On A Nightmare Scream

Violet shrugged. “I know therapy doesn’t work for everybody. But when it does, I’ve seen it make a huge difference. Even when it’s just having a sympathetic ear while you sort out your own thoughts.

For her part, Violet could easily imagine it. She knew the kind of hardships her own Megamind had faced, simply because he was a blue alien stranded among humans. Even if he hadn’t chosen to become a villain, and had tried to become a respectable civilian like Harrison, his life would have been difficult. Humans had a hard enough time accepting each other, let alone someone who was so obviously different. 

Violet took his hand, and shook it with equal warmth. Now that she’d been so deeply inside Harrison’s mind, she had nothing to fear from intrusive thoughts. 

“Oooh yeah,” the blue man exhaled slowly.  “I think…. I need to sit on this for a day or two but then I want to try it again.”  He let out a dry barking laugh.  “This seems like the kind of thing I might need to practice.”

Violet shrugged. “I know therapy doesn’t work for everybody. But when it does, I’ve seen it make a huge difference. Even when it’s just having a sympathetic ear while you sort out your own thoughts.

For her part, Violet could easily imagine it. She knew the kind of hardships her own Megamind had faced, simply because he was a blue alien stranded among humans. Even if he hadn’t chosen to become a villain, and had tried to become a respectable civilian like Harrison, his life would have been difficult. Humans had a hard enough time accepting each other, let alone someone who was so obviously different. 

“You’re very welcome,” Violet replied, sitting up straighter. “I’m really, really glad we found something that worked. And yeah, going back to your regular therapist a good idea. They’ll have more ideas for strategies you can use, and they’ll be able to help you in a much more long-term way than I can.”

“Oooh yeah,” the blue man exhaled slowly.  “I think…. I need to sit on this for a day or two but then I want to try it again.”  He let out a dry barking laugh.  “This seems like the kind of thing I might need to practice.”

Violet shrugged. “I know therapy doesn’t work for everybody. But when it does, I’ve seen it make a huge difference. Even when it’s just having a sympathetic ear while you sort out your own thoughts.

Violet perked up, surprised, as Harrison began to sing to himself. 

Harrison’s voice was quiet and wavering, but the more he sang, the calmer he became.  He could feel when Violet let go of his thoughts, like a very tiny pop.  But instead of the panic rushing back in, he felt like he could hold the line.  Eventually he stopped singing and was able to take a few deep breaths.  

mdark-blue-mondays:

Violet perked up, surprised, as Harrison began to sing to himself. 

Harrison’s voice was quiet and wavering, but the more he sang, the calmer he became.  He could feel when Violet let go of his thoughts, like a very tiny pop.  But instead of the panic rushing back in, he felt like he could hold the line.  Eventually he stopped singing and was able to take a few deep breaths.  

Harrison’s lower lip wibbles.  He really does not want to do this.  He knows it’s a good idea, but he viscerally does not want to relive that particular experience.  But what is that alternative?  Being terrified all the time? He needs to do something and even though he’s scared, he’s never been the type to give up before he really tries.  It takes him a few more deep breaths before he works up the courage to try again.

“Good, good,” Violet’s voice was barely more than a murmur. She’d closed her eyes to help her concentration, and she could see the mental movie playing through Harrison’s mind as clearly as if she’d shared the same memory. 

Violet perked up, surprised, as Harrison began to sing to himself. 

Violet could easily feel the force of Harrison’s reluctance, and it did make her hesitate. She wasn’t really trained for this, she reminded herself, and she still didn’t know for sure if this unusual therapy would help.

Harrison’s lower lip wibbles.  He really does not want to do this.  He knows it’s a good idea, but he viscerally does not want to relive that particular experience.  But what is that alternative?  Being terrified all the time? He needs to do something and even though he’s scared, he’s never been the type to give up before he really tries.  It takes him a few more deep breaths before he works up the courage to try again.

“Good, good,” Violet’s voice was barely more than a murmur. She’d closed her eyes to help her concentration, and she could see the mental movie playing through Harrison’s mind as clearly as if she’d shared the same memory. 

