BRAINIAC 5

[googledox]

● BRAINIAC 5 ∵ QUERL DOX

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Comments

text; waiting for Brainy after Don't Touch That Dial

[runes_brand]

You still open to answering questions about helping teenage trauma survivors?

Re: text; waiting for Brainy after Don't Touch That Dial

[googledox]

Yes. Though many of my circumstances were somewhat unique.

Re: text; waiting for Brainy after Don't Touch That Dial

[runes_brand]

Noted.

[There's a...significant gap between that and his next message.]

I don't know where to fucking start asking. We've got them in a safe home, assuming Rune and me vanishing doesn't fuck that up, and I'm teaching the ones who want to know how to fight. That seemed to work before. And they all know that we'll fucking annihilate anyone who tries to lay a hand on them, because we already did.

[googledox]

Safety is important. It's one of the first needs they'll have, so it's z start. Escaping the situation to a better one is what allows the internal changes to happen.

If you're comfortable sharing, what kind of trauma was involved? It makes a difference when it comes to the approach. I'd obviously keep such information in confidence.

cw: various forms of violence against children

[runes_brand]

I can give you the broad strokes.

We've got five kids, ranging in age from six to seventeen. Four of them have been kidnapped, one was hit in the face hard enough to dislodge several baby teeth. Three of them lost their mother to childbirth complications and their father to murder-by-arson, which also took their home. One has facial scars from the arson. Two were groomed by or for a pedophile, who is now dead. One barely survived attempted murder by animal savaging. And one sees probable futures so constantly that he talks like he's fucking unstuck in time.

Unless you wanted me to break it down by kid rather than by trauma.

[googledox]

Please tell me you have at least some access to therapy.

[runes_brand]

Not in New Atlantis itself, but that seems like the type of thing that could be done digitally these days.

[googledox]

I can't speak to healthcare in other worlds and eras, but it's certainly done digitally in my universe and time. Sometimes people use providers from other worlds entirely. I'm fortunate that my team has a staff psychiatrist, however. She was able to provide care that was more...intensive. That was a large part of my recovery and is now a large part of my son's.

But regardless of what professional help you get your children, you will have to be what they need. It's a transformative process, a difficult one.

How good are you at the gentler parts of parenthood? Not everyone is naturally good at affection. At listening. At talking about feelings.

[runes_brand]

[Brand stares at the words "your children" and "parenthood" for a long time before he decides that it's not worth it to correct the terminology.]

I've been doing those things for Rune for ages, it's not too hard to do it for the kids. The younger ones are huggers, and they latch onto me sometimes. The older two mostly talk to each other. The middle one says I fuss, but I don't think they're complaining about it.

I didn't even know these kids six months ago. Fuck.

[googledox]

Making yourself available is important. The ones that only talk to each other need to know they can also talk to you. Sincere offers of being willing to listen are good to offer on occasion.

They often need a sounding board for their feelings. Those feelings can be complicated at times. For instance, if some of them are angry, that anger needs to be validated, but also eventually let go.

I don't believe in forgiveness, not for some crimes. But anger is a corrosive force. It has its time and place, and then needs to be processed and cast aside.

[runes_brand]

I don't think they talk about their trauma, just everything else. They've been with us the longest and they're both the other's first real friend. They both want to help, so they egg each other on. One of the newer arrivals is going to be the exact same way next time Rune and I get involved in something dangerous.

[Off on his end of the conversation, Brand makes a scoffing noise and rolls his eyes.]

I invite you to imagine teenagers reacting to me telling them that they need to "let go" of their anger. I've been telling them to burn it for motivation during training, that's been working.