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elias-code · 3 years

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My OC's relationships on the Dream SMP

These are all characters, not the actual streamers! <3 It's also not all of them since I don't watch a few of them :) I harbour no hate towards the people behind the characters that I have issues with lmao

Awesamdude - Negative relationship - basically, he let Quackity get away with putting Techno away, let Tommy die and get revived by Dream and then never apologised, and then let ghostbur die and... wtf - Yeah we aren't friends. In another universe, if he weren't the warden, we might get along.

BadBoyHalo - He kinda gives me bad vibes - After the egg stuff I just don't really like to be around him... he killed Foolish and tried to kill everyone at the banquet which I just don't vibe with - I kinda understand why he joined the egg. I mean he was there for Skeppy which I think is ok, but he really went off the deep end. If he redeems himself, I'll be the first to befriend him (cautiously)

Callahan - Alright I taught him some American Sign Language for basic communication - I go and hang out with him whenever I feel like there's too much angst on the server, he's so neutral it's honestly relaxing.

Captain Puffy - We don't know each other very well - I mean I agree with her when it comes to the egg and she seems nice but it's hard to be friends with her when her son is Dream... poor Foolish, though.

Connor - I don't know how to feel about him - I don't have anything against him but... he just seems like someone I wouldn't get along with so I don't hang out with him. He is kinda funny tho

Dream - Ok, ok, he's just an ass - I'm not even gonna list why, you know why... I'm just saying. - I do feel bad for him since Quackity just beats the living shit out of him and he's already in prison so why...?

Dream XD - I fear no man... but that thing... it scares me. - Why his voice do that?? - I avoid him but if he approached me, I would be ok with being his friend, I mean he's a god. If I don't then I might die. Might as well use it to the fullest extent I can.

Eret - I don't really understand why he joined the opposing side during the L'Manburg war - I mean she's cool! I like their outfits and it's nice to have another queer person on the DSMP - I think we'd be good friends in another life, but our friend groups don't overlap very much, so it's hard to hang with them.

Foolish - Little bit scary ngl - Lightning go brrrrrr - I feel really bad for him since he's gotta be related to Dream and he died during the egg shit. That's just cruel. - also I don't really vibe with his personality but I do like to talk to him about his building ventures since I also love to build

Fundy - I feel sooooo bad for him - He's super cute, super sweet, and he just deserves more love - I plant sweet berries around his house to brighten his day whenever I can and I also feed his fox - I love to talk to him and he teaches me dutch sometimes because it's an interesting language. Also, he just deserves a good role model in his life... Like Will kinda sucked as his dad, Schlatt was not a good role model, and his friends don't really care about him. :( - Um also (IRL) he's the reason I started watching the DSMP, I love coding and Dutch so it was a very good mix for me

George - I sleep the opposite amount that he does. - I love his mushroom aesthetic but I stay away from him in fear of Dream XD. - I don't have a lot to say about him since he's not on the dsmp much

Jack Manifold - Yo he's lowkey annoying??? - Give Tommy his hotel back??? He died??? - If he were nicer to Tommy I'd be his friend but he's gotta get his shit together lmao

Jschlatt - Fuck that guy - bruh, he ruined L'Manburg?? - He drinks too much, not surprised he had a heart attack oof

Glatt - Ghost Schlatt gives me such chaotic evil vibes - I enjoy his presence much more than I enjoy his living presence. - I like the fact that he's kinda useless and can't do anything. It's like going to a zoo to see a creature you wouldn't want to see in the wild

Karl Jacobs - I feel bad that he's losing his memory, he's such a fun character. - I like to hang out with him but he makes me sad and also our friend groups do not vibe with each other oof

Niki Nihachu - She's super sweet and absolutely terrifying. - I love to help her bake and its super fun to try out new recipes with her - People really underestimate her and in return for her help with the baking, I help her train her fighting skills.

Philza - DADZA - I get in trouble with him a lot oof, I like to troll people so it happens quite a bit. Also, I take the blame for a lot of the stuff Techno and I get up to as well as with the bench trio. - He taught me how to sew and crochet so I can make my own clothes. I also build with him whenever he asks for help

Quackity - Scared. - He's rude and evil and I dislike him... gambling bad - I like Charlie and I think he's a good influence on Quackity but tbh I feel the same as Techno in this scenario. I am not a Quackity apologist!

Ranboo - I have the same vibe as him. We are one and the same. - I keep an eye on him during his enderwalks, he worries me sometimes. - Out of everyone in the bench trio, we get along the best. I take care of Michael sometimes when he's out doing Snowchester stuff with Tubbo.

Sapnap - I mean I dislike him a little, he throws off my vibe. - He's on the wrong side of everything imo, just stop being weird, big man... - Also I mean I don't understand why he threatened Dream with torture if he ever escaped. Like you don't have to tell him that, just do it? - We have very similar voices (IRL oh no) and so I'll mess with people by doing my best impression of him

Skeppy - One of the many victims of my trolling (with techno usually) - He's fun to hang out with for a while but I can't handle being around him for too long, he gives me a headache - Sometimes I wonder if he's actually made out of diamonds... should I kill him and see what happens?

Charlie (Slimecicle) - BEST BOY I LOVE HIM - HE'S SO CUTE DAP ME UP - Honestly, we get along soooo well, he reminds me of a slime for some reason, hmmmmmmmm - I try to teach him human-ness because if he doesn't want to look like a slime then there's no reason for me to say no

Technoblade - Ah yes the best one on the SMP - He did not like me at first, I can be a bit annoying oh no - Eventually, he got a soft spot for me since we have the same sense of humour and I love to mess with people - I sympathise with him, he deserves so much more than he's getting. - I wish he didn't express his emotions as anger all the time since it really affects everyone. He's got some anger issues and I try to deal with them with him.

TommyInnit - Omg I still find him annoying but I love to hang out with him like Wilbur does. - He needs to learn some boundaries but he is still a kid, so it doesn't really matter. I think people have to stop being little shits to him since his brain hasn't fully formed, like all adolescents. - He's very sweet sometimes and I appreciate his assistance in a lot of random tasks

Tubbo - I am allergic to bees so we can't hang too much - I like to chill with him and Ranboo and sometimes him and Tommy, but I'm always telling Tommy off for being a little shit to Tubbo. - I do not approve of his governmental ways, but his heart is in the right place. Also, why do you have nukes?

Wilbur Soot - Too much government, I do not approve - not a good father - Eventually, he stopped governmenting so whatever, no more animosity from me, eh?

Ghostbur - Awww he gave me blue - how dare he die twice - I love friend, I walked him sometimes. So glad he has infinite canon lives - I wish he had more time on the SMP, he's super sweet and his vibe is amazing

Revivebur - Alright he's kinda cool, I like his hair. - He doesn't have any governmental plans thank god - He's a bit worrying but he hasn't done anything yet. I'll just keep my eyes on him.

That's it, just doing this for fun! I have a lot of things in the works, don't worry! If you're curious as to what I'm working on, take a look at my masterlist (it's on my page at the top where my asks are) If you do have any asks please give 'em to me, I love to write for you guys :)

THANK YOU FOR 80 FOLLOWERS!

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surveys4ever · 3 years

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25.

Section 1 – Who were you?

Think back as far as you can. What is the first memory you have? I think meeting my (now) dad for the first time when he and my mom were dating. I was very upset because he was short and that’s not what dads were supposed to look like in my 3 year old eyes since my bio dad was super tall.

What is something you remember enjoying very much as a small child? Playing Barbies, watching Barney, Happy Meals, being with my grandma.

How old were you, when you made your very first friend? Probably preschool.

Are you still friends with this person today? Facebook friends, yeah. Real friends, no.

Was there a story somebody read or told you that has stuck with you? No one ever read to me after I learned to read for myself so one day I was sick and I came home and curled up with my mom on the couch and asked her to read me a Little Mermaid book I had and she did, even though I had to get up to go shit myself halfway through and it meant a lot to me at the time.

What is something you get an immense feeling of nostalgia from? Hannah Montana for some reason. It was my favorite show and we didn’t get the Disney channel so whenever we went to a hotel, nobody could tell me fuckin NOTHING because we were watching Hannah Montana whether they liked it or not.

