forgingfires | Seasons Inbox

Seasons Inbox

"You have contacted the great Red Son! Leave a message after the beep and keep it brief. If this is about a repair job, state the object and problem."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I didn't remember anything about a gift giving occasion until you brought it up just now. It wouldn't have occurred to me at all if you hadn't, obviously I couldn't bring up what wasn't even a thought in my head.

[ So he would have just been blindsided when the young ones started giving him gifts with their wide hopeful puppy eyes, probably. ]

...I get that they just want to be nice. Express care in the ways they know how. But with me it has the opposite effect they're going for. It doesn't make me feel warm and happy, it makes me nervous.

...do you want me to talk to them so you don't have to navigate their puppy dog eyes?

[ Have an incredulous look. ] No. I'm not going to send someone else to intercede just because I don't like the thought of a conversation. Stop offering to do that. I'm going to stop spilling my guts to you if you look at everything I say as a problem you need to solve. It's a conversation, not a to do list.

Oh.

Sorry, that's not a you thing, that's just...habit.

[He waves a hand.] I will endeavor to stop, though the buzz can make the thought slip.

[ He waves a placating hand. ] Good, then. I don't want you to think that's why I'm here, like I'm giving you a list of assignments. [ Truthshroom admission again. ]

No, no, that I knew. I'm just a fixer. I've had to be told people didn't want a solution, just for me to be there and listen before. I'm still learning how to tell the difference between it being okay to offer a solution and when its not.

You're doing fine. At least you listen instead of fighting me every step of the way.

And not like I'm much better at it.

Thank you.

At being a fixer, or just learning differences for social interactions?

Being around anyone aside from Wukong for an extended period of time and being comfortable with it.

Oh, yes. That can be rather difficult.

The first time I hung out with Dragon Girl without the excuse of training had been a rather awkward affair. I'm not entirely sure if her provoking me and challenging me to a race was her messing with me or trying to put me at ease.

For whatever it's worth, you seem to be an exception. Maybe because we have some of the same shit going on.

[He nods.] It can work out like that. I think its why its so easy to talk to you.

I'd say I don't care why it works, but I'll probably pick it apart regardless. But I don't actually care right now. It's just nice not to stew about it inside my head.

Hm, it can do a lot to get things outside.

It could also be the whole introvert thing.

Mm. When everything's kept bottled up it's easy to get self-righteous or neurotic, maybe both in varying amounts. Having a check on that is helpful.

I think Wukong's a mix of both, by the way. The ratio depends on the moment. MK definitely is purely neurotic. Which is in a way harder because it requires more pure patience, you can't logic him out of it. You have to listen and support and not try to fix because that's counterproductive. The more you try to fix it and correct it the more it reinforces that something must be wrong with them.

When there's some self-righteousness mixed in at least you can shock them into taking it down a peg.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Seasons Inbox

Re: after the truthshrooms

Re: after the truthshrooms

Re: after the truthshrooms

Re: after the truthshrooms

Re: after the truthshrooms

Re: after the truthshrooms

Re: after the truthshrooms

Re: after the truthshrooms

Re: after the truthshrooms

Re: after the truthshrooms

Re: after the truthshrooms

Re: after the truthshrooms

Re: after the truthshrooms

Re: after the truthshrooms

Re: after the truthshrooms