#mimc

"Mimic when I catch you, when I catch you Mimic-" - Silver probably

*makes fence with hands*

!Boundaries! PSA time!

So. If you are an abuse survivor, and you manage to get away and cut off contact...but then ANY of your abusers reach out with an offer of aid that sounds PERFECT and OH SO GENEROUS? Got a couple of tips for you.

First: MAINTAIN. YOUR. BOUNDARIES.

JUST BECAUSE THEY SOUND LIKE THEY CARE ABOUT YOU DOES NOT MEAN THEY ARE NO LONGER ABUSERS. They could, in fact, be a Mimic, and trying to lure you out with promises of treasure--money, affection, or otherwise.

Second: CHECK FOR TRAPS.

*earnestly takes you by the shoulders and lovingly shakes you like a set of rattles* FOR THE LOVE OF EVERY GOD BEHIND THE DIVINE GATE, CHECK FOR TRAPS. You’ve probably set boundaries at this point to protect yourself, your health, etc. from said abuse. IF THE PERSON CONTACTING YOU DOES NOT WANT TO RESPECT THESE BOUNDARIES--and ESPECIALLY if the conditions of their aid belittle, disregard, or outright SHATTER said boundaries--for the love of all the platinum in Exandria, maintain your distance and your boundaries.

Third: OBSERVE THE RESULT.

If the result of you maintaining said boundaries is a raging hurricane that makes Lady Briarwood’s freakout look like a two-minute temper tantrum, thank whatever gods you know. 

Because you just rolled a nat 20 on your Traps check. And their offer of help was, in fact, a Mimic.

Fourth: WALK AWAY.

You got this. You set up boundaries for a reason. They don’t get to bait a trap and then jump out and snatch you back. Not ever. They might yell, and holler, or tell you you’re a disgrace and that people you dearly loved but were unable to say goodbye to died thinking you are/were/will always be a shiftless, worthless waste of space. (Yeah, they can and may hit that low.)

But you know what? Fuck ‘em. 

They’re throwing a piss fit because they feed off of controlling others. And when you say “No, no more.” or “Never again.” and dare to step out of your box? They want nothing more than to get you back into it. Threats, enticements, barbed words, enticements that turn into threats, whatever. 

Maintain your boundaries. Check for traps. Observe the result. And walk away.