As a child, were you a sore loser or a sore winner? I was the only child for 8 years and then the oldest after that so I never lost at anything and now when I do, I feel like I'm the biggest piece of shit loser there’s ever been. So that’s fun.

Did you go through the "naked phase"? I learned that you didn’t have to sleep in pajamas and you could just sleep naked so I did it for a while but then realized that I much preferred pajamas.

Which television shows do you watch the most as a child? I loved TV so basically all of the 90′s/early 2000′s shows there were.

Did you play with siblings, neighbourhood kids or by yourself? Either with neighborhood/school kids or by myself. I didn’t ever really have siblings who weren’t my kids, if that makes sense.

Is there something you really miss from your childhood today? I miss back when everything was simple.

Section 2 – Likes and interests

Would you ever like to try competitive pinball playing? Ummm, no.

Do you knit, crochet or cross stitch? I’m trying to teach myself to crochet.

Have you ever, or would you like to attend a gaming or comic convention? No thx.

What's your opinion on online multiplayer games? I really liked Among Us for a while there but I don’t really enjoy how rude everyone is on online games.

Do you like to go cycling? If so, where? Uh no.

Have you ever tried woodturning? If not, would you like to? Never tried it, don’t really have any desire to, but it can be relaxing to watch!

Do you enjoy drawing? If so, what do you usually draw? I do! I usually draw graphics for YouTube videos or doodle over Instagram photos, draw things to put on shirts with my Cricut, etc. I use my iPad for so many things.

Have you ever attended a painting class? If so, what did you create? I haven’t but I would like to!

How about a creative writing course? If so, did you get any feedback? I took Creative Writing literally every year it was offered in high school and I always got awards for having the top marks in the class.

What is your favourite form of exercise? No thank you.

Section 3 – People

Who is the most important person in your life (besides yourself)? My husband.

Do people generally approach you easily? I think so!

Do you get along with people well? If not, what's the problem? Yeah! I’m pretty friendly and easy going.

Do you enjoy being in crowds or do you prefer your own company? I would much prefer my own company than crowds.

Which one of your friends have you known the longest? I still talk to the girl I was best friends with in the 6th grade on occasion so like 17-18 years?

Do you find it easy to make friends now? If not, what makes it difficult? As an adult who works from home, making friends is hard as fuck.

What is something about people that annoys you? Something I've noticed in recent years is just how entitled and greedy everyone is. Everybody wants something from you or for your skills to benefit them without them putting in any work or paying you for your time. It’s just gross.

What is something about people that you really like? We have really, really harsh winters and if you ever find yourself in the ditch for whatever reason, there will be a lineup of cars stopped behind you to help you push it out or let you chill in their car while you wait for a tow truck. On the really bad blizzard days, there are groups of men in big trucks that literally L I V E to go around and help pull people’s cars out of the ditch. It’s the only time I feel like there’s actually a sense of community around here.

If you live alone, what would be your criteria for a roommate? I honestly would never have a roommate because they could either be your friend or a stranger and living with friends is a good way to ruin a friendship if your living styles aren’t similar and living with a stranger just sounds like a nightmare.

How about criteria for a spouse, if you're single? I am married but my criteria was honestly that I just wanted him to be kind and funny and I got that tenfold with my husband.

In general, what's your attitude towards people? I can’t stand to be around grumpy people. If all you do is gripe and complain about literally everything, I’m out. No thank you. Why is your hobby being angry? Take up knitting or something for christ’s sake.

Section 4 – Habits

What is something you do every day without fail? Baby talk the dog and snuggle with Beebs.

What is your typical breakfast? I’m a leftovers for breakfast kinda gal but lately I’ve been having a bagel and watermelon.

Which article of clothing do you like to wear the most? I loooove me a good baggy T-shirt and booty shorts.

Is there a TV show you watch habitually? We’re currently watching Unhhhh while we eat dinner every night, haha!

Where do you usually spend most of your day? I really only sit in 4 places--bed, the couch, my makeup/work desk, or my sewing desk. Depends on the day which one I’m at.

Is there a product that you do not want to run out of? Moisturizer. I’m a dry son of a bitch.

What is your preferred mode of transport? Car!

Do you usually have something playing in the background when you're home? Nah. I’m in silence a lot of the time.

Where do you usually get your groceries? Walmart for the bulk of it, a local grocery store for the specialty items, and Target if we ever run out of something midweek because I cannot handle Walmart more than once a week.

How often do you go to your local park? Like once or twice a month in the summer!

Which of your hobbies do you indulge in most often? Sewing and Sims currently!

Section 5 – Favourites and dislikes

What is your favourite fruit? Watermelon!

How about your favourite berry? Strawberries are the only berry I like.

Which food do you highly dislike? Fish. It’s all disgusting.

What is your favourite song, and why? I hate this question. Who can pick one definitive favorite song out of the bajillions of songs that have been written??

What is a movie you cannot stand? Anything with Seth Rogen in it, any movie that's got a 3+ after it (looking @ you, Fast & Furious), and all the fuckin’ superhero movies that have the same ‘ah yes, this undefeatable bad guy that we have absolutely no chance against and will undoubtedly kill us all--but we’re going to pull through at the last second with the power of friendship!’ plot line.

Which trait in a person do you find most appealing? I don’t know how to describe it--certain people just have that spark and you can always tell right away if they’ve got it or not and those are my favorite kind of people.

Which trait puts you instantly off? If they’re religious it’s an instant no from me, dog.

Who is an actor/actress who you dislike so much you can't watch them? I really, really dislike Tom Holland. I honestly think he’s a terrible actor.

What colour are your favourite shoes? White!

What is a smell that disgusts you to no end? B.O., on me or others. I just can’t deal with it.

Which door handle/door knob do you like the most in your home? They’re all the same.

Section 6 – Culture

What is something very typical to the culture of your home country? Apple pie and baseball are the only things coming to mind atm.

Do you enjoy art? If so, which form of art is the most enjoyable? I do! But I prefer art that you can look at and know the artist is incredibly gifted and/or has put in a ton of time and effort to master their skills. None of that million dollar paint smear on a canvas shit.

What is something about another country's culture you don't understand? I feel like other cultures take their family and their family’s approval way too seriously. That might be rich coming from someone who doesn’t have a very good relationship with their family but I just don’t understand what the point of making yourself miserable to make your family happy is.

Do you ever attend the theater? If so, which play did you see last? Last thing I saw in a theater was Shangela perform a drag show, haha!

How about the opera or the ballet? Nope.

Which dance troupe do you enjoy, if any? ...they still do that?

Do you attend concerts or gigs? If so, which band did you see last? Not as much as I’d like to as no one good really comes here very often. Last band we saw was X Ambassadors and Paramore!

Are you interested in foreign food? I’m not uninterested but I’m not super interested either.

If so, which country's cuisine do you enjoy the most? Chinese...albiet probably a very Americanized version of Chinese.

Do you enjoy stand-up comedy? If so, who is your favourite comic? I doooo! Bo Burnham and Drew Lynch are my favorites.

Do you contribute to culture in some way? If so, how? I try to? I’m an influencer so I definitely have a platform of a couple hundred thousand people. Not sure what exactly I contribute tho.

Section 7 – Charity

Do you volunteer your time to anything charitable? If so, what? Newp.

Do you donate money to any charities? If so, which ones? No. I don’t trust a lot of charities, to be quite honest. A lot of them are very shady and I’d rather donate money directly to someone who needed it rather than it getting tied up in a charity where it might never actually see the people they claim to be helping.

If you have pets, are any of them rescues from shelters? We adopted our dog from one of my husband’s coworkers but she probably would have gone to the shelter if we didn’t take her.

Do you donate your old clothes, linen etc. to charitable organizations? Yes! We almost always have a bag of donations in our trunk that we always forget to take to the thrift store when we go.

If someone you know is in need, is it in your nature to offer help? If I can, yes!

Have you ever donated Christmas presents to children of poor families? We used to do that when I was a kid.

