If I was on good terms with her I would ask why, but she only calls me when she’s drunk. 

That’d go over well.

Amelia crosses her arms.

“That’s my tea. Now, tell me yours. Tell me about Top Gun.”

You look around her room. She repainted the walls a shade of yellow that you love. There are pictures hanging on the walls. One, a big one over her desk, is your favorite picture: a selfie you took of you, Amelia and Tae when you took her to Malibu to learn to surf.

“I love that picture,” you admit. Amelia nods, getting up to remove it from the wall. “Top Gun’s… not the same without her. Nothing is.”

Amelia’s always been wise for her age.

“I see her everywhere. I mean, I know I don’t, but I do.”

You smile tightly.

Grief sure is strange. Even Amelia feels the loss of Tae heavily.

There’s a soft knock on the door.

“Girls! dinner!”

“What were you two talking about in there that was so important I couldn’t be part of the conversation?” Penny asks over the steak she’s prepared. 

“Oh… nothing…” you take a sip of water.

“Just how Y/n’s in looooooooove,” Amelia singsongs.

You shoot Amelia a dirty look.

“We were actually talking about how the two of you have been canoodling.”

Maverick stops, his fork hanging in midair. Penny’s expression is priceless. 

“Yeah, I mean why else would Mav be invited to Saturday dinner?” Amelia asks. You nod along with her sagely.

“This used to be a girls night,” you explain to him. “When Duchess and I were in Top Gun.”

“ah,” is all he says.

You pat your pocket, remembering the gift you had brought for Amelia and Penny.

“Actually, we were just talking about how Tae and I would take Amelia out on the weekends,” you tell Penny. “And I just remembered I brought this for you guys.”

You take the strip of photos from your pocket. It’s a photo booth strip from a long weekend taken to Disney. All four of you are smushed into the booth, wearing matching Minnie ears, leaning into each other and grinning.

“I have a copy, so you keep that.”

Penny admires it, sad smile forming on her lips. Amelia peeks over her shoulder, grinning. You avoid Tae’s eyes. They used to pierce you. The still do.

“I’d like to toast.” Penny raises her glass, setting the strip down. “To new beginnings.”

“to new beginnings,” you agree. 

You don’t get very far into dinner before your phone rings. You decline the call. five seconds later, it’s ringing again. 

Decline.

“Do you need to take that?” Mav asks (he’s gotten you to stop calling him sir, finally.) and you shake your head.

“It’s my mom. Hang on.”

Penny and you share a look. She raises an eyebrow. you shake your head.

Nothing to worry about. 

You’re suddenly very hot as you excuse yourself from the table. you’re not quite out of the kitchen when you pick it up. 

“Mom?”

“Y/n? Is this my disappointment of a daughter?”

you sigh into the phone, staying silent. Her jab sends tears welling up in your throat. Spending time with Amelia and Penny has always reminded you of the mother you could’ve had. 

“Where’s your deposit? Where’s the money you owe me for giving you life and a roof over your head?”

You hurry to ease the door shut. The deposit. Goddamn. She’s sober enough to remember it. Ever since you moved out, you’ve been wiring her deposits every month to make sure she keeps living. You’d hoped it was enough to send her to rehab, but she refused to go. 

“The deposit?” you say faintly, heart dropping. 

Her voice gets thin and screechy over the line. You can’t bring yourself to pull the phone away from your ear as she spits barbs at you. You cover your mouth to muffle the wet sobs escaping your throat. 

“You never wanted what’s best for your family! You left me for the Navy. You’ve never done anything right and that girl - Tae - died because of it.”

She’s never gone there before.

And you’ve never had anyone lay it out for you. 

“Mom. mom. mom, stop!” You gasp out. “Everything I’ve done if for you! The money, the house, I stayed. For you!”

You don’t hear the porch door swing open. 

“I didn’t owe you anything! I never did! I didn’t ask for you to have me!” 

Your mother begins to argue with that, that you forced her to have you. You cut her off with a gut wrenching cry.

“I JUST WANTED YOU TO LOVE ME!”

You tear the phone from your ear and slam your thumb on the red button. 

“Y/n.”

Penny. 

You drop your phone, defeated. Penny reaches out hesitantly and uses her fingers to wipe your cheeks. 

She’s hugging you and you’re crying before you can even know what’s happening. 

To new beginnings.

begged you to want me, but you didn’t want to.

“Rooster.”

he’s pissed, drinking his second bottle.

“Rooster.”

You sit down next to him. 

“What do you want?” he snarls. You gingerly put your hand on his shoulder. 

“Are you okay?”

He leans into your hand. You sigh. 

“Phoenix and Bob are gonna be okay. I went to see them before I came here. They’re not injured. Just shaken up.”

He slams his bottle on the table. You finch away.

“Did Maverick send you?”

“what? No.”

Surprisingly, it had been Hangman who told you that Rooster was sulking in the Hard Deck. He’d seemed worried about him, so you went to check up on him.

“He likes you, you know. Thinks you’re a good pilot.”

“I am a good pilot.” You nudge his shoulder. “But so are you. So are Phoenix and Payback and Coyote.”

“He pulled my papers, you know. So he must not think I’m that good.”

You hesitate. this has always been a sore subject for Rooster. Saying the wrong thing could result in making it worse- not better. 

“He flew with your dad, right?”

Rooster rubs his face and takes another swig from his bottle. 

“Yeah. But I’m not my dad. He thought I’d-“

“Maybe he was just scared, you know? Maybe he cared so much for you that he didn’t want to lose you.”

If he had known that you were his daughter, would he have pulled your papers, too? Or would he have wanted you to be like him, be a pilot in the Navy? 

“whose side are you on?” Rooster snaps. “You’re saying the same things I’ve heard my whole career. No one thinks the great Maverick could make a mistake, I guess.”

“that’s not what i’m saying, Bradley!” you take a deep breath. “Like it or not, he cares about you. You’re the closest thing to a -“

You cut yourself off, because, strictly, Rooster isn’t the closest thing he has to a child that he has. You gulp back the words. 

“Y/n? Are you okay?”

“Can I… tell you something? But you have to swear not to tell anyone else.”

“I won’t,” Rooster promises. You hold out your pinky, and he stares at it. You raise your eyebrows at him. he looks around, no doubt making sure there’s no one who would make fun of him for pinky swearing, and interlocks his pinky with yours. 

You reach into your pocket, retrieving the wrinkled, folded picture and hand it to him.

“That’s my mom,” you say, pointing to the woman. “and that…”

“That’s Maverick!” Rooster looks triumphant in his revelation. “So, what, Mav dated your mom?”

“No! Well, yeah, but that’s not what i was trying to tell you. Look at the date on the picture.”

Rooster squints and brings the paper closer to his eye.

“Wait. That’s..”

“twenty six years ago, and ten months after that was taken, I was born.” 

