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[atypical_echo]

Display Name: Echo
Profile Photo: A Mirror
Notes: N/A

Okay all, that was a whole thing last month. And I know that there are plenty of people who are still... shaken from it. So I'm going to do the best I can to help you.

I'm offering hugs and a caring ear and my personal hot chocolate recipe. I know it's not a lot, but trust me, I'm used to big traumas like this. And it's a good place to start. I'm happy to travel to do it.

Or, you know, we could set up an emotional support group. Allowed across guilds and vigilantes too, sorta a neutral space. You know, if you want.

Comments

dn: Otto Octavius | text

[doctopoda]

[Otto's first instinct is to be annoyed by this. Hot chocolate and emotional support from a stranger? What is that supposed to do for anyone?

But...he doesn't want to lash out. God knows he did enough of that the last time, he...he needs to be better with this go-around.]

What's the hot chocolate recipe?

[atypical_echo]

You already have it. It's written in the blank space at the bottom corner of the October page of your calendar.

[Well, that's a way to out yourself as a meta and a specific person to someone you sent a Christmas gift to.]

[doctopoda]

Oh. I see.

[WAS THAT GUY A META THIS ENTIRE TIME? Well, he's obviously trying very hard to keep it quiet, so Otto isn't going to follow up on that in a public channel.]

Well, thank you.
I'd thought I'd try that out this fall, but maybe I'll do it now.

[Hot chocolate's not really his usual drink of choice for times like this. This time last year, when he first arrived in this world...he'd ended up leaning on some pretty bad coping mechanisms for a while there. But now he's not alone; he's got the young Peter living with him. Now, it's just the two of them left. Otto's concern for his own well-being comes and goes, but he'll be damned before he falls apart like that in front of the kid.]

[atypical_echo]

[Yeah, it was complicated. Sorry Otto. He hated lying, but they were guild mates now, so....]

I always found it a comfort in trying times.

[doctopoda]

Yeah, that sure was something.

[will literally die before he talks about it in-depth on here like this, but - yep!!! sure was a big ol' thing that happened!!!]

[atypical_echo]

If you need more, I'm free. So you know.

[doctopoda]

Oh, no. No, that's fine.

[He's. Fine.]

How about you? Did you get caught up in all that?

[atypical_echo]

No. I talked to people who had friends in there. Friends of yours actually.

[doctopoda]

Oh. I see.

Will you believe me if I say it wasn't that bad?

[He really doubts it, if Mark's had reports from literally anyone who saw what Otto's life was like in there (how much better it was), but hey - worth a go.]

[atypical_echo]

I heard that the coming out is the worst part.

[doctopoda]

It is.
That's only natural, I guess.

[The life he has now isn't a bad one, all things told. It's a hell of a lot better than anything he thought he'd ever have again. But that doesn't mean he's stopped missing what he had. He hadn't wanted to go back, even a little ways past when he started to understand what had happened.]

I'm afraid I made things a little difficult, for the people who came to get me.

[atypical_echo]

You didn't mean to. And that's okay. It's not your fault that it was hard, it was meant to be. A beautiful lie and all that.

[doctopoda]

Oh, I very much did.

But I know what you mean. Whatever set it up did a damn good job.

[atypical_echo]

Well, just know that while maybe that offered you a lie, there's still people who love and care about you here.

[doctopoda]

[..........]

Thank you.

I came here about a year ago now. Before that - a lot had happened in my world, right before that.
It's been a difficult few months.

[atypical_echo]

If I've noticed one thing from the people I met here who are also Starfallen, it's that a lot happened to us before we came here. Maybe that's why we come.

Because so much happened.

But difficulty is something we work through, day by day, step by step. Or so experience tells me.

[doctopoda]

Mine as well.
Funny how quickly the time seems to pass here in spite of it.

[atypical_echo]

I've definitely seen time pass more slowly, yes.

[doctopoda]

It's the constant catastrophes.

[atypical_echo]

Exactly. It sort of... compresses time.

[doctopoda]

Feels like I haven't slept for a year and a half.

[atypical_echo]

Maybe you need a nice nap.

[doctopoda]

Oh, that won't happen. I haven't slept well for ages.

[Since. You know. The Shit (tm).]

[atypical_echo]

Okay, I have advice for that, shocking enough. Go find an animal rescue that will let you play with their animals. Play for a long while. When you get tired after that, go take a nap.

It helps.

[doctopoda]

Interesting. Maybe I'll give that a shot.

[A lot of his sleep problems just boil down to physical pain, unfortunately. But Mark's being kind; Otto doesn't want to shoot down his suggestions.]

[atypical_echo]

[Mark doesn't know about the pain stuff, and those he can't help with.]

Good luck man!