Have you ever had to rely on other people's charity? One Christmas when I was really young I remember my parents signed up for a sponsorship through the Salvation Army where a family adopted us and bought us Christmas presents and Christmas dinner or whatever.

How do you feel about donating to charities endorsed by celebrities? I would never donate to a charity simply because it was sponsored by a celebrity but I guess its the easiest way for a charity to get the word out that they need donations.

Is there a charity you absolutely never ever will not trust? PETA, Salvation Army, Goodwill, and that breast cancer one with the horrible CEO.

Have you ever donated to a cause that had a person going door to door? No. I extra wouldn’t if someone came knocking on my door asking for money.

In general, what is your opinion on charity? I already did my rant about them, haha.

Section 8 – Entertainment

Which was the very first video game you remember playing? Ocarina of Time I believe!

Which was the very first film you remember watching? That I don’t remember. Maybe that Barney movie with the magic egg?

What is your go-to form of entertainment? TikTok usually.

Do you have a large collection of DVDs/Blu-Rays? Nah. We have a drawer but we usually stream everything.

How about music albums? Beebs collects vinyls!

Do you prefer to have your music on vinyls, tapes, CDs or digital? I prefer digital and Beebs likes vinyl.

When and where do you like to entertain yourself usually? Either the bed or the couch.

Do you ever binge watch shows? If so, what are you binging now? Usually! I’m sadly in between shows rn.

What kinds of books do you like to read, if any? I honestly don’t read anymore.

Is there a book series you're currently collecting? ..

Is entertainment something you prefer to enjoy alone or with someone else? I have my shows and then we have shows we watch together. So there’s a time and place for both!

Section 9 – Internet

Do you always have access to the Internet, wherever you go? If not, why? Yup!

Which website do you frequent the most? Website website? Google. App website? Instagram or TikTok.

Which search engine do you prefer and trust the most? Googs.

What do you use the Internet the most for? Social media or entertainment.

Do you judge people who have their phones out all the time? If so, why? Random people? None of my business. But if we’re spending time together and I’m trying to have a conversation with you and you're not paying attention to me because your nose is glued to your phone, I’m gonna be pissed.

If your connection goes down, what do you do? Go do something that’s not on the internet?

Is there something you wish you could do online that isn't possible yet? I still wish you could smell things through the internet.

Do you remember the first time you used the Internet? When was it? Yes! I believe the 2nd/3rd grade?

What was a website you used to frequent that doesn't exist anymore? I loved the Disney website with all the games.

Do/Did you ever have your own website? That was the thiiiing back in the day.

Isn't it great how much knowledge and info we have at our fingertips? It’s great but also overwhelming.

Section 10 – And finally...

What is something you consider to be highly controversial? Politics, apparently.

What kinds of jokes do you like the best? I love a good pun.

Is there a person who makes you laugh effortlessly? Oh definitely.

Which part of your body do you like the least? My eyes.

What's something random, out of context you remember from your past? I don’t do well with really vague questions.

Do you wear shoes indoors? No, I’m not a heathen.

What's the silliest thing you've worn on your body in public? I don’t think I usually wear silly things.

What's the most important thing in your life right now? Just spending time with my fam. Trying to get over this anxiety.

What is the most distant point on the planet that you've been from home? Florida.

Do you enjoy trivia games? If so, which one's your favourite? We love some Trivial Pursuit in this house!

Are you more logical or emotional? My emotions take over and then my logic brings it back in. Equal parts, baby.

#survey

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red-shirts-always-die4444 · 5 years

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Loops and Hooks

Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy x Reader

Fluff!!

A/N: This is a fic about the reader teaching Leonard how to crochet. I like to crochet myself, and who dosn’t like the idea of McCoy doing small crafty things? Anyways, I had a draft of this in my notebook for about a year. Today I typed it up and added a little extra into it.

The medbay was quiet with most of the crew off on shore leave. As per Starfleet protocol, the Medway was still up and running with limited crew. The few patients were all stable and not needing any attention, and the corresponding charts had been filled out. You had already restocked the supplies and checked on the machines, all of which had been serviced before the leave and was in good working order. Even the pot of coffee was fresh, with all of the cups and extra pots cleaned and in order. Dr. McCoy would be especially pleased with that. You two had been going out for long enough to know that caffeine was one of the things he treasured most in life.

“Is there anything else you would like me to do doctor?” You ask out of formality.

Leonard McCoy looked up from the PADD he was reading from. “No, that’s all.”

You double checked all of the monitors, still displaying the same numbers they had been when you checked five minutes ago.

“Do you mind if I bring my latest project in? It’s small.”

“I mean, as long as it’s not dangerous or something, I don’t see why not,” he shrugged.

“Thank you, Doctor,” you called back, already walking out of the room.

You disappeared down the hall to your quarters and grabbed a bag filled with yarn, crochet hooks, knitting needles, and patterns and hurry back to the Medbay.

Finding a nice, quiet corner in the staff room, you sat on the couch with your things on the couch beside you. Pulling out a half-finished scarf, you began to work on it, carefully looping the yarn around the hook and through the small holes required for the pattern.

You glance up to find Dr. McCoy watching you.

“Impressive. You definitely don’t see much of that anymore.”

“Thanks, I like it. It’s relaxing, not to mention rewarding to see a finished product,” you answered, still very focused on the pattern, trying to be careful not to lose count of your stitches.

“What are you making?”

“A scarf.”

“Darlin’, you do know that the temperature is set to make sure that the ship never gets cold?”

You playfully swatted his arm, making him laugh. “Yes, Len, of course I do.”

“It’ll look awfully nice when it’s done. You do look nice in everything though.”

“You flatter me too much.”

He kept on watching you quietly, and you could tell by the way his eyebrows furled that he was trying to figure out how everything worked and the pattern in the movements.

“Have you ever knit or crochet anything before?”

“Darlin’, I’m from Georgia. I’ve only seen my grandma and her friends ‘knit’ together, which was her code for gossiping but with yarn out. She did try to show me once though, but instead of finishing with a pair of socks, I ended with knots. Besides, the temperature never really went lower than about 2 degrees celsius. It’s not like I needed to learn because I needed to make a hat or something.”

“Well, yeah but you can make blankets or something for your quarters. Also though, it will help to keep the dexterity and coronation in hands. Good for hotshot surgeons like yourself.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he nodded.

“I can teach you now, if you’d like. It’s not like there’s much else going on now. It’s easier than it looks.”

He shrugged his shoulders as if to say; “Why not?”

You pulled some extra yarn out of the bag you had brought with you and handed him a hook. You showed him how to start the scarf he was making and how to do a simple single crochet.

“All you need to do here is make two loops of yarn, then pull it through.”

“Like this?”

“Yes. Now, you pick up one loop and pull it through again.” You watched him carefully pull the yarn through and look back for approval. “Looks good. That’s the only stitch you need for this. I’m going to go check on the patients. Keep working on this until I get back.”

When you left, you peeked back in the room from the edge of the doorframe, smiling at the sight.

____

The shift you had the day before with Len had ended quietly, but the one you had just finished today without him had not.

Exhausted, you stumbled back to your quarters where he said to meet him. You opened the door and were met with the smell of candles and dinner being made for you. You smiled, he knew you well.

“Hey Darlin’. I thought you’d be tired so I tried to make your evening as pleasant as possible.”

He put dinner on the table he had set for the two of you.

“You are the best boyfriend ever. Did you know that?”

“You’ve mentioned it one or twice. Not sure how true or objective it is, but I’ll take it. Also, I have something for you.” He got up and handed you a gift bag.

“Aw Len, you shouldn’t have.” You pulled out the sparkly tissue paper to reveal a misshapen scarf- the same one that you had shown him how to make the day before.

You giggled and looked back up at him. “Len, it’s perfect.”

“I asked the computer how to finish it off. It’s a little crooked, but I hope you still like it.”

“Of course I do,” you pulled him in for a hug, “it’s a thoughtful gift from you, and that is what make it perfect.”

“Well, I’m glad you like it,” he said, kissing your forehead.