Rooster drops the picture, mouth falling open. He’s staring at your face, no doubt picking out features reminiscent of Mav’s. You shift uncomfortably.

“What. The. Fuck.”

“I know!”

“Does he know?”

You hesitate. He might. There’s been a lot on his plate, though, and your last name could be forgettable if they only dated a couple of months twenty some years ago. 

“No. I don’t think so.”

Roosters eyes widen.

“Wait so I can’t tell anyone?”

he groans when you nod.

“Y/nnnn you can’t just dump this on me and tell me I can’t tell anyone! That’s too much pressure!”

 You snap your fingers in his punting face.

“You listen to me, Bradley Bradshaw. If you tell a single person I will hunt you down and slice you into tiny pieces and then cook you and let Hangman feed you to his horses.”

You cackle at the pure, unadulterated fear in his eyes. “That’s right. I remembered your deathly fear of horses, bitch!”

He’s pale, but his face breaks into a smile.

“I’m glad you’re back to normal, Majesty. You had me scared there for a second.”

You know what he means. Since Tae died, for a while, you had no will to do anything or see anyone- in other words, you were super duper depressed. Lately, you’ve felt lighter, like you can laugh and smile again without feeling guilty. 

Here’s to new beginnings.

disclaimer: I know absolutely nothing about how planes work or flying or anything like that

[wc-confessions]

I think it's still fucked up that Alderheart was forced into being a Med. Cat because he needed more time and training than most apprentices.

I know that's not the whole story, but damn does this whole situation make me mad. When Bramblestar breaks the news to him that he MUST be a Medicine Cat, he literally says "Oh yeah it's the will of God, kiddo!!!!!" and then refuses to elaborate while he expects him to just. Not get upset by that?

And then when he does realistically get upset, Molewhisker, the person who should be advocating for him, reaffirms that yeah actually you really suck Alderpaw!! You are worthless because you can't hunt or fight despite only being in training for a month now!!! Now shut up and get into the Medicine Den you worthless fuck

And Leafpool and Jayfeather? Oh yeah they don't care that this child is being forced into this job because his dad is going on a powertrip. Oh yeah we definitely got a vision from God and it was definitely about you, despite the fact that there are so many cats with white tail tips that it could be about literally anyone else in the world.

And this is presented as a good thing, apparently. Ignoring the fact that he gets a prophecy/quest later on, I don't think it's good to tell anyone that oh yeah you need to change professions because you're taking too long to learn. Yeah you really suck at your job right now, so I am going to force you into a new job you don't want and there's nothing you can do about it because I said so. Improvement? Working hard and learning? What's that? Yeah I can't hear you, it's the will of God, sorry buddy :(((

Like. It just makes me so mad to think that Alderpaw was essentially punished for needing more help than most cats. Like come on, would it really be so hard to monitor his progress a little more and give him more time without judging or scolding him? And would it be so difficult to not shame him every time he misses an "easy" catch, or scream at him whenever he gets lost in a daydream, or fuck up his self-esteem by not even offering him praise when he succeeds?

And why didn't anyone stick up for him at all, considering that Bramblestar & Co. confronted him publicly with this? Squirrelflight? Lionblaze? Sparkpaw? Jayfeather, who was also forced to be a Med. Cat? Why didn't anyone push back against this? The whole prophecy/vision is sketchy as hell considering that the only hint they got was a white tail tipped cat. Somebody should've questioned this more.

Oh dang this is getting long. Umm. So. That's the end, thank you for coming to my Ted Talk guys!! And thank you to Alderheart for simply existing in this world, love you dude :)

ㅤ

[bobbyseyesmile]

Pride and Passion | 22

Chapter 22

A/N: short chapter, i apologize! still trying to get back on my feet but i finally have the energy for writing again :) Thank you for all the sweet get well wishes and the patience! hope you enjoy!

⤝ Previous chapter| next chapter ⤞  ➻ Pride and Passion masterlist

You nervously bit on your thumbnail when you saw the big black van entering through Alexandria’s gates; it has only been five days since you last saw Negan but you were longing to see him again. Those few days felt like years even though you were still a bit mad at him.

You walked towards the van and raised your eyebrows in surprise when you saw Dwight and some of Negan’s men but not the leader himself.

“Hey.” Dwight gave you a quick smile but it disappeared when he noticed your confused expression. “You alright?”

“Sure.” You answered and put a hand on your hips in order to seem confident. “So, Negan’s not around?”

“You said a week. He gives you a week.” Dwight bit his tongue to keep himself from laughing when he saw your flustered face. “He always keeps his word, Y/N.”

“Y-yeah…” you sputtered. The disappointment was big but a warm feeling spread in your stomach because he actually listened to you. The feeling grew bigger when you walked around the vehicle and saw the full trunk. “What is this?”

“Wasn’t the alliance between Alexandria and The Sanctuary your idea? This is the stuff Negan gives you and because he already took a lot from this place, he doesn’t expect something in return for another few weeks. From now on there’s a trade system.” Dwight explained and gave you a box filled with medicine.

“Really?” you just couldn’t stop the smile spreading across your lips. A deep feeling of relieve washed over your body; Alexandria could collect new things and fill their almost emptied inventory once again. “Well… good.” You cleared your throat and raised one eyebrow “Tell him thanks.”

“He’ll be around in about two days, why not tell himself?” Dwight asked and you noticed the smirk on his lips while his eyes stayed cold.

“Yeah, whatever.” You shrugged your shoulders and turned around in order to inform your dad and the rest of the group that somewhat of easier times were around the corner.

Dwight watched you walk away when the rustling sound of the walkie talkie cut through the air and Negan’s low voice could be heard. “D?”

He grabbed the device and pushed the button to answer. “I’m here boss. Y/N just left; you can talk freely.”

“Pff-“ Negan chuckled “Fucking course I can. Why wouldn’t I even if she’s around?”

Dwight rolled his eyes. You two were worse than teenagers who just fought and now wouldn’t acknowledge the other one till they made the first move.

“Yeah, you’re right, sorry boss. The delivery was warmly welcomed in case you were curious.”

“Uh-huh, whatever. Good.” The leader cleared his throat as well. “I’ll be with you in a few days, help them unload and make yourself at home, ya hear me?”

“Yes, Negan.” Dwight let go of the button and watched you in the distance talking to Rick. Exciting times were ahead for sure.

✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤

Two days later you tried hard to seem as calm and collected as possible not wanting to give in those stupid butterflies that raged in your stomach. Carl stood beside you on the porch while you were eyeing the gates; not to close, not to far off either. In case of an arriving vehicle, you could stroll there without appearing to be too enthusiastic. Perfect.

Your brother watched you with raised eyebrows and let out a small sigh. “If you continue to bite those nails there won’t be any left.”

You let go of the thumb between your teeth and felt your cheeks heating up. “Whatever.”

“Stop acting like you don’t care. You were in a bad mood the whole week, why not just be happy that you’ll see him soon?”