Harrison nods.  It’s a bit tough.  His gut instinct is to go for a memory of his parents holding him as a young child, but all those memories are bittersweet.  He may play it off, but their loss impacted him greatly as a child.  Frankly he’s just not close enough to Violet to be comfortable showing that much of himself and his private grief.  

The memory was a beautiful one. Violet couldn’t help smiling as she watched it rise up in Harrison’s mind. She just hoped it would be enough. 

Violet could easily feel the force of Harrison’s reluctance, and it did make her hesitate. She wasn’t really trained for this, she reminded herself, and she still didn’t know for sure if this unusual therapy would help.

Harrison nods.  It’s a bit tough.  His gut instinct is to go for a memory of his parents holding him as a young child, but all those memories are bittersweet.  He may play it off, but their loss impacted him greatly as a child.  Frankly he’s just not close enough to Violet to be comfortable showing that much of himself and his private grief.  

The memory was a beautiful one. Violet couldn’t help smiling as she watched it rise up in Harrison’s mind. She just hoped it would be enough. 

“Thank you,” Harrison replied horsely.  The bond he has with Minion, well, there is nothing like it on earth so it has sometimes been hard for humans to understand.  He’s dealt with everything from confused servants to jealous lovers to cut throat businessman who just don’t understand that pushing Minion away would be like cutting off a limb.  

“Well … yeah.” Violet tried not to look awkward. She hadn’t meant to turn this into a conversation about her, but if ever there was a time Harrison should know, this was it. “He adopted me as his ward when I was sixteen. And his Minion and I are really close friends.”

“Thank you,” Harrison replied horsely.  The bond he has with Minion, well, there is nothing like it on earth so it has sometimes been hard for humans to understand.  He’s dealt with everything from confused servants to jealous lovers to cut throat businessman who just don’t understand that pushing Minion away would be like cutting off a limb.  

Minion didn’t have to ask. Violet recognized the fish’s expression and posture in his bowl, and the feelings of love, concern, and protectiveness radiating from his mind. The Minion she knew back home had the same body language, and she nodded, beckoning him to come over and comfort Harrison. 

Harrison was still crunched around himself when Minion’s robotic hand touched his shoulder.  He opened his eyes enough to look Minion right in his, trying and failing to keep his lower lip from wibbling.  “Minion?” he asked in a strained voice.

“Well ... yeah.” Violet tried not to look awkward. She hadn’t meant to turn this into a conversation about her, but if ever there was a time Harrison should know, this was it. “He adopted me as his ward when I was sixteen. And his Minion and I are really close friends.”

“Hey,” Violet spoke up, losing her calm air, “you are far from boring. You’re super-intelligent, and you’ve accomplished a hell of a lot since you came to Earth. Your work, your inventions - they help people. This threat might be outside your field of experience, but it doesn’t make you weak, or change what you’ve already done.” 

Harrison nods, his head bobbing wildly as he purses his lips tight and his eyes closed.  A pair of blue arms slowly make his way around his middle and he holds himself like that for a long moment, like he needs to literally hold himself together.  

Minion didn’t have to ask. Violet recognized the fish’s expression and posture in his bowl, and the feelings of love, concern, and protectiveness radiating from his mind. The Minion she knew back home had the same body language, and she nodded, beckoning him to come over and comfort Harrison. 

Harrison was still crunched around himself when Minion’s robotic hand touched his shoulder.  He opened his eyes enough to look Minion right in his, trying and failing to keep his lower lip from wibbling.  “Minion?” he asked in a strained voice.

“Hey,” Violet spoke up, losing her calm air, “you are far from boring. You’re super-intelligent, and you’ve accomplished a hell of a lot since you came to Earth. Your work, your inventions - they help people. This threat might be outside your field of experience, but it doesn’t make you weak, or change what you’ve already done.” 

Harrison nods, his head bobbing wildly as he purses his lips tight and his eyes closed.  A pair of blue arms slowly make his way around his middle and he holds himself like that for a long moment, like he needs to literally hold himself together.  

Minion didn’t have to ask. Violet recognized the fish’s expression and posture in his bowl, and the feelings of love, concern, and protectiveness radiating from his mind. The Minion she knew back home had the same body language, and she nodded, beckoning him to come over and comfort Harrison.