He pulled out your chair and helped you down. “Let’s eat dinner before it gets cold.”

Tags: @goingknowherewastaken @thefanficfaerie @whatif-animagineblog @doctorginsberg

#Star Trek Fanfiction #star trek #bones x reader #leonard mccoy x reader #bones McCoy x reader

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twotwinks · 5 years

Note

benthan for 001, and benji for 002

I hope you realize what you’ve unleashed here- It’s so ungodly long that I’m adding a cut to save your dashes.

001 | Benthan

When I Started Shipping Them

So I went back through my posts because I very vividly remember when I realized I’d fallen for this ship. I first mentioned that I might have started shipping them in the tags of a post on September 15, 2018, and after I acknowledged it, I was sold on it. So I’ve shipped these precious soft boys for just a little shy of two months!

My Thoughts

This is so vague and mean, I don’t even know where to begin… I just… I love them a lot. I don’t think I’ve ever really felt this strongly for a ship before. I mean, I’ve had OTPs before, but never an OTP that actively made me want to rip my heart out because I just can’t handle the emotions it causes, positive or negative. It’s also the first ship I’ve ever written fic for, and it honestly just feels so natural, it’s so easy to write romantic stuff for them and virtually impossible to write something platonic. Plus, without this ship, I never would’ve made any tumblr friends. I’d still just be sitting on the outskirts, randomly reblogging stuff and trying desperately to come up with decent content for my fandom blog. Now I know Ruth and Cassidy and Stanislas and everybody else, and I have so much fun seeing everyone’s posts and participating when I’m brave enough (even though I still sometimes wonder if I fit in, and even if I don’t, I’m just grateful everyone still plays along with me) and honestly it’s one of the brightest parts of my life right now. I see a note or a message or someone tags me in something and sometimes it makes me want to cry because people are thinking about me. So I love this ship even more for that.

What Makes Me Happy About Them

There’s just so much. There’s so much to be happy about them. I love the way they smile at each other. I love how loyal they are to each other. I feel like they fit the “I’d follow you to the ends of the earth with only mild complaining” better than anyone else, because they would, they’d do anything for each other. And even if you look at their relationship as platonic, that’s an incredibly strong friendship, and it just warms my heart.

What Makes Me Sad About Them

The fact that one day one of them is probably going to end up dying trying to save the other one. I’d really like for them to leave fieldwork so they can live happy and safe together for the rest of their days, but I know that Ethan would never be able to live like that. Fallout told us that much. And you can bet that as long as Ethan is in the field, Benji’s going to be right by his side.

Things Done in Fanfic that Annoy Me

I dunno, really. Most of the Benthan fic we’ve got is pretty solid. Some of the smut’s a little weak, but I only occasionally venture there, so it’s not too big of a deal. One thing that does sometimes bug me, even though it’s literally the most nonsensical and ridiculous thing to be bothered by, is when they’re referred to as boyfriends or use terms of endearment on each other. I have no idea why it bothers me, it’s such a perfectly reasonable thing!!! I guess maybe I feel like they’ve just been friends with each other for so long and they know each other so well that they wouldn’t bother labeling it. At the end of the day, they’re still just Ethan and Benji, just like they’ve always been. I don’t know. I know it’s stupid, but it can still sometimes throw off the whole vibe of the fic for me. Which is ridiculous. I’m ridiculous.

Things I Look for in Fanfic

Good characterization. That’s such a big thing for me, especially now that Ethan and Benji have been my daydreaming muses for so long now. Their voices are so strong in my head, especially Benji’s. So a fic has to have really good characterization for me to love it. I also really like reading (and writing!) anything that deals with Benji’s trauma and hurt/comfort with Benji as the victim. He just deserves to be taken care of. Poor guy’s earned a hug or ten.

Who I’d be Comfortable Them Ending Up With, If Not Each Other

I suppose I’d be okay if Ethan and Ilsa ended up together. I really don’t want Ilsa to be demoted to the love interest, though. She’s such a good character, and Fallout already did her so dirty. But she’s the only other person I could see Ethan having a chance of being happy with. As for Benji, well… I think I’d just prefer him to stay a Single Pringle. If Ethan (or I!) can’t have him, no one can! I know Benji/Brandt is also a pretty popular ship, but it’s honestly just not my cup of tea. I can’t see it (or maybe I’m just too blinded by shipping Benthan so strongly).

My Happily Ever After for Them

Preferably for them to never ever set foot in the field again and buy a little house together where they host cozy holiday dinners and snuggle together on the couch after long days of training new agents and teaching them about the importance of the team dynamic. But, as I explained earlier, that’s unrealistic for these two. So, if they must remain in fieldwork, I pray that either they both manage to last long enough that they’re forced to retire (and then Benji will have to help Ethan cope with not being able to prevent bad things, so not exactly ideal) or that they both die together in the field, at the same time, so that neither of them will have to live with the guilt of losing the other (again, not ideal because then they’ll be DEAD).

Who is the Big Spoon/Little Spoon

Benji is the little spoon I don’t care if he’s taller I WILL FIGHT YOU ON THIS. Benji likes being held. It makes him feel safe after all he’s been through. Grounds him, you know? Gives him a sense of security. And Ethan likes holding Benji, because he knows that no one can hurt Benji when he’s there in Ethan’s arms, and even if Benji has nightmares, Ethan’s already right there to help him.

What is Their Favorite Non-sexual Activity

They are cuddlebugs. They snuggle everywhere, every chance they get. I don’t know if cuddling counts as an activity, though. I think they also like reading to each other. While cuddling. Because I can’t imagine a scenario where they could reasonably be in physical contact and yet wouldn’t be. So yeah. They like to cuddle.

002 | Benji

How I Feel About This Character

I… I love him. So much. Probably more than I should. Rogue Nation was the first M:I movie I saw, and I’d been kinda passively watching it until the high speed chase scene. I’d looked up from my crochet enough to notice Simon Pegg (who, at the time, was still just Scotty to me – can you believe that???), but then he started screaming during the chase, and I started paying attention, because hey, that’s exactly what I’d probably do in that situation, I like this guy. And then by the end of it Benji owned my heart, because Simon Pegg is a phenomenal actor and made me feel all of the emotions when Benji was strapped to the bomb. Mostly because Simon’s eyes are incredibly expressive, something I first noticed towards the end of Star Trek Into Darkness and still notice in most of his films. Then I went back and watched all the films, and I made small involuntary happy noises when he showed up in M:I:III. And he was so cute in Ghost Protocol. I nearly had a breakdown in the theater towards the end of Fallout (you know when I mean!) because I’m so attached to him. I actually legitimately said “Oh thank god” in the theater when it all worked out. I might have even cried a little. I was so worked up that I didn’t even fall for the bait-and-switch at the end. I didn’t have the emotional capacity to even process it as a possibility. So yeah, I think I’m unhealthily obsessed with Benji Dunn.

All the People I Ship Romantically with This Character

Ethan. It’s literally just Ethan. Ethan or bust.

My Non-romantic OTP for This Character

Benji and Ilsa are bros. Fire-forged friends. They’ve both gone against each other once or twice, but now they know where their loyalties lie, and they’ll help each other out when they need it. Total bros.

My Unpopular Opinion About This Character

I don’t know if I have one, really. Although I always kinda imagined Benji as a really good baker, or that he at least enjoys baking in his free time, but then I discovered that apparently a lot of people headcanon him as an awful cook? So maybe that’s one.

One Thing I Wish Would Happen/Had Happened with This Character in Canon

I just want his trauma to be addressed. He tries to talk about it in Ghost Protocol, and Jane and Ethan both look kinda worried, but then Brandt just jumps in and SHUTS HIM DOWN, and nothing more is said about it. And he’s been through much worse since then. Even if it’s just a simple, “Hey, you okay?” from LITERALLY ANYBODY. I’d take it. (I’d prefer it even more if Benji got a hug out of the deal. He needs a hug, poor baby.)

My OTP

Benthan. In case you haven’t figured it out by now.