“Try to grow up Carl, then you’ll understand.” You answered and received an annoyed eyeroll.

“No thanks. You grown ups are all the same.”

“Oh yeah?” your lips curled into a small smile while patiently awaiting your younger brothers so-called wisdom.

“Yeah. You’re just old teenager; still stupid but closer to dying.” Carl gave you a cheeky grin and you punched his arm in return.

“You got a death wish you little brat?! Who are you calling old?” You huffed offended but still caught yourself laughing along with him when you heard your name being called.

“Y/N!” your father yelled and gave a quick wave with his hand to get your attention. “They’re here.”

You had to physically stop yourself from running towards the gates but your legs still made some fairly large strides and you arrived just in time when you saw the cars arrive.

Negan’s eyes were closed but he wasn’t sleeping; he tried to subtly scan the area when they drove through the gates of Alexandria loudly yawning and stretching before he exited the car.

“Ah, finally.” He whispered more to himself but couldn’t hide his excitement when he saw your face in the crowd. His lips almost automatically curved into a smile, showing his pearly whites when he saw your reddened cheeks as your eyes locked with each other.

You crossed our arms in front of your chest but stumbled forward when Carl gave you a soft push. It’s not like you could hug Negan in front of the other ones, the relationships was still fairly secret but everyone knew you were the only one that had him wrapped around your little finger and you could tell him things straight to his face without getting killed.

“A week.” You finally spoke and nodded your head. “You held your word and brought stuff.”

“That I did, sweet cheeks.” He answered and you narrowed your eyes in response. “So should we tell the good people of Alexandria about the new trade system you negotiated?”

You nodded but said: “Later. They already know the facts but I would like to tell them in detail in a meeting tonight. First, we have to talk abut some… things.”

You crossed your arms once again and slightly squeezed your boobs in the process. Negan’s eyes immediately fell on your exposed cleavage and he licked his lips.

“Oh darling, I couldn’t agree more.”

Taglist: @toxicink @jaywinchestersalvatore @crosshajr @neganswoman @tonestark @missmiauz @ellablossom @abbiesxox @fullwattpadmusictree @lover1307 @shadylilac @xsecretsirenx @sstrxnges @sanctuaryforthelost @carlyi @r3dskywaterfall @liviav @cobainlover @star017 @crumbssss @eggheacl @neganzbeard @tonysterco @itsmiamalfoy @paigeys-posts @feral-ratatattat-king @alice-cromwell @blue-fidelity @peterparkerluvvbot @ancientbeing10 @melixson (if you want to be added, pls let me know)

➻ Buy me a coffee, thanku 💕

You’ll only find my work posted here and and on my AO3 blog. I don’t give consent for my work to be re-posted (in any language) onto any other platform, even if it is with credit. Thank you.

[thenerdywitchofthenorth]

Guess what my dumbass deleted?!

Maybe it was for the best because my speech-to-text was acting up and I sound like I was having a stroke.

So here's the first draft that like I said before, I love @furiousjellifish concept for this AU and I do think that would be wearing in their day-to-day wear. While I think that 6 what they present in when they want to Dazzle it up or have to show up for ceremonies or festivals or other Godly duties.

So I ended up changing a lot because I was not happy with the color placement. And a lot of little things, for example, the arm coverings I was not happy with that. I was bouncing off ideas and I changed my mind a lot. That's why the middle part is green. And while I did end up changing a few things I did keep the design of the crown although I ended up changing the color later.

I noticed that I gave Leo the same expression I gave Lou jitsu when I sketched up the first draft of the god of fame. Because Leo mirroring his dad's personality is a constant throughout the Multiverse.

Fun fact, the reason why his face looks so weird is because when I was coloring it I grabbed the wrong marker, and didn't realize it until it was too late tried to fix it made it worse. Which is sad because I really did like how it was turning out.

Now the crown, at first I did a silver color but I changed my mind and went with gold. I think it matched it better. The stone is sapphire but if you have other suggestions I'm happy to hear them. Now the flowers are white cherry blossoms, I chose the white cherry blossoms because they're very simple flowers, which shows how young, and that he's in the beginning of the journey, there are also a few rose blooms hidden there, to foreshadow becoming the god of Romance. But the main flower are blue clematis, in the west, they represent cleverness, loyalty, and courage that are often found on roads, and grow in bundles so perfect for Leo.

Now on to his outfit, I changed the middle part completely. And I put both the Hamato Clan symbol and the Mad Dog instead of it being on the actual outfit. It's a very simple and very youthful outfit, I was going to go out ,but decided to save that for later.

We agreed that Leo was born at dawn, so that's what I was going for with the sleeves. And also are the colors of his brothers but in a more pastel tone. Besides wanting to tie it to the dawn theme I was going with, the reason why I chose to give Leo such a light blue for his outfit and add the colors of his family, is because Leo hasn't become the god of romance or has been recognized as the god of strategy/ medicine yet. He's still very unsure of his position in the family, he still is very dependent and ties his identity to them. And I wanted that to reflect on his clothing,

So when you look at this outfit, the first thing your eyes are drawn to are the purple red, and orange details.

Then we have his pouch because of course, even when he's in his full get up, he needs to have something that ties him to medicine, and why not the thing that made the whole fandom tie him to that particular head Cannon?

Maybe I'll give him a third outfit like I did with Donnie. After all the god medicine, needs to be able to move around too, but if I do I'll sketch it out when I'm trying to figure out his God of romance outfit, and if you guys have ideas I would love to hear them.

Now we have the Sokka rip-off, I mean the mortal disguise. I originally wanted to give him a cape future Leo Style but decided against it, I also thought about giving him a sun hat, like I did in the Leo Usagi first meeting comic, but I was too lazy to draw it. The colors are more faded due to the fact that he's in disguise. His satchel is brown instead of blue and that also I did have this micro idea of him not wearing his mask when he's down there with Usagi , unlike his brothers, or he stops wearing it the more times that he goes down there. I'm pretty sure there's some symbolism there but I'm too lazy to think of it right now.

In the original post I mentioned, that I stopped drawing when I was in my early teens between 14 and 15, but I started drawing at the end of last year (funny enough it was also because of an elaborate Au I'm working on it) but life got in the and I ended up not drawing for a few months. But working on this Au with you guys, that are so creative and so fun to talk to, I got my mojo back so thank you a lot for that.

