hi

if you’re an early riser you two wake up together, limbs tangled in a mess under the blankets, sharing a few soft kisses and giggling at each others morning breath, teasing each other as you stand up, pushing at his big body and telling him he should not wrap his legs around you lest he wants you dead

if you love sleeping in he’ll be waking up, leaving kisses all over your sleeping face, wiping away the little drool on the side of your mouth before moving to make breakfast for the two of you

you’ll wake up hours later to find a little sandwich in front of you, a sweet note with scribbled hearts and your favorite treat on the bedside table

ohhh doing grocery shopping together, he loves watching you stumble around the store and look at all the snacks you could ever want and getting his favorite foods without even looking at him

he obviously helps you with whatever product may be too high above for you, easily looming behind your body, one hand at your side and the other easily grabbing whatever juice you want

Marjane Satrapi, cartoonist and film director, best known for Persepolis

I want to thank everyone for such hilarious and kind additions/replies/tags on this post, they’ve been so amazing to read. They’ve meant more to me than you guys know. ❤️

I also want to add some information for anyone who wants to know more about recognizing the signs that you might be in a high control group.

High control groups can be small or large, religious or not, clubs, schools, online servers, friend groups, etc.

No human is invulnerable because we all have brains and emotions that can be played like a fiddle. Knowing the red flags can help us all keep ourselves safer!

igotout.org

BITE model of understanding thought and behavior control

International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA)

Crisis Text Line (highly recommend, especially if you’re not in a safe place to discuss things on the phone)

Please always protect yourself as best you can and never be afraid to reach out for help—even if you’re just wondering, even if you’re not sure about something.

No safe group or person will EVER be mad at you for being cautious and taking things slow, or for changing your mind at ANY point. You’re the one who gets to decide whether you join or stay with a group, no matter what they threaten or love-bomb you with.

If you’re not safe, there’s help.

If you feel trapped, there’s help.

If people are being actively hurt, good people want to listen, understand, and help.

We all deserve freedom. I’m grateful every morning I wake up that I get to live it now, even though it’s hard and I have a long way to go. Thank you for walking this journey with me, for one brief moment or for years, and helping me—and others like me—not be alone.

You both meet in a mer sanctuary, you having been rescued from an aquarium going bankrupt and ghost under treatment for a boating strike. You've never seen another mer before, but the strange creature in your tank undeniably is one, that much you instincts tell you.

But....but he's so big, bigger than anything you've seen before! You doubt he could ever comfortably fit in your tank! Just looking at him makes your fins flutter nervously, hiding in the rocks on the shelf built into the pool.

He keeps peeking into your cave, chirping and churring in a way that makes your instincts perk but you don't really understand. Safety? Pod? You don't know.

Meanwhile, ghost is losing his mind.

This strange mer is too damn small, and he keeps trying to ask "are you okay? I'm safe, did they hurt you?" But all it does is squeak like a pup and hide!

Ghost can't fit into the tiny cave with the mer, and his instincts are already freaking out because he's separated from his pod! He needs to protect the weird pup!

....how the hell the workers intend to care for you when ghost is at risk of drowning anyone who tries, they have no idea.

Since you’ve all been so worried about Simon’s (and little Simon’s) well-being, I just wanted to reassure you that Johnny is taking very good care of them. Simon’s relief is immediately apparent!

You can find the uncropped image on Bsky or X.