My Crossover Ship

I have never actually considered this. And I’m not sure I will. I’m just so invested in Benthan, I don’t think I have the capacity to ship Benji with anybody else. I can’t even think of anyone he’d click so well with. (I’ve always been bad at the crackship thing anyway.) Maybe a lone Nick Frost character somewhere. Those always make for good ships, right?

A Headcanon Fact

Hmm… I’m really bad at this stuff, aren’t I? I either give away my answers way ahead of time or can’t come up with anything. Well, outside of Benji being a baker and my fun-to-think-about idea that all Simon Pegg characters are actually related to each other, I usually headcanon Benji as a pretty panicky sort. When I write his internal monologues, I usually get going with these long, looping, drawn-out sentences that all circle back and compound on each other and just make everything so much worse for him. He’s a worst-case-scenario kind of person. Even when things work out, he drives himself mad constantly running through the what-ifs. That’s probably me just projecting onto him a little, but I feel like it’s worked out okay in the few fics I’ve written. I also headcanon that he’s a big-time stargazer, especially when he feels overwhelmed, something that I originally chucked into a fic because I needed something for Benji to do (and also as a I’m-probably-the-only-one-who-got-it nod to Star Trek) but now I firmly stand by it as something he does.

There. That’s that. I started this two hours ago. I probably should’ve been in bed an hour and a half ago. This is ridiculously long. I hope someone finds my obsessive ramblings enjoyable instead of just irritating.

Thank you for giving me the chance to gush like this, Ruth! It feels like I never get to talk about the things I love often enough. At least not to people who actually want to hear me gush about them!

#character ask #mt answers #benthan #benji dunn #mission: impossible #ruth

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reedusdixonfictionaddiction · 7 years

Photo

The Summer in Georgia

Chapter 15. A Little Distance is All I Need

The alarm went off at 6:00 am Monday morning. Daryl sat up and reached for his cigarettes. He lit one and lay back down. She was still there; Isabella’s face was the only thing he could see. His dick was hard again, he rolled his eyes and adjusted himself. He usually had a hard on in the morning, but he’d been hard all night. Even though he’d taken care of himself twice the night before. He just kept picturing her in that bikini, he could feel her hand in his and he could smell her sweet breath, as she gently kissed his cheek.

‘What the fuck is wrong with me?’ Daryl thought. ‘I settled this shit last night!’

Daryl had spent the whole night thinking about Isabella. He’d spent the whole day with her, the entire weekend to be exact, but now he was home and alone. He opened a beer, kicked off his boots and laid down on the floor. He just dropped Isabella off and he already missed her. What was it about this girl that had his head in the clouds? This shit had to stop. He’d spent money on her, let her pick out his underwear, held her hand and taken her to eat at his favorite restaurant, that was enough. Daryl had never spent money on any girl that he could remember, not even a drink at the bar. They always bought him drinks, they sought him out, they were the ones that kept coming back for more and now he was going out of his way to make this particular girl happy. ‘Why?’ he wondered. Why was she so different? She was different, that was the whole thing. She was good and sweet and smart. Isabella wasn’t like all the dirty, trashy, slutty girls he’d been involved with. If you can call a blow job behind the bar or a quickie in the parking lot, involved. But no matter how different Isabella seemed, she was still a female and to Daryl this meant grief. He walked away from women 5 years ago, just to gain a little perspective and he hadn’t regretted it one day. Women were trouble, that was his train of thought and he wasn’t going to let that train get derailed, just because some pretty, young girl walked into his life and happened to look good in a bikini.

Five years ago, Daryl had gotten messed up with a real doozy. He’d only had sex with her once, so he was pretty shocked when she came to him and told him she was pregnant. He didn’t even know her last name, he only knew he didn’t want to be a father and didn’t want to be tied down to this girl. She had a bad reputation, as did most of the girls he was associated with, but this one took the prize. He knew at least 4 other guys that she’d been with around the time they had been together. He told her that he wanted a paternity test and until he got one, he wasn’t doing shit. Three weeks later she married one of those other guys. Six months later that guy became the father of a red headed, green eyed baby. He was black. Daryl hadn’t been with a girl since then. His experiences with women had all been strictly sexual, there was never any emotions involved on his side and to be truthful, he’d never really had any respect for women in general. It was just a very long line of drunken fucks that he could barely remember. Except for the feelings of emptiness, the next morning. The women that he’d been exposed to throughout his life left a lot to be desired. His father would bring home trashy, drunken women from his nights out at the bar and Merle was always getting caught up with some skank, who was usually only fucking him for drugs. Daryl’s mother was the only decent woman he’d ever known and he’d seen firsthand the effect a Dixon man could have on a good woman and it wasn’t pleasant.

Daryl knew how to fuck and he was good at it, but he’d never made love to anyone. He had a process. He’d hookup with some girl at a bar, they’d get what they wanted, he’d get what he wanted and it was over. There was no afterthought, no dates, no phone calls, no terms of endearment, no feelings of affection whatsoever. He’d just hit it and quit it, no fuss, no muss and that’s the way he liked it. But now he was laying there thinking about this beautiful girl and how he hated saying ‘goodnight’ to her that evening. Just the thought of her made his heart skip a beat and he felt warm and fuzzy inside. He wanted to be nice to her, he wanted to hold her hand. He’d buy her the world, just to have her kiss his cheek again and yes, he she turned him on. Daryl thought about what it would be like to be with her, to hold her, to kiss her beautiful, naked body, to feel her underneath him. Underneath him while he took his time with her, making her feel things she’d never felt before, making love to her in a way that would be almost spiritual. These thoughts and feelings were making his head spin. They were foreign and uncomfortable. Daryl didn’t like change; he didn’t like new or different and he didn’t like feeling uneasy. He needed to stop this now. If he put some distance between him and Isabella soon he’d be back in his routine, his head would clear and these ridiculous thoughts would stop. So, he decided he wouldn’t have any contact with her the whole week. He would only go the station if totally necessary and he would stay away from Rick’s all together. Daryl would act disinterested, she would get the hint, he would reembrace his ‘no women’ policy and life would be back to normal. Just to be sure things went as planned, he reminded himself that he was a Dixon and Dixons didn’t deserve nice girls. This was going to be so easy.

So, Daryl went to work every day as usual. He had to go to the station a few times, but he always called ahead and asked the receptionist who all was there. The coast was always clear, so he’d take care of his business and leave. He stayed busy and tried not to let his mind wander and for the most part it worked, but each day he’d talk to Rick, Isabella’s name would work itself into the conversation. Rick would fill him in on what she’d been doing with the house or tell him something new he’d learned about her. No matter how hard he tried to avoid the subject, she was always there and every time Rick mentioned that she had asked about him, wondering how he was and if he was coming over soon. Daryl would always make up an excuse and end up sitting in his living room, drinking a beer and thinking about her anyway. He was fine during the day; nighttime was the problem. He spent a lot of extra time in the shower that week, just thinking about her. When he’d talk to Charlie, Charlie would go on and on about how cute she was and that he was just biding his time until he asked her out. This of course made Daryl burn, but he’d let it go. She told Daryl that she wasn’t interested in Charlie, so that was some comfort.

Thursday came and Rick and Daryl met for lunch. Daryl entered the restaurant, he waved to Molly and headed back to their usual booth. Rick was on the phone, Daryl nodded his head at him and sat down.

“… no, no he’s here right now. Why don’t you ask him yourself?” Rick laughed, “You don’t need to be shy, just ask him. Here…” Rick said, handing the phone to Daryl.

“Who is it?” Daryl mouthed.

“Isabella. Here.” Rick answered.

Daryl rolled his eyes and reluctantly took the phone.

“Hello.” Daryl said.

“Hi Daryl!” Isabella said cheerfully. “How are you? I haven’t seen you all week.” Her voice sounded like music to his ears. His heart fluttered.

‘God damn it!’ he thought, then cleared his throat and answered.

“Yeah, I been busy. What’s up?”

“Well, I was going to make lasagna tomorrow night for dinner. Homemade. Can you come over? Please?” she asked.

Daryl heart wanted to say ‘yes’, but his mind told him ‘no.’

“I’m sorry, I can’t. I got shit I gotta’ do. I can’t put it off, but thanks.” He told her.