@fatalflawsy

@furiousjellifish

@annonniiiiieeeee

[cosmicgrapevine]

Jordy chuckled, but took Ryan’s advice. She followed him to a test-your-strength machine and paid two bucks for three swings. “Really, though, thanks for coming. Means a lot to me.” “Well, don’t thank me yet. I’m still waiting to hear what happened with Shanti.” Jordy swung the hammer. Whack! The weight went halfway up. “Fawn told you most of it,” he said. “Not much else to say. I made a mistake and paid for it, and I’ve moved on.” Swing two went higher. “OK, you’ve moved on. Great. What about her victims?” Melanie said. “I didn’t fuckin’ come here to talk about my ex,” Jordy put the hammer behind his head and grunted. He heaved it forward in an overhand swing, bashing the rubber button with all his might. WHACK! DING! The bell rung and the carny clapped. “Alright, baby doll, looks like your man just won you a prize! Step right up, take your pick! You think you can beat that, sir? Alright, c’mon!” And he’d already moved on to the next customer. Melanie rolled her eyes and grabbed the first thing at hand—a knockoff Garfield beanbag doll so overstuffed it looked pregnant. She tossed it at her ‘man’ and said “Tough shit, ‘cuz I did. When a guy refuses to talk about his ex, girls get suspicious. We have to.” He looked around nervously. “Let’s find some place more private, OK? Ferris wheel?” “Works for me. If today’s the day it goes down, Ryan’s dad can sue them.” The metal armbar and red plastic seating stung Melanie’s skin as she climbed in, Jordy’s bulk pressing her against them. The metal creaked as their seat rose, soon clearing the trees and revealing acre after acre of suburban sprawl. Kahoti’s white walls were just visible in the distance, like a desert mirage. “When you’re a Warden,” he said, “Eventually you’ll meet someone who you can’t tell the truth to, but can’t let go of either. So you lie, and you get good at lying. Fawn does the same with the orchestra kids, Miss Vernon with the teachers, we all do.” “But one day she came to me sobbing. Her ‘teammates’ humiliated her in front of everyone. She was gonna either kill them or herself. So I caved. Taught her a few exorcist tricks. Nothing dangerous. Memory spells so they’d forget their homework, compulsions to pick their nose in public, just pranks. But it wasn’t enough, she kept looking for nastier stuff. After a while, I bailed. She found another trainer.” The wheel creaked as the trip down began. “Never found out who.” “Never found out? How many people could it have been?” “There’s dabblers and small-timers everywhere. Old man leaves ‘em alone unless they start shit. And apparently one of them’s got some serious juice. I didn’t even know until she rung me up on New Year’s Eve with those girls locked up in a trapping Ward. She was mad with power by that point. If I didn’t help, she’d have gone after me next. “So there’s my story. One moment of weakness. Trying to help my girlfriend after a bad day and I ruined three girls’ lives. So what’s the word, Your Honor? Guilty or innocent?” It wasn’t just his story, Melanie thought as the ferris wheel creaked to a stop, but the way he told it. Every word was as bitter as medicine as he stared, dead-eyed, into the sky. She could question his judgment, but not his sense of guilt. “Innocent, I guess. Until proven guilty. You must be pretty confident I’m not gonna be like her.” “When I heard Mr. C’s grandkid was moving in, I thought, shit, no matter what else she’s like, at least I can tell the truth about my life. Then I realized you’re a rookie too.” He chuckled. “But nah, you’re not like her. You think about things before doing ‘em, and you don’t got that mean streak. Honestly, Tabby reminds me of her more than you do.”

[minimooberry]

15 Questions for 15 (girl idk that many 😭) Mutuals

thanks @druidberries​ for tagging me!!!

Are you named after anyone?

i feel like this is the dumbest thing ever bc like technically I’m named after my mom, or at least inspired by it, but we have very different names I just have the tamil version and she has the hindi version. My name means sweet melody and hers means melody. The reason I think it’s funny is because when my parents were getting married my dad asked his old teacher to come to it and upon hearing my mom’s name the first thing he says is ‘Oh her name’s Hindi so you should name your daughter the Tamil version.’ and here I am 😭😭

When was the last time you cried?

I literally have no idea probably like two weeks ago though I always got some shit going on lmao

Do you have kids?

absolutely not I’m in high school 😭 I’m still kind of on the fence of if I want them but if I do decide to have them I want a twin boy and girl and then I’m done pjasdhad

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

life is better when you’re sarcastic

What sports do you play/have you played?

I’ve danced for like, ten-ish years but other than like, badminton (and literally who is bad at badminton) I hate doing sports mnskjdksj

What’s the first thing you notice about other people?

Appearence wise I notice their eyes first, I don’t know if it’s because I draw a lot or wtv but I love looking at people’s eyes I’ve never met anyone without beautiful eyes. Aside from that I notice if they’re like?? comfortable talking to me because I hate the feeling of someone not wanting to talk to me I’d rather just back off first aksdjlasdj

Eye colour?

It’s the most boring colour of brown like it’s not even a cool type of brown it’s just. Desaturated brown 🙄

Scary movies or happy endings?

Horror movies with happy endings 🔛🔝🤭🤭 I watched this korean horror movie and they switched the ending from good to bad in the last five minutes and I hated everything about that decision tbh I’m a hurt/comfort girly till the day i die

Any special talents?

I don’t knowwww I don’t pay attention that but I am incredibly skilled at losing everything I put down ngl

Where were you born?

Toronto!!

What are your hobbies?

the sims (obviously), drawing, writing, reading, I like knitting a normal amount, literally anything to do with biology, true crime, failing at playing horror games w/ my friends, andddd I think that’s it? I’ve been getting into blender recently tho!

Do you have any pets?

girl i WISH 😭 i’ve been asking my parents since literally before I can remember and their answer is always ‘we already have three dogs at home’ like bae it’s been over a decade pls get a new comeback 😒😒

How tall are you?

6 feet tall 🥱🥱

Fave subject in school?

i love Science when I actually understand it I’ve always been into it which is why I’m going into medicine after I graduate like women in STEM core is going so hard

Dream job?

UMMM I’ve always wanted to be in medicine(well, ever since I made the decision when I was 7) but I’ve kind of jumped in between a few paths. Like I wanted to be a midwife, then I wanted to be a neo-natal nurse (still debating this one tbh it’s mad interesting) and I also want to be an anesthesiologist bc it’s cool and they make bank but either way I have to take the same courses all the same so it’s fine

also don’t know if any of yall have done this so just ignore this if u have and spare me the shame 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️: @strangecowplant​ @crsentfairy​ @afrolotus​ @finnsim​ @sierraelil​ @simsyworld​ @shadezovgray​ @d4isy-nukes​ @buttertrait​ @izharza​ @helltrait​ @baersims @bnt0 @alt-simz @nooboosim

[max-millers]

@morenocaleb | Setting: John Miller's House | Local Time: 23:45

When the sound of Max's motorbike echoes in front of the house, or rather mansion, John diverts his gaze to the front area for a moment. "Where were we.", he goes back, "So, wins last month have been good. No special events. One of our guys is injured, but that's his own fault, and my son patched him up good. Have you met him yet? He's going to start studying medicine this year. Boy's told me recently. Made me mad proud. Was telling him he could do it all along. He's pushing thirty now. Still remember him as a little kiddo." (Though, there's not a single picture of him around the house.) What's to know about John Miller, is that he's not to be perceived as the man he truly is. Of course, violent, a brute, but just enough for his job. Just enough for a perfectly fine arms dealer. Mister fucking perfectly fine. "Actually, it might be him in the driveway."

