[Written | Voice | Action]

[selfhelp]

[As terrified as he is to do this - and as reluctant as he is to bring up the topic just as people are starting to move past it - he's pretty certain that a lot of people need the sort of prodding he's here to suggest. Even if it's just to plant the idea in the heads of those who've been trying to ignore... well, everything. He's seen it already, with his friends- the silence, the dodging, the unease. He's felt it every day, from the moment he wakes up from the nightmares to the moment he falls asleep, with sporadic moments of peace in between. Talking to Teddy... helped. Undeniably, it helped. It didn't make everything perfect - it never does - but the difference has been noticable, and he wants to share that. Thus...

This is both audible and written (sans the excessive pauses) for full accessibility.]

So... that draft. Was horrible. I'm sure we'd all rather just forget about it... I know I would. But my own stupid head's pretty intent on remembering it all so far, and I'll bet anything that I'm not the only one. You can't just... ignore this, or pretend it'll go away eventually. Same applies to a lot of the stuff that's happened to all of us here.

This's got me thinking. Remember when the Malnosso offered that... kid therapist for sessions with us? And they thought we might actually go for it? Well... what if we did it ourselves? I mean, that's become kind of a lost cause now, especially with her missing now, and... I don't know. The idea of doing therapy with a little kid seems... [Well, he's young too, and he managed, so he can't really point fingers. But still. Hrngh.] ...The stuff I'd need it for isn't really kid-friendly. I know plenty who'd say the same if they admitted it.

But we need it, don't we? I know so many people who just... need to talk about what's happened to them, here or at home or wherever else that bad things have happened. Even if they don't want to. No, especially then. And I don't think we have anyone qualified, unless you're hiding under a rock for lack of clientele. ...That's possible, I guess. If that's true, protip: you're needed.

If not... I'd never claim that I'm qualified, but I grew up with this- my mom's a psychologist. My whole life I've had the value of therapy drilled into me. I've been reading up for about a year now, learning all I can for... basically this reason. And I know how much it can help.

So I guess this is basically a PSA: Talk to someone. Find someone trustworthy, someone who'll listen. Make yourself talk. And encourage your friends to let it out if they're having trouble with something, too. And... sorry if this might sound egotistical... while I'm not a therapist, I'm a good listener. So if you don't know who to talk to, here's an open invitation. Even if nothing comes of this, I think it's really important that somebody do this. So... there it is. And if anyone else wants to make the same offer, I can... I don't know, make a list or something. Whatever people need. Suggestions are totally welcome.

I told a friend once who'd needed this... who was helped by it, too... I think it still applies. People don't go to therapy because they want to. They go because they need it.

That's all. Thanks for hearing me out.

[Today Billy's mostly going to hang around in case he gets any responses, but at some point in the near future he's going to seek out a select few whom he knows are going to do their best to ignore his advice. Brace yourselves.]

Comments

[Voice]

[magicalesbian]

[Kari had been keeping to herself since the draft, having spent a good week laid up in the clinic from her injuries. She still couldn't remember much of what exactly happened... and she wasn't sure whether or not she could trust her dreams, which gave a strange and confusing picture of what might have happened out there.]

[But Billy's post grabs her attention. She wasn't really the talk-about-her-feelings kind of girl. And even if she was, who would she talk to? Rei had her own things to deal with, and there's no way in hell she'd talk to Pretty-boy... but Billy might be a good middle ground. They didn't really know each other well enough to make it awkward, and he was one of the few people who knew about her secret.]

[But that doesn't mean this is easy, and it takes her all day before she finally works up the courage to reply. Her arm is still too banged up to write, so unfortunately that means she has to speak. Or at least, try to.]

Uhm... h-hey.

[Off to a great start, this one.]

[Voice]

[selfhelp]

[Billy's not that great with words himself, hearing her voice. He's immediately on edge, and it takes longer than he'd have liked to respond to her because he has to restrain himself from going with his gutpunch reaction, which is to tell her to get lost. That... would not be a good advertisement for what he's trying to do here.

It's just hard not to be angry or point fingers. Her little spirit friend had nearly killed him.]

...Hey. [And then, after another pause-] Regardless of how you feel about everything I said, I think we really need to talk.

[Voice]

[magicalesbian]

W-What?