“Oh!” Isabella’s voice faded and Daryl’s heart dropped. “Well, ok. Maybe Saturday? I was going to broil some salmon and make these oven baked red potatoes.” She said with hope.

‘She sounds disappointed.’ Daryl thought. This made him feel bad, but he stuck to his guns.

“I dunno. Maybe. It depends on if I get this shit taken care of. I’ll let Rick know.” Daryl said trying to sound convincing.

“Ok, please try. I hope you have a really great day, Daryl. Bye-bye.” And she hung up the phone. Daryl felt sick, he’d lost his appetite.

“Man, she’s been cooking for us all week. I’ve probably gained 10lbs. She’s been using all those cookbooks that Lori never bothered to opened. It’s been great. That little girl is one hell of a chef.” Rick said cheerfully.

“Whatta’ ya’ mean us. Who else?” Daryl asked suspiciously.

“Oh, Charlie’s been over every night this week. He’s got quite a little crush on Isabella.” Rick said.

“What? He said that? What’d he say?” Daryl asked in a gruff voice. Inside he was burning.

“He just talks about her all the time. You know Charlie, he’s a big flirt. He told her he’d teach her how to swim, since you’ve been so busy.” Rick told Daryl. He was trying to get a rise out of him.

“I said, I’d teach her. I bought the damn swimsuit for fuck’s sake.” Daryl growled. ‘Keep it cool Daryl, keep it cool.’ He thought to himself. Then the image of Isabella in that blue, crocheted, string bikini came to mind. She was in the pool and Charlie was holding her body, trying to get her to float. His hands all over her. Daryl’s was fuming.

“You’ve just been so busy; I think he was just trying to let you off the hook.” Rick laughed.

“What’s she been doin’ all week?” Daryl asked, trying to cool down and trying to wipe that image out of his mind.

“She’s been taking care of all the plans for the Founder’s Day dance, next weekend. She’s really good at that kind of thing. She’s put it all together this week. I haven’t had to do a thing.” Rick said. “I can’t her pay though, not yet anyway. She doesn’t have a social security card or driver’s license and I can’t pay her under the table, you know? I had to get in touch with New York State to get her info. They said, it would take about a week.” He explained.

“It’s already time for that stupid dance again?” Daryl asked. “Just seems like it was here a couple of months ago.”

“It’s been a year. You going this year?” Rick said nonchalantly.

“Whatta’ ya’ think? I haven’t danced in 26 years, I ain’t about to start now.” Daryl said, sarcastically.

“You could just go and hang out. You know there’s a full bar. You don’t have to dance. Remember that woman, Jessie? The one from the bank. I asked her and she said, ‘yes.’” Rick said happily. Daryl raised his eyebrows approvingly. “Charlie’s going to ask Isabella tomorrow night at dinner.” He added.

“Wait! What? He’s askin’ her ta’ the dance. Why? That ain’t a good idea. I doubt she even wants ta’ go. Did she say she wanted to go?” Daryl spit out. He was starting to panic. Maybe his plan had backfired. Maybe she took the hint and by his avoidance, he’d driven her right into Charlie’s arms. ‘Shit, shit, shit!’ he thought.

“Of course she wants to go. I don’t know if she wants to go with Charlie, but I know she wants to go. She’s planned the whole thing, why would she not go?” Rick told him.

“Well, I don’t think she’ll go with him. Do you? Has she been flirting back with him? I mean, are they like together or something?” Daryl said, slowly unraveling.

Rick knew exactly what he was doing. Everything he’d told Daryl was the truth, but he told him in a way that was sure to get a rise out of him and it was working. Rick knew Daryl better than anyone and he knew his friend liked this girl. He just needed a little push.

“I don’t know, Daryl. She’s friendly with him, but she’s that way with everyone. I wouldn’t say that she’s been flirting with him though. He has, but she hasn’t. Why don’t you ask her all these questions yourself if you’re so interested?” Rick said.

“I ain’t interested!” Daryl snapped. “Just makin’ conversation.” Daryl took out his phone and opened the text box and started typing.

“Who are you texting?” Rick questioned.

“I just remembered that I don’t need ta’ get that shit done until next week. Ya’ know, the stuff I was gonna’ do tomorrow? I’m just tellin’ Isabella to set another place at the table. I mean it’s lasagna. I’d be stupid ta’ pass that up.” Daryl said, as he sent the text. He even put a smiley face emoji at the end.

Rick smiled big, his meddling had worked. “That’s great! She’s really been asking about you all week. I told her to call or text you or something, but she was too shy.”

Just then Daryl’s phone made a beep, beep sound. It was Isabella telling him how excited she was that he could come. She ended the text with the kissy face emoji. His heart fluttered again and just like that, all the work he’d done this week to get her out of his mind went out the window. There was no way Charlie was going to ask her to that dance. Even if that meant he had to ask her himself. He hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

#daryl dixon fan art #carrion trilevel #daryl dixon fanfiction #the walking dead #norman reedus #bigbaldhead

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thewhitepaper-media-blog · 6 years

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EDHI HOMES: Homes to Muffled Cries

Behind bars…shut out for life ever after!

In our conservative patriarchal society, homeless women often end up in so-called rehabilitation centres. Azra Syed makes in-roads into Edhi Homes and exposes the life inside the tightly guarded walls.

“I can sing very well. Please help me escape from here.”

“I know tailoring. This was my means of living when I lived in Saudi Arabia. For God’s sake, get me out of here.”“I am Qur’an Teacher and want to teach the holy book to children, but how can do that here?”These were just some of the desperate cries I heard as I enter the Bilquis Edhi Home

‘Apna Ghar’

in Shadman Town, North Karachi.Walking through the corridor I was confronted with disturbing questions. Why are these women here?Who dumped them in such a pathetic place where they do not even have a fan in such hot weather?Overwhelmed by such questions, I reminded myself that many of these women have no alternative but to take refuge in a

Dar-ul-Aman –

rehabilitation centre for shelter-less women. In our conservative patriarchal culture, many women dare not leave their parents’ or husband’s home because they fear hostility from their families and society in general. But those who dare to do it often have no choice but to take refuge in

Dar-ul-Aman

, or they are forced to land in any Edhi Home.

So what is really going on in most of the

Dar-ul-Amaans?

This can’t be explained in limited time and space. But what has been happening in the Edhi homes established especially for females, is a mystery which deserves a careful study.

Bilquis Edhi at work

The wrongdoings being committed by a renowned welfare organisation, as witnessed by this correspondent, are at best shocking. Here are a few examples of women I came across during my visit to Edhi Homes.

Mushtari Begum was a paralysed old woman who has been living at Apna Ghar for four years. She came from India and was married to a Pakistani National, an employee of Pakistan International Airline (PIA), who lived in Hyderabad. She wanted to go back but, as she said: “Edhi’s driver took me twice to Hyderabad, but both times, brought me back without taking me to my ex-husband’s home, saying the house is closed. She also alleged that her jewellery and money was taken by the staff at Apna Ghar and she never got it back.With tears in her eyes, she requested us: “Please help me get out of here.” Mushtari Begum was confident enough to live on her own. She said she had some money in the bank, besides some precious jewellery, watches and silks. “I can hire a maid and live a comfortable life,” she said. At the rehabilitation centre, she complained of pathetic living conditions. “I used to take a bath twice a day. But here I am lying on the floor without even a fan and a bed. I am paralysed and unable to maintain cleanliness. I need a helper, but who will help me in such a pathetic place?” she questioned.However, when asked for his comments regarding the allegations and conditions prevailing at Edhi Homes, Edhi said: “These women have no sense as to what they are talking about. They are mentally disturbed.”But then there is Amina, a slim Saraiki woman, accompanied by five other women, was preparing chapattis for all inside a big room. Upon spotting a journalist, she quickly moved towards me and started telling her story before we asked her anything. “I was living in Saudi Arabia, where I was earning my bread and butter by tailoring. My brother is still living in Saudi with his family. I came here to update my documents because the visa date had expired. The authorities did not allow me to go back and sent me to the Edhi Home instead,” she complained.