And in fact, a moment later, keys jingle, the door opens, and Max calls out for his father. "Dad? You there?" Their voice is so similar, the way they speak, too. And then, Max enters the living room, leather jacket on, hear ruffled from the helmet he's put on the kitchen table, sweatshirt and pants on, looking like he always does, but Caleb has never gotten to see him this dead in his tracks. "Dad?", Max croaks out, staring at Caleb, because this is bad. Is he a traitor? Have they been friends all along? Because how come, the man who's apartment he's just left today's morning is sitting on his father's couch? Chatting? Yeah, my Dad's kind of fucked up. We fight real bad sometimes.

"Max!", his father exclaims, and when he stands up to put his hands onto his shoulder, Max suddenly feels small. And looks small. John Miller doesn't see the color draining from his face at the following words; "Have you met Caleb? My boss. Your future boss. Brotherhood Underboss!"

[whatsk-poppinhomies]

❀ Part 25 : Close To Me

❀ Word Count : 1.3k

●～●～●～●～●●～●～●～●～●●～●～●～●

The midwife and the doctors all tried to coax you through the labor of your second daughter as Soobin dabbed at your forehead with a cold damp towel, his smile unfaltering as he kept his eyes on your face, mainly because he was unable to look anywhere else, remembering what it was like to watch Seonnis head crowning and the queasy feeling that he got in his stomach.

“Oh I fucking hate you, I do!” You shouted as you squeezed Soobins hand tightly, a tingly feeling forming as the circulation was cut off to his fingers. When you had Seonni you had been cursing out Yeonjun, and it was far worse than what he was hearing now, and he knew it was only because of the pain you were feeling, so he didn’t let it upset him. “Why is her head so fucking big!?” You screeched, your own head falling against the pillow as you tried to catch your breath, tears streaming down your cheeks and Soobins hand unable to wipe away the sweat that continuously beaded up on your forehead fast enough.

He took one quick peek between your legs and winced at the sight of his daughter's head slowly making its way out. “Oh, but you’re doing so great, baby…” He cooed to you, placing the damp towel on your forehead so he could use his thumb to wipe away the tears that were falling down your cheeks. “And you look so beautiful, so so beautiful.” He pursed his lips when you shot him a glare, your eyes narrowed and he didn’t know if you were growling because you were pushing so hard or because you were mad at him, but the words that came from between your clenched teeth had him stifling a chuckle.

“I look like the fucking excorcist right now! Try pushing a watermelon out of your dick hole you fucker!” You screeched and Soobin couldn’t do anything but nod and feel empathetic for the pain you were going through although he knew he’d never feel anything like it. “My entire vagina is ripping apart!”

You screamed once more and then the doctors cheered as the head came out completely, and Soobin let out a heavy breath of relief, the tears already stinging his eyes as he glanced over at the head of his daughter that was completely out, and with two more pushes she was finally there. “She’s here…” Soobin whispered as you practically collapsed against the bed, your chest rising and falling heavily and your eyes already beginning to close from the exhaustion of the whole thing.

Cutting the cord was one of the best moments, knowing that once she was cleaned up he’d be able to hold her. His own daughter, and while Seonni was, in his eyes and his heart, his real daughter as well, he still had to share her with Yeonjun. He wouldn’t have to share Binna, she was his, he wouldn’t have to keep her a secret, he wouldn’t have to hide her from the world, he wouldn’t have to lie. He was truly her dad, and he couldn’t wait to bring her home to Seonni who he knew would be the best big sister to the new baby.

“How are you feeling?” Soobin asked, his tone hushed as he brushed his fingers through your hair, the smile of pride that only a father could wear stretching across his face as he looked down into his arms, Binna cradled there snuggly, swaddled in blankets as he rocked her.

The medicine had finally worn off and everything about the delivery was a blur after the nap that you had taken, although you weren’t sure how long the nap was. “Was I mean?” You asked, reaching up to run your fingers along the tiny bundle of blankets in Soobins arms. His eyes widened momentarily before quickly shaking his head.

“Of course not… you were an absolute sweetheart, baby.” He said, sitting down on the edge of the bed, looking down at his daughter and you could almost see the love that he held for her in his eyes. “She’s so beautiful… I can’t wait for Seonni to meet her.”

You hummed softly, scooting over a bit so that Soobin would have room, and you didn’t think that it would be possible, but you fell more in love with him the longer you watched him with Binna. “Have you called Junnie? How’s Seonni doing? Did you text Cheol to tell him that she’s here? Do the other guys know?” You were filled with questions, it honestly felt like your nap had lasted days instead of the couple hours that it probably really was.

Soobin chuckled, his attention still fully on Binna, the softest sigh leaving her pouted lips as he brushed his fingers lightly across her cheek. “They all know, I texted the group chat. Yeonjun hasn’t told Seonni yet because he knows that once he does she’ll be begging him to bring her up to the hospital. They all said congratulations though, and they can’t wait to meet her.” He finally pulled his gaze away from her to look at you, his eyes crinkled in the corners from how wide he was smiling.

“Have you rested since we’ve been here?” You asked, noticing the black circles that were forming under his eyes, and he hummed quietly, a sound that he often made to try to avoid answering something, and you eyes him accusingly before holding out your arms. “Sleep, Binnie…” You cooed as he placed your daughter in your arms, his smile fading into a small, dramatic pout. “I swear, you’re not going to miss a lot. I need you to sleep, you’re our ride home, remember?” You teased, and he rolled his eyes, leaning over to press a kiss to the top of Binnas head before craning his neck to kiss you softly.

“I love you so much…” Soobin whispered, looking between you and your daughter as his hand pet over the top of her head, watching with pure adoration as a small smile tugged up at the corner of her lips. “Everything is perfect now… And…” He stood up from the bed, and you could actually see his cheeks gradually turning a light shade of pink as he cleared his throat, lowering himself down onto his knee beside your bed and fumbling in pockets of his sweatpants. “Cheol finally gave me the okay…” He said, chuckling nervously as he fished the small black velvet box out of his pocket, smiling sheepishly up at you as he opened the box. “I want to stay with you, and Seonni, and Binna… Forever and ever…” He whispered as he plucked the ring out of the box and carefully slid it on your finger. “I promise to love you with all of my heart until it stops beating… You and our girls will always come before anything and everyone else… and I’ll do everything and anything I can to make sure the three of you are always happy, and that you always feel loved.” He let out a shaky breath, his emotions evident in his glossy eyes and trembling bottom lip.

He was truly perfect, the only man that you could see yourself spending the rest of your life with, and now, with the ring on your finger and your daughter in your arms and Soobin pushing himself up off the floor to squeeze into the bed beside you, you knew that there was nowhere else you would be in life other than beside him.