[You hear that sound? That is the sound of Kari's heart plunging into her stomach. Because right away, she remembers that flashes of Billy had been in some of those confusing dreams of hers.]

Uhm. O-Okay. About what?

[Action]

[complicatedliar]

[Hi, Billy, I'm ignoring your advice and have this strange feeling I might be one of those people you're talking about so why don't I just leave this here~~~

Though really, Loki can see the wisdom in Billy's words. For, you know, other people. Other people who aren't as awesome as him. And he can even admit that in the past, when he has been cornered into finally speaking by Rogue or Billy, it has actually helped a little. Maybe. It feels rotten at the time, but then generally does seem to help.

Only he can't quite get around the fact that Frigga's son shouldn't be laid low by battle and death. Thor doesn't seem to have been. He is no worse than Thor.

And really, he has other problems on his mind as well. Ones that he doesn't really know how to talk about. Just brood over. Problems that have to do with relationships (ugh). Or far worse, problems that have to do with the return of nightmares he thought he was done with.

These days he seems to be at the coffee shop a lot, or at the fountain. Anywhere there are a lot of people who can provide background noise, though he otherwise tends to ignore them. His current project it teaching himself braille and getting up to speed on his reading. Though what he'll do when the library runs out of those books (there are very few) he can't begin to guess.]

[Action]

[selfhelp]

[Loki's pretty much his most obvious option, but also the one he figures will be the most difficult. After tackling Tony Stark's issues, you'd think he would be prepared for anything, but Loki? He is a special kind of uncooperative. Still, he'd be a terrible friend and brother not to try.

(...Actually, his soul-brother would probably be more difficult, but that's a matter he can tackle another time.)

He hasn't done much work at the coffee shop since coming back, and drinking coffee has been... pretty much a horrible idea with his sleeping habits being total crap right now, but the apartment's running low on coffee beans and it gets him out of the house anyway, so here he is. And when he finds Loki there, he considers it officially Meant To Be and slides into the chair across from him.]

Hey. Mind some company?

Re: [Action]

[complicatedliar]

[Loki starts slightly when the extra noise draws him out of concentrating on the braille book. And looks up, though it's a useless effort. He's not currently wearing the sunglasses Rogue got for him; even though it's useless habit, he still bends his head over whatever book he's trying to read, and it makes the glasses slip annoyingly.

Though the one thing the glasses are very good for is hiding how tired he looks these days.]

What--ah. No, not t all.

[He'd much rather have the company, really. It gets far too quiet, otherwise.]

Though if you didn't bring me a coffee, I might have to rethink the invitation.

[voice]

[frost_jewel]

[Mia can't help but smile at this. It's so selfless.]

You're very kind to offer to do this. [She wants to tell him not to overwhelm himself, but knows it may well come out sounding critical, though it isn't.] Just hearing that it's better to talk will help people.

[Speaking of.] If you do decide to make some sort of list, I...I want to help, too. Even if only for people who need someone to listen to them.

[voice]

[selfhelp]

[He's not surprised by her offer, but it's humbling and comforting, nonetheless. He really is lucky to have the friends he does here.]

Thanks, Mia. Consider it made.

[And then, more seriously - because he knows as well as anyone that one does not neglect one's own mental issues for the sake of others-]

How are you holding up?

[voice]

[frost_jewel]

A little better every day, I think.

[It's relative. Sleep only comes in hour-or-two stretches; she's tired almost all the time. She hasn't lost her composure or had to deal with feeling like she might pass out for a few days, though.]

It's taking more time than I would like, to feel like myself again.

voice;

[neversurrender]

[There's no need to hunt Steve down because he's coming to you.

Steve is hesitant to reply at first. But despite all that's happened with the draft and Peggy's departure, he's been trying not to fall back into old habits of closing himself off. Besides, it's hard to do that when he's been trying to avoid spending more time than necessary in his empty apartment. There's also the fact that he can't disagree with Billy on this. He's been in enough of these situations to know how important talking to someone trustworthy can be and how much it can help the healing process.

So when he finally replies, it's not really the response Billy might have expected, all things considered.]