Helpless and Homeless: Waiting for Messiah

There are many Bengali women in Edhi Homes, and 20-year old Anwari is one of them. She was brought here when she was only twelve. Unlike most other women, she is very happy here. “This is my home. I feel comfortable here,” she said. Anwari and her elder sister Abeeja were trafficked to Pakistan from Bangladesh. The sisters parted at the border. She has forgotten everything about her childhood except her younger brothers and sisters left behind in Bangladesh. Anwari is fluent in Urdu and performs the duties of cooking with two other women, Nargis and Zubaida. Nargis was also trafficked to Pakistan from Bangladesh by a pimp who sold her in Pakistan. She cannot speak Urdu but understands it. She did not say anything but kept weeping.Another married old woman Ameer Jan claimed that about four months ago, she came to Karachi to shop for her son’s wedding. But some people from Edhi home carried her here.My discoveries about what really goes on inside the tightly guarded walls of Edhi Homes were reinforced by a joint research study conducted with Shabana Akhtar Siddiqui, a student at the University of Karachi. The study conducted a few months ago, looked at the “productive activities of women at Edhi Homes.” Starting disclosures where made as a result of the study which is probably the first of its kind.

About 50 women of different ages were selected at random from all the three Edhi Homes running in Karachi. A questionnaire covering age, education, number of skills, and further desire for working, was prepared. About 68 percent women approached for the purpose, were between 14-25 years. Whereas 28 percent were between 26-35 years and remaining was above 35 years. Fifty percent among them were illiterate. Only 26 percent had primary education. About 40 percent had primary to middle schooling. Only 14 percent were educated between middle to matriculation, while only four percent fell in the range of matriculation and graduation level.

About 70 percent women came from urban areas, 26 percent from rural areas and only two percent belong to townships, whereas two percent had no knowledge about their native towns and cities because they have been living in Edhi Homes since their childhood.To begin with, the majority of the women in Edhi Homes are involved in unproductive activities.

They usually spend their time sleeping or sitting idle, playing games or chatting. Very few had a reading habit.

About 68 percent knew stitching, 54 percent knew embroidery including Kashmiri and Sindhi embroidery, Moti Tanka (bead-stitch) and Afghani Tanka (Afghani-Stitch) and mirror work. 32 percent were trained in knitting and crochet. About 34 percent knew skills like flower-making, baskets, caps and other household items made. Many had worked in offices and dispensaries. A few were diploma holders in different courses including typing, short-hand, midwifery, hand decoration (Henna painting), and beautician.All of them maintained that they had learnt these skills before getting into Edhi Homes. The majority of the women wanted to increase their qualification. They were keen to learn different skills like driving, nursing, stitching, office work, social welfare, teaching, religious education. These women had also requested the administration to provide them with opportunities for learning different crafts.The management promised to do so, but never put its words into action. Hence, only one of the women succeeded in getting admission in a training school but she could not attend classes because of other engagements at the centre. Another was refused permission by the management without any reason.When Bilquis Edhi was asked about the productive activities of the women living in Edhi centres, she replied: “these women are mentally disturbed and are unable to do anything or perform any duty.”When it was pointed out that the majority at the Clifton Centre and

Dar-ul-Baqa-e-Khawateen (Women welfare centre) appeared normal, she denied it and said:

“No they are also abnormal and you do not have enough knowledge about different types of mental disorders.”

She said that they get themselves injured with sharp objects like needles, scissors and knives when asked to cook or stitch.“Participation in various tasks, like stitching of shrouds for the dead bodies (Kafans), repairing of clothes, cooking, sweeping dish-washing and laundering is compulsory for all women otherwise their food supply would be stopped,” she informed.However, she maintained that usually the women perform all these duties at their free will and do not object to doing any of these tasks.According to Bilquis Edhi, the Foundation has chalked out a number of new projects for the shelterless women. These including the establishment of a ball pen factory and match factory, besides starting typing and stitching courses.She claimed that in order to provide education to every woman, from first to the sixth level.

“Nursing, midwifery, and laboratory work had been taught to those women who showed interest in these areas, so they could become independent,”

Bilquis Edhi claimed.

Talking about the issue of marriages of girls lodged in Edhi Homes, she said Edhi Foundation has arranged marriages of a large number of girls who had been divorced once or were widows. Only one marriage out of these ended in failure, she claimed.But most of Bilquis Edhi’s statements are questionable in the light of the allegations by the women at the centres.For example, it was observed during random visits to the centre there was nothing like proper education facility at any centre or none of the women interviewed mentioned it.

Edhi Homes- Where one feels insecure

She had been crying for the last two hours but nobody paid any heed to her cries and woes. She was old, begging for her son whom she had admitted, a few months ago, in Edhi Home’s ‘

Apna Ghar’ (Ours Home) situated in Sohrab Goth

, Karachi.“For God’s sake! Let me meet my son. He is the only one I can lean on in my old age.” She was crying outside the window of the office, as she pleaded with those inside, Apna Ghar Edhi Home office.No one tried to understand her pain. After a while one of them came toward and snapped at her,

“jao mai tumhara beta mur gaya hey, Humari Jan chhorro” (Go away old woman, your son has died, leave us alone.) Once again she dissolved into tears: “You are telling a lie. How could he die? He was young and healthy.” “He was not healthy, he was a drug addict, so he simply died while sleeping at night,” was the reply.“Why did not you inform me?” she asked.This was met with silence.“Ok, if he is dead, then please hand his body over to me,” she requested.

“We have buried him.”

“Where have you buried him?”

“We don’t know. Hundreds of people die every day. How is it possible to remember where they are buried.

He is no more, forget him and don’t waste our time.” She was told.“You people are talking rubbish… you are lying, if not, then give me his body,” she shouted.Meanwhile, one of the staff members came out and pushed the old lady away.According to an Edhi Homes staff member, the old woman had a son called ‘Haider’ who had fallen victim to the curse of heroin andWas admitted in ‘Apna Ghar’ a year ago. He died a few months later as he failed to respond to the treatment.It was time to question the staffer;

“How did Haider get heroin at Edhi Home when the rules stipulate that nobody can enter any Edhi Centre, without the express clearance by Maulana Abdus Sattar Edhi, the founder and head of Edhi Foundation?”

had been shifted to another Edhi Home. She asked for the address which they deliberately withheld. She did not surrender and kept demanding information.“One month passed and they did not have a proper reply. One day one of the office bearers informed me that my son had expired and since then I have been begging them for information about his grave.”This is not a rare case but a routine practice at Edhi Homes.It has been observed that those who cannot afford treatment of either physically or mentally ill relative drop them at Edhi Home. Usually, after a few months or a maximum of a year, they are informed that the person had died or lost somewhere while being shifted from one of the Edhi Homes to another.Parents are not allowed to meet their wards lodged at Edhi Centres.Defending the decision, Ismail, the charge of ‘Apna Ghar’ at Sohrab Goth said: “If a parent or relative admits a child or a person at the Edhi Home, it means the person is unwanted.

Once they do not want a person they have no right to meet them because they lost their right when they threw the person out of their lives.So we discourage them and are not allowed to meet them.”According to Ismail, illiterate people bring their abnormal children to Edhi Centres. They fail to read the admission form in which it is clearly said that the person who has filled the form has no relation to the child or person. He or she is alone in the world, and so, is being admitted to the Edhi Home.Some of the staff members and insiders, while requesting anonymity, said that a physically healthy but mentally retarded person living in the Edhi Homes dies within two to three years. Nobody knows the reasons behind these early deaths. When asked, the people sitting in Edhi Homes replied that they die because they develop severe mental disorders.Can a mental disturbance be the cause of an early death?

#women #abdul sattar edhi #edhi #homeless #poor #women condition #women rights #karachi #pakistan #refuge home #miserable #untold stories

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thewhitepaper-media-blog · 7 years

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EDHI HOMES: Homes to Muffled Cries

Behind bars…shut out for life ever after!

“I can sing very well. Please help me escape from here.”

‘Apna Ghar’

Dar-ul-Aman –

Dar-ul-Aman or they are forced to land in any Edhi Home.