●～●～●～●～●●～●～●～●～●●～●～●～●

❀ Synopsis : You and Yeonjun were the power couple all through school, and everyone thought they always would be until he up and left with no real reason. Soobin was there to pick up the pieces, caring for you and the child that Yeonjun didn’t even know about, becoming the father she loved, and the man you adored. Everything is perfect… Until Yeonjun decides to show up again three years later.

taglist : @mybabywearschanel

<- / masterlist / ->

[yo-honolulu-lets-get-it]

"I miss sleep." "Sleep is a distant memory. We're surviving on caffeine and baby giggles now."

"Guess who just said their first word today? "No way! Was it 'mom' or 'dad'?" "Actually, it was 'banana.' We need to work on priorities."

"Look at us, a little family outing. How did we become so grown up?"

"Did you hear that? I think they said 'mama'!" "No way, it was definitely 'dada'!"

"I hate seeing them sick. It breaks my heart." "Me too. But hey, we make a good team when it comes to administering medicine and making them smile."

"Ow! Your kid just bit me." "Sh! you're scaring her/him. he/she is teething and doesn't know any better."

"I say we just let the guys babysit." "I don't know..."

"I miss our date nights. Do you think we can get a babysitter this weekend?" "Sure, but only if we promise not to spend the entire time talking about the baby."

"She made a beeline for the mud puddle. I didn't even see it coming." "Good thing we brought spare clothes."

"Uh oh, you're in time out. Let me go talk to mama." "Mama put me in time out too."

"I think we should be a bit stricter with bedtime." "But she's just so cute when she negotiates for 'five more minutes'!"

"Why are they still awake? Bedtime was an hour ago!"

"Okay... don't be mad." "What'd you do?" "I didn't do anything. One of our genius friends decided to swear in front of the baby and they keep repeating it." "s..hit!" "Baby, don't repeat anything your uncles say, okay."

"Why is the baby moving so much. I just want to cuddle them."

"I'm sorry to bother you, but Y/N left me with the baby, and I am terrified I am going to mess something up. Can you please come over?"

"I don't like them. Take it back." "They're your sibling, and we can't exactly just take them back."

"Let's jump in the puddles!" "We can't. You'll get muddy and momma will kill me."

"I not cranky!"

"I have a boyfriewnd." "No! No, you don't. Boys are yucky."

"Come on. It's nap time." "I not tired dada." "You have yawned several times in the last five minutes. We will come back outside after you nap."

"Babe, where is the baby?" "I don't know. I thought you had him/her." baby coos "Give him/her up. He/she is supposed to be sleeping." "Awe.."

"Okay, we're leaving." "You're leaving. He/she is staying."

"Act asleep. Go night night." "What are you teaching them, _."

"Go to sleep. I got him/her."

"Care to explain why our son/daughter just cussed me out?" "Maybe because you and the guys are always cussing around him/her?"

"We're having a baby?"

"Why are you awake?" "The baby is keeping me up."

Mom is away and Dad is trying his best to comfort their upset toddler who is missing her.

Dad is away and Mom is trying her best to comfort their upset toddler who is missing him.

Mom and dad are on a date and leave the 'uncles' to babysit.

[thadeeliv]

Warriors: Midnight in a nutshell

Bluestar: okay hear me out Bluestar: we take four cats Bluestar: then send them off far away Bluestar: so a badger can tell them the forest they left is in danger Oakheart: bluestar i think i've fallen for you all over again Bluestar: hey brambleclaw you and three other nerds need to leave town Brambleclaw: that was a weird dream Thornclaw: dawn patrol joke Squirrelpaw: i come too Brambleclaw: no Squirrelpaw: >:( Squirrelpaw: lol jk Dustpelt: what the fuck Cats: gathering time yay Leopardstar: Hawkfrost is becoming a warrior Cats: weird Firestar: cool Leopardstar: and Mothwing is becoming a medicine cat Cats: what the fuck Tallstar: we're thorsty Tawnypelt: hey skrub Brambleclaw: wot u say Tawnypelt: i had a weird dream Brambleclaw: me too Tawnypelt: let's meet up again Dustpelt: patrol time Onewhisker: hey losers we stole a mouse Brambleclaw: what the fuck Brambleclaw: time to leave Squirrelpaw: i come too Brambleclaw: no Squirrelpaw: i wasn't asking Tawnypelt: why are there six of us Feathertail: i love my brother Tawnypelt: fair Crowpaw: i know nothing but hate Squirrelpaw: hey fuck you Brambleclaw: beach day Ravenpaw: yeah the sun-drown place is real Brambleclaw: dude we're getting the band back together Cinderpelt: tiger on fire Firestar: we must keep Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw apart and also never tell them why Brambleclaw: is he still mad about me looking like dad Squirrelpaw: let's ditch these losers The Three Six: *leave the forest* Leafpaw: eat this Twolegs: who's up for a barbeque Brambleclaw: what the fuck Feathertail: what the fuck Leafpaw: hey Mothwing Mothwing: you're never going to fucking believe why i'm becoming a medicine cat Leafpaw: why Mothwing: they saw a moth's wing Leafpaw: holy shit Crowpaw: sheep Crowpaw: horse Crowpaw: cow Squirrelpaw: dog Firestar: where the FUCK are Squirrelbramble and Clawpaw Cloudtail: my cousin is kinda hot ngl Firestar: I Really Wish You Had Not Said That Purdy: welcome to my tree Crowpaw: we need to leave Purdy: follow me Purdy: *walks in the exact opposite direction* Feathertail: this is how a riverclan fishes Purdy: come in here, there's food Squirrelpaw: milk! Twoleg: awww the scrunkly Feathertail: what the fuck Squirrelpaw: engage babey mode Squirrelpaw: you saw nothing Purdy: did you know these used to be mlg parodies Crowpaw: ok boomer Tallstar: slorp slorp slorp Hawkfrost: what the fuck Cats: gathering time Leopardstar: no more drinking my water Tallstar: okay Hawkfrost: fuck you Tallstar: it is fucking ON little man Firestar: guys not at the gathering you'll make spottedleaf sad Firestar: anyway cats are missing Blackstar: yeah Leopardstar: if only there was someone just outside the forest who we could possibly ask about this Firestar: yeah if only Rats: *eat everyone* Tawnypelt: oof ow ouch Leafpaw: i need to eat burdock Cinderpelt: ok weirdo Squirrelpaw: i taste burdock Tawnypelt: thanks Purdy: i can't go any farther, i'm afraid of salt Brambleclaw: aaaa i'm falling Stormfur: me too Squirrelpaw: me three Brambleclaw: oh no a badger Midnight: i am midnight Crowpaw: what Crowpaw: the Crowpaw: FUCK Midnight: the forest is in danger Brambleclaw: what do we do about it Midnight: leave Cloudtail: dude this air tastes like ass Firestar: oh no

[omentranslates]

Owari no Seraph anniversary chapter 118 full english fan translation

Owari no Seraph 118: I Can Hear Your Voice

To the desperate calls of his allies...!?