I think it's really great what you're trying to do here Billy. You can add my name to that list you mentioned. I might not have your upbringing when it comes to things like this, but I'm also a good listener. And...I have a lot of experience dealing with the fall out in situations similar to this. [Basically there's going to be a lot of people wanting to talk about death, either their own or that of a loved one and Steve basically has a lot of experience with both.]

voice;

[selfhelp]

[Gosh, can he be any more of a hero?

Cap's voice - and his offer - is unbelievably reassuring, and it's a huge weight off of Billy's shoulders. Who else would understand the horror of what they just went through than someone who fought in a war already? The one that basically everyone on Earth considers to be the worst, even. He'd faced death and had come back swinging, he'd rescued countless numbers of people even with all the memories he must have, the losses he must've faced...

It's just... comforting, to know that he's strong enough for a burden like this on top of everything else.]

Thanks, Cap. I can't think of anyone who'd be more qualified for this than you.

voice;

[neversurrender]

I don't know about that. But if I can help someone sort through all this and make their life a little easier, it'll be worth it.

[Despite genuinely being interested in helping, there is another reason Steve decided to reply. He hasn't seen Billy since...that day. The rest of the draft had been such a mess of fighting and trying to hold their position until reinforcements came that he had never gotten around to making sure Billy was okay. He hasn't even been able to make himself talk about it after the way his conversations had gone with both Loki and Jane. But he needs to be sure Billy is alright.]

I know I should have asked you this before but...how are you doing, Billy?

Voice

[the_dead_pool2]

[Yeah, no way in hell is he going to therapy or be a therapist]

Yeah, I'll pass on the whole talk about your feelings thing. Every time I do that, the shrink tends to end up going crazy and either get obsessed with me, or try to use me in a plot. And these are people who are supposed to be trained in that shit.

Voice

[selfhelp]

[...Of all the people Billy thought might reply to this, Deadpool was not on the list. Huh.]

Well... for that to have happened before means you must've tried, right? What's one more attempt for the sake of your own mental health?

Re: Voice

[the_dead_pool2]

A waste of fucking time?

voice

[stilldontgotit]

Hmm...

[He pauses, mulling over Billy's message. Were Riku still fifteen, stubborn, and carrying a cocky facade, he might've ignored this proposition altogether, but he's older now. He knows the harm of bottlign up emotions...

So, heh. Might as well jump on board.]

I think just having an open space to talk could make a huge difference. Over the journals, in person... I think as long as we get people talking, that's what counts. Not gonna lie, there's a lot I could say right now. Stuff's been eating at me since before we even got back.

voice

[selfhelp]

[Now there's an idea.]

What, like group therapy? I hadn't considered that, but it's an option, yeah. So many people here prefer to keep this stuff to themselves that the thought didn't even occur to me.

[Sometimes just knowing that what you've gone through is a common experience can be helpful, though... hmm.]

[Video]

[brat_from_hell]

Just because someone's a kid doesn't mean they're not qualified, mister.

[Have a little face harumphing at you, Billy.]

[Video]

[selfhelp]

["Mister"... god, that makes him sound old.]

I never said that, actually.

[Video]

[brat_from_hell]

But you said that the stuff you'd need therapy for isn't kid-friendly. But what about kids who've seen or experienced a lot? You know, wise beyond their years and stuff?

[abjurer]

[Therapy. Even the mention of it makes him shudder. Bad bad memories and he hadn't even got through one session before leaving and not going back and his brother was an absolute dick about it all.

And yet Billy seems pretty confident about it, and max can't deny the last few nights when he's woken up pretty convinced that he's dead and trapped.

It's not fun.

He's still kind of sceptical though.]

I've never been sure how just talking helps. My one and only therapy session just led to a massive blow up row with my brother when he tried to commit me.

[selfhelp]

[W...ow... does that ever sound awkward. And terrible.]

Ah... sorry to hear that. Bad experiences can really ruin good things. But I can at least promise you that that's not a normal experience by any means.

[abjurer]

...sorry, that was not called for. Bad memories. Makes me prickly. How's it meant to go?

[ Voice ]

[rashness]

If your mom's a psychic, is that the same as just talking to people, though?

[ Voice ]

[selfhelp]

[Pfft. That is equal parts hilarious and terrifying. His mother with psychic powers would be the Worst Thing Ever.]

N... not psychic, psychologist. It's a person who studies emotions and behaviours as a career. Like a brain doctor.