So what is really going on in most of the Dar-ul-Amaans?

This can’t be explained in limited time and space. But what has been happening in the Edhi homes established especially for females, is a mystery which deserves a careful study.

Bilquis Edhi at work

The wrong doings being committed by a renowned welfare organisation, as witnessed by this correspondent, are at best shocking. Here are a few examples of women I came across during my visit to Edhi Homes.

Mushtari Begum was confident enough to live on her own. She said she had some money in the bank, besides some precious jewellery, watches and silks. “I can hire a maid and live a comfortable life,” she said. At the rehabilitation centre, she complained of pathetic living conditions. “I used to take a bath twice a day. But here I am lying on the floor without even a fan and a bed. I am paralysed and unable to maintain cleanliness. I need a helper, but who will help me in such a pathetic place?” she questioned.However, when asked for his comments regarding the allegations and conditions prevailing at Edhi Homes, Edhi said: “These women have no sense as to what they are talking about. They are mentally disturbed.”But then there is

Amina, a slim Saraiki woman, accompanied by five other women, was preparing chapattis for all inside a big room. Upon spotting a journalist, she quickly moved towards me and started telling her story before we asked her anything. “I was living in Saudi Arabia, where I was earning my bread and butter by tailoring. My brother is still living in Saudi with his family. I came here to update my documents because the visa date had expired. The authorities did not allow me to go back and sent me to the Edhi Home instead,” she complained.

Helpless and Homeless: Waiting for Messiah

Another married old woman Ameer Jan claimed that about four months ago, she came to Karachi to shop for her son’s wedding. But some people from Edhi home carried her here.My discoveries about what really goes on inside the tightly guarded walls of Edhi Homes were reinforced by a joint research study conducted with Shabana Akhtar Siddiqui, a student at the University of Karachi. The study conducted a few months ago, looked at the “productive activities of women at Edhi Homes.” Starting disclosures were made as a result of the study which is probably the first of its kind.

About 50 women of different ages were selected at random from all the three Edhi Homes running in Karachi. A questionnaire covering age, education, number of skills, and further desire for working, was prepared. About 68 per cent women approached for the purpose, were between 14-25 years. Whereas 28 per cent were between 26-35 years and remaining was above 35 years. Fifty percent of them were illiterate. Only 26 percent had primary education. About 40 per cent had primary to middle schooling. Only 14 per cent were educated between middle to matriculation, while only four per cent fell in the range of matriculation and graduation level.

About 70 per cent women came from urban areas, 26 per cent from rural areas and only two per cent belong to townships, whereas two per cent had no knowledge about their native towns and cities because they have been living in Edhi Homes since their childhood.To begin with, the majority of the women in Edhi Homes are involved in unproductive activities.

They usually spend their time sleeping or sitting idle, playing games or chatting. Very few had a reading habit.

About 68 per cent knew stitching, 54 per cent knew embroidery including Kashmiri and Sindhi embroidery, Moti Tanka (bead-stitch) and Afghani Tanka (Afghani-Stitch) and mirror work. 32 per cent were trained in knitting and crochet. About 34 per cent knew skills like flower-making, baskets, caps and other household items made. Many had worked in offices and dispensaries. A few were diploma holders in different courses including typing, shorthand, midwifery, hand decoration (Henna painting), and beautician.All of them maintained that they had learnt these skills before getting into Edhi Homes. The majority of the women wanted to increase their qualification. They were keen to learn different skills like driving, nursing, stitching, office work, social welfare, teaching, religious education. These women had also requested the administration to provide them with opportunities for learning different crafts.The management promised to do so, but never put its words into action. Hence, only one of the women succeeded in getting admission in a training school but she could not attend classes because of other engagements at the centre. Another was refused permission by the management without any reason.When Bilquis Edhi was asked about the productive activities of the women living in Edhi centres, she replied: “these women are mentally disturbed and are unable to do anything or perform any duty.”When it was pointed out that the majority at the Clifton Centre and

Dar-ul-Baqa-e-Khawateen (Women welfare centre) appeared normal, she denied it and said:

“No they are also abnormal and you do not have enough knowledge about different types of mental disorders.”

“Nursing, midwifery, and laboratory work had been taught to those women who showed interest in these areas, so they could become independent,”

Bilquis Edhi claimed.

Talking about the issue of marriages of girls lodged in Edhi Homes, she said Edhi Foundation has arranged marriages of a large number of girls who had been divorced once or were widows. Only one marriage out of these ended in failure, she claimed.But most of Bilquis Edhi’s statements are questionable in the light of the allegations by the women at the centres.For example, it was observed during random visits at the centre there was nothing like proper education facility at any centre or none of the women interviewed mentioned it.

Edhi Homes- Where one feels insecure

She had been crying for the last two hours but nobody paid any heed to her cries and woes. She was old, begging for her son whom she had admitted, a few months ago, in Edhi Home’s ‘Apna Ghar’ (Ours Home) situated in Sohrab Goth, Karachi.“For God’s sake! Let me meet my son. He is the only one I can lean on in my old age.” She was crying outside the window of the office, as she pleaded with those inside ‘Apna Ghar’, Edhi Home office.No one tried to understand her pain. After a while one of them came toward and snapped at her, “jao mai, tumhara beta mur gaya hey, Humari Jan chhorro” (Go away old woman, your son has died, leave us alone.) Once again she dissolved into tears: “You are telling a lie. How could he die? He was young and healthy.” “He was not healthy, he was a drug addict, so he simply died while sleeping at night,” was the reply.

“Why did not you inform me?” she asked.This was met with silence.“Ok, if he is dead, then please hand his body over to me,” she requested.

“We have buried him.”

“Where have you buried him?”

“We don’t know. Hundreds of people die every day. How is it possible to remember where they are buried.

He is no more, forget him and don’t waste our time.” She was told.“You people are talking rubbish… you are lying, if not, then give me his body,” she shouted.

Meanwhile, one of the staff members came out and pushed the old lady away. According to an Edhi Homes staff member, the old woman had a son called

‘Haider’ who had fallen victim to the curse of heroin and was admitted in ‘Apna Ghar’ a year ago. He died a few months later as he failed to respond to the treatment. It was time to question the staffer;

The staffer could not answer properly and tried to gloss over the embarrassing situation. I turned to the old lady and questioned her about her position. “I am too poor to get my son admitted in a private or semi-private hospital. So I had no choice but to leave my beloved child here and regularly visited him. But these people were always reluctant to allow me to meet him. In the beginning, they simply refused because he was an addict.”After one month they informed her that Haider had been shifted to another Edhi Home. She asked for the address which they deliberately withheld. She did not surrender and kept demanding information.“One month passed and they did not have a proper reply. One day one of the office bearers informed me that my son had expired and since then I have been begging them for information about his grave.”This is not a rare case but a routine practice at Edhi Homes.It has been observed that those who cannot afford treatment of either physically or mentally ill relative drop them at Edhi Home. Usually, after a few months or a maximum of a year, they are informed that the person had died or lost somewhere while being shifted from one of the Edhi Homes to another.Parents are not allowed to meet their wards lodged at Edhi Centres.Defending the decision, Ismail, the in charge of ‘Apna Ghar’ at Sohrab Goth said: “If a parent or relative admits a child or a person at the Edhi Home, it means the person is unwanted.

Once they do not want a person they have no right to meet them because they lost their right when they threw the person out of their lives.

So we discourage them and are not allowed to meet them.”According to Ismail, illiterate people bring their abnormal children to Edhi Centres. They fail to read the admission form in which it is clearly said that the person who has filled the form has no relation with the child or person. He or she is alone in the world, and so, is being admitted to the Edhi Home.Some of the staff members and insiders, while requesting anonymity, said that a physically healthy but mentally retarded person living in the Edhi Homes dies within two to three years. Nobody knows the reasons behind these early deaths. When asked, the people sitting in Edhi Homes replied that they die because they develop severe mental disorders.Can a mental disturbance be the cause of an early death?

Written By: Azra Syed

Photography: Aijaz Hashmi & M Farooq Khan

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