Krul: STILL!? Is the medicine not working!?

Yoichi: Yuu-kun get ahold of yourself!

Mitsuba: Yuu!

Kimidzuki: Come back to your damn senses, Yuu you moron!!

Yuu: *continued screaming*

Shinoa: Yuu-san...Yuu-san! We'll just take it easy, so-!

Guren: THIS ISN'T YOU, STUPID YUU! YOU AREN'T LIKE THIS, YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THIS! AREN'T YOU OUR FAMILY?

Yuu & Ashuramaru: *both screaming*

Ashuramaru: *coughing up blood noise*

Ashuramaru: ASHERA CANON, INFINITE UNSHEATHED BLADES, INTERSECTING FATE

Yuu: *breathing heavily* Rip it apart, Mikaela

Ashuramaru: WH-, AHH!

Ashuramaru: S-shit, shit shit shit

Ashuramaru: I HAVE NOT LOST, I WILL NEVER LOSE TO YOU!

Yuu: YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY

Ashuramaru: LET ME GO!

Yuu: Have to eat-

Ashuramaru: JUST GET LOST AND DIE ALREADY!

Ashuramaru: You've become a monster, Yuu! You can't be allowed to keep living if you're like this, you're a monster hated by everyone! I mean come on, Yuu, listen to what they're saying! To what they're saying about you!

Narration (I interpreted it as Ashuramaru's but everyone else thinks it's Yuu and so does the official, so I changed it for continuity's sake):

"Your parents called you a monster"

Yuu's dad: We must kill Yuu in order to kill the demon child, it's perfectly justified

"What he said has been sticking in your head and staining all your thoughts since you heard it. You don't believe there's any worth in you staying alive."

Yuu: I'm always alone, I've always been alone

Ashuramaru: Those memories were all fake! Your feelings have been manipulated!! Can't you hear the voices of who you truly think of as family!!???

Yuu: *still sustained screaming*

Shinoa: Yuu-san, Yuu-san!!???

Yoichi: Yuu-kun please stop!!

Mitsuba: Yuu!!

Shinoa: Please listen to me, Yuu-san....if you go all into this rampage you won't be able to go back...

Shinoa: We're on your side, we'll hear you out, whatever it is! We'd do anything for you, Yuu-san...so! So Yuu-san, please stay with us...

Kimidzuki: LIEUTENANT

Guren: It's fine, the medicine's starting to take effect. The demon's power is probably surpressing, he's started coming down. Keep calling for him, he should be able to hear you

Yoichi: Yuu-kun!! Yuuuu-kun!!!! I'm sorry it was my bad, I didn't mean to corner you! Even though I know how importatn mika is to you, I wanted to bring my family back and I completely lost my head for a moment-!

Mitsuba: M-me too! We needed to have more of a discussion! We should've talked about all our family, Yuu's too! What were we thinking, we're-!

Kimidzuki: WE'RE FAMILY, RIGHT? YOU SAID SO YOURSELF! I'M YOUR FAMILY AND SO IS MY LITTLE SISTER! SO DON'T ABANDON US, COME BACK!

Mitsuba: Ah...

Shinoa: Yuu-san

Shinoa: Yuu-san, please don't leave me behind...I can't live without you anymore...

Ashuramaru: Hey, Yuu. Yuu, stop it already. You're not alone anymore, right? If you can't hear those voices out there then you're truly nothing but Shikama's Monster

(it's written a special pronunciation "monster" but the kanji says puppet)

Yuu: Ah...

Yuu: Everyone...is with me

Ashuramaru: That's right.

Yuu: I'm not...alone anymore.

Ashuramaru: That's right!!! Finally, he's back to himself!!

Yuu: Yeah...

Ashuramaru: Great, then stop this already.

Yuu: Sorry, Ashera. For tiring you out.

Ashuramaru: Yeah no kidding

Yuu: ...I've been myself the whole time.

Ashuramaru: What? *screaming

Ashuramaru: N-....no way.....K-...rul.......I'm sorry.....

Yuu: *breathing out real heavy*

Yuu: Ah yeah!! I won!

Yuu: Winning...feel pretty empty. O, sword

Yuu: Have you eaten it? Ohhh, that's your angry face. Are you mad at me afterall?

Mika: Haven't you been able to hear me being mad at you this whole time?

Yuu: Yeah, I could.

Mika: I'm going to throw you

Yuu: Haha, sorry!

Mika: So, you're seriously going to betray everyone to bring me back? Even though I don't even want that? ....just like Shikama Douji wants?

Yuu: Nope. I'm going my own path, without Shikama Douji or Guren. Mine.

Mika: What kind of path is that? Do you even have any ideas?

Yuu: I do.

Yuu: I've got one desire, to protect my family from this stupid shitty world. Lend me your power and let's get to it!

Yuu: Hm!?

Shinoa: Ah-

Shinoa: Ah-oh, Yuu-san

Yuu: Sorry, Shinoa

Shinoa: N-no need, you don't need to say anything else-...!

Yuu: I'm going.

Guren: GET BACK HERE, YUU

Shinoa: Yuu-san!!

Leaving his family in order to protect them.....!?

[tallmantall]

#JamesDonaldson On #MentalHealth – How to Talk to Kids About Suicide

Parents and other adults can do a lot to make kids feel safe discussing mental health, so they know it’s okay to speak up if their thoughts ever turn to suicide. Here are eight tips. By Lisa Rapaport Medically Reviewed by Allison Young, MD of American College of Lifestyle Medicine Normalizing conversations about mental health and feelings can help create a safe space for questions about suicide when they come up Joanna Quigley, MD, is a mother of three school-age kids. She hasn’t talked to her kindergartener about suicide risk, but she has discussed it with her older children, who are in third and sixth grade. One of her kids asked what suicide meant after hearing about a famous person who died this way. Dr. Quigley says that she paused to collect her thoughts before replying. “It’s when someone takes their own life, because they are suffering in a way they don't feel they can get out of,” she says of the explanation she shared with her children. She also told her kids that “if they ever felt this way, or knew someone who did, they can always tell me or their dad or the adults in our lives — and no one would be mad.” Done the right way, these discussions can help kids and teens feel comfortable talking about their mental health and help them realize that it’s okay to ask for help, says Quigley, who is an associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics and the medical director of child and adolescent ambulatory psychiatry at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor. “It’s such an important thing to talk about,” she says. Though she acknowledges it can be a tough topic to broach. Something important for parents (and other adults who work with or care for kids) to know is that talking about suicide or naming it doesn’t raise the risk of a child thinking about it or hurting themselves. “If they are thinking about it or considering it already, naming it likely offers relief that this is something that you can say out loud or talk about — and that may open doors for them to say or ask more,” Quigley says. Suicide deaths are rare among young people but still a leading cause of death among children, teens, and young adults, according to a May report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Several recent studies have also documented an uptick in suicidal thoughts and behaviors among children and teens. One study published in May 2023 in JAMA documented a fivefold increase in suicide-related visits among youths from 2011 to 2020, even as the overall number of emergency room visits remained little changed. A separate study published in July 2023 found a surge in suicide-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations among children and adolescents from 2016 to 2021. More broadly, recent reports suggest that kids and teens are struggling with mental health in higher numbers than previously (per a 2022 CDC report, a 2023 CDC report, and others). #James Donaldson notes:Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.  #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticleFind out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundationwebsite www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com Having discussions about suicide and mental health helps create a path for kids to ask for help if they need it, Quigley says. Here are eight tips from Quigley and others for how to have these conversations. 1. Don’t Wait Until High School to Talk About Suicide Risk The reality is that most kids know or have heard about someone who has thought about suicide or self-harm by the time they’re in middle school, Quigley says. They’re having these conversations with peers, she says. “They are really hard concepts to understand and to process at any age but particularly at such a young age,” Quigley says. So making kids aware that you know this might be happening and it’s something you can help them understand and cope with can be really meaningful. This is the first step to begin helping them have tools to take care of themselves, she adds. There isn’t good research to say for sure the exact age that parents might want to broach this topic, says Geoffrey Ream, PhD, a professor at the Adelphi University School of Social Work in Garden City, New York, who studies youth suicide. Dr. Ream first had questions about suicide at age 10, when he read an article about it in a doctor’s waiting room. “At the time, the grown-ups had made it clear that this was something that a kid should not think or talk about,” Ream recalls. This message is harmful because even though suicide is rare before adolescence, risk factors like depression and anxiety can start much earlier and parents should avoid making kids feel like it’s forbidden to discuss these emotions, Ream adds. 2. Normalize Conversations About Other Mental Health Topics, Too Quigley says that normalizing conversations about mental health in general in kids’ day-to-day lives is a great place to start. It’s worked with her two older kids, and she advises other parents to try it, too. “I recently took the oldest to their annual pediatrician visit, and I let her know that there might be questions at the visit about depression or anxiety,” Quigley says. “That opened up a conversation between the two of us in which she asked about what it means to be depressed, or the ways she knows anxiety has shown up for friends.” During that conversation, Quigley was able to ask if her daughter was worried about any of her friends. “I let her know that if her feelings ever got hard to deal with or scared her, that she could always tell me, that it would not upset me, and that she could also tell her dad, or her teachers, or her grandparents.” It can help, too, if parents and primary caregivers routinely ask kids how they’re feeling, so that talking about mental health can become just as normal to kids as sharing when they have a cold or a physical injury, Quigley says. This way, kids get used to talking about their moods and get the message that it’s okay to share when they’re struggling with how they feel. 3. Create a Safe Space for the Conversation Kids will feel more comfortable opening up when parents and other adults intentionally create a safe space to talk, says Michael Lindsey, PhD, MPH, a professor and dean of the Silver School of Social Work at New York University who specializes in child and adolescent mental health. This needs to be “a no-judgment zone where they are free to share their thoughts and feelings without repercussions,” Dr. Lindsey says. “Maybe it’s after dinner or during a time when the family normally relaxes.” And if adults are worried that a child may be too sensitive to handle the conversation, it helps to start with some leading questions, Ream says: “I’d start by asking what the kid knows and believes already, because they’ve probably already had some exposure and developed some opinions about it.” 4. Let Kids Know That Help Is Available Parents and other adults caring for kids need make sure that kids absorb some key messages about suicide, doctors and researchers say. Lindsey and John Ayers, PhD, the vice chief of innovation and a mental health researcher at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, say these three points are most important to communicate: - It’s okay to tell the truth. Adults need to let kids know that it’s okay — and safe — for kids to tell them if they have feelings that their life isn’t worth living or thoughts about hurting themselves, Lindsey says. - Having suicidal thoughts doesn’t make you a bad person. Children need to know that having suicidal thoughts doesn’t make them a bad person, Lindsey adds. - Help is available. Adults need to stress that help is out there, Dr. Ayers says. “Encourage kids to speak up if they or a friend is struggling,” Ayers says. “Suicidal thoughts are often linked to treatable mental health issues.” 5. Avoid Tough Love Talk That Causes Stigma Parents and other adults caring for kids should avoid unintentionally stigmatizing mental health problems or treatments that might help, Lindsey says. This means be conscious of word choices all the time, not just when you’re trying to talk to kids about suicide. “Tough love talk can reinforce stigma, as can expressing a distrust of professional help,” Lindsey says. “Telling a boy to `man up’ or telling a girl to `keep things within the family’ can shut down important conversations before they even begin.” Some parents might also want to prioritize prayer over getting professional help, Lindsey adds. “I always say that professional help can help you to know what to pray for with God,” she says. 6. Recognize if You’re the Best Person to Have This Talk With Your Kid Parents and other adults should talk to kids about suicide risk only when they can remain calm and maintain a neutral facial expression regardless of what kids say, advises Benjamin Shain, MD, PhD, the head of child and adolescent psychiatry at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Chicago. “When I ask about this during appointments with my patients, I don’t have any reaction if they do say they’re thinking about suicide,” Dr. Shain says. “I don’t see how every parent can do that.” If a parent doesn’t feel ready or emotionally stable enough to have a conversation about suicide with their child, enlist the help of your child’s pediatrician, Shain says. Having a strong emotional reaction to what kids say about suicide can inadvertently make them feel like they’re better off keeping any thoughts about suicide to themselves, he explains. And that can be really detrimental to kids’ mental health. 7. Let Pediatricians Help Parents or other primary caregivers who don’t feel emotionally prepared to talk about suicide with their kids or who aren’t sure their child can handle the conversation should really lean on the child’s pediatrician, Shain says. “Pediatricians have the training to do this,” Shain says. They’ll be able to monitor if your child’s answers change over time and be able to respond to that in the right way. Parents can also turn to school social workers or psychologists, Lindsey says. A child’s pediatrician may be able to refer children to a mental health professional if needed. 8. Seek Help if You Need It Any time that kids have suicidal thoughts or talk about self-harm and parents or other caregivers aren’t sure what to do, they can call or text the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, clinicians and researchers advise. Other expert-recommended resources include: - SAMHSA The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has tips for parents on what symptoms to look for and how to talk to kids about suicide. - The Steve Fund This nonprofit is focused on supporting mental health for youth of color and has resources for parents on how they can help. - The Trevor Project This nonprofit is dedicated to suicide prevention among LGBTQ+ youth and offers guidance on how to prevent suicide and how to talk about it. - The Child Mind Institute This children’s mental health nonprofit has lots of tip sheets on how to talk to kids and teens about suicide risk, and how to help them when they or someone close to them has suicidal thoughts. If you or a loved one is considering suicide, dial 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Read the full article