#storm phobia

Anonymous said to @ask-drferox: What kind of harmful DIYs have you seen? My parents, when our dog was a 1 year old, gave our dog two tee spoons of salt and it was supposed to make him not scared of thunder.

While I’ve seen people attempt to castrate their dog with a rubber band, or attempt to cut of tumors on their own and one that insisted the pharmacy would sell him chloroform so he could stitch up his rabbit himself, the attempt at DIY that I think did the most harm was also an attempt to make the dog not scared of thunder.

The owner was complaining that every time there was a storm, the dog would hide under the human’s bed and shake, sometimes whimper.

The human found this fear of thunder unacceptable. Maybe he found it annoying? It wasn’t like the dog was loud or destructive, it just hid under his bed. But unacceptable to him.

So he decided he was going to make the dog ‘face it’s fears’.

He built a run in the middle of his backyard, with a wire roof and a concrete floor so it was unescapable. Originally it had a kennel it it, but he took it out because the dog kept hiding in it.

Every time there was going to be a storm he put the dog in the run, so it couldn’t hide, and would have to ‘face its fear’.

The dog’s phobia was getting worse.

Check out tips to get through next week’s fireworks with your dog from the Real Dog Nerds!

The sea dragon was still encouraged to take it easy for a couple more days as his body was still recovering from everything. Anti wanted to argue but he still felt like he had been run over by a seamoth so resting actually sounded nice.

His brothers actually made everything a little too easy. Getting food for him, helping make him an extra comfy nest to rest in, making sure he got plenty of sun through the cave’s spotlight. He wanted to be annoyed by all the coddling, but some part of him deep down really missed this. When was the last time someone actually really took care of him? He had been alone for so long….

The boys that weren’t rushing to a fro getting stuff for Anti stayed around and started telling stories to the sea dragon to help jog his memories. It brought a tense smile to his face, to see how much his brothers had grown without him.

But soon the sun began to dim and all the boys started to prepare for sleep. Henrik headed out for the night, wanting to go check on his scrap pile after all the madness and the boys waved him away with big smiles. Anti found that odd but didn’t really know how to ask about it.

The other brothers piled into their signature guppy pile, Jamie claiming the bottom with Chase landing on him with a big thump, causing Jamie to let out a wheezy laugh. Chase grinned and ruffled his hair before turning to his side. Marvin yawned and sleepily headbutted Jamie’s stomach and curled up to the cuddlefish’s side and Jamie smiled and brought the older brother into a big bear hug. Marvin giggled and snuggled in and Chase turned and draped his tail over the both of them, causing them both to laugh. Jackie looked up tensely at the ocean through the skylight, an uneasy expression on his face. He shook it off with a smile that turned to a mischievous grin as he speeds towards the pile and flopped on the very top, causing the others to all exclaim in surprise. They all erupt into laughter as Jackie grins and makes himself comfortable.

Anti watches from a little ways away, feeling a hole in his chest. Some distant part of him yearns to be apart of the pile, while another part wants to be left alone. He’s left very confused as he lays his head down on the sand and tries to focus on sleeping.

Anti is awoken by a sound that sends terror through his very core. It echoes throughout the cave and shakes the rocks and above him, Anti can see a trail of light as it dances across the surface of the water. Anti fears the worse and he starts to panic, scuttling backward into the cave wall, his whole body shaking.

“No. no… no no no.. nononono!” He covers his ears, fingers digging into his hair as he tries to control his shaking but he can’t. He tenses as the strange sound booms again, cracking throughout the sea, lighting up the cave in weird yellow light. Anti’s tails light up in response and his blood goes cold.

“Fuck-fuck no!” He cries, shutting his eyes and folding up on himself, “T-they found me… they found me fuck no no no no…”

Jackie springs awake from the second boom of thunder, his muscles tense and alert like he’s ready to fight. But as soon as his eyes laid on Anti, he loosens up some, his face screwing up in concern. “Anti?” He whispers.

It doesn’t seem like Anti can hear him though. Jackie quietly pushes away from his still soundly sleeping brothers and cautiously approaches the panicking sea dragon.

“Anti?” Jackie calls again as he gently places a hand on Anti’s arm. Anti flinches but quickly jerks his head up to the reaper merman, blinking panicked tears out of his eyes.

His voice is thick in his throat as he chokes out a response. “j-Jackie,” Anti rasps. He holds back a terrified squeak as another boom shakes the cave and Jackie tries not to tense up with him. He hates storms just as much as the next guy, but Anti… Anti looks like a scared little kid again.

Anti desperately grabs onto Jackie’s tail, his eyes wide with fear. “j-Jackie, they found me. They’re g-going to take me again!”

“Who?” Jackie asks, blinking rapidly in confusion.

“The white suits” Anti cries, as his tails light up in response to another crack of lightning. He whimpers and tries to hide his tails, “T-They’re s-still c-controlling m-me…! L-look!”

Jackie’s heart feels heavy as he floats down and scoops Anti into a big hug. “Your memory must still be fuzzy Anti… this is just a storm. You’re safe.”

Anti doesn’t look convinced as he grits his teeth and shivers in Jackie’s arms. Jackie sighs, already exhausted and tense from keeping his own fear at bay. But he thinks he has an idea.

“Anti, follow me,” Jackie says as he grabs Anti’s hand and starts leading them out of the cave. Anti resists, digging his tails into the sand to try to stop them.

“What are you doing?!” He screeches, his eyes big as saucers. Jackie turns back and gives Anti a soft smile.

“Just trust me.”

Anti’s expression falls slightly but eventually, he nods and lets Jackie take him where he wants them to go. Jackie spurs them upwards to the surface. Somewhere Anti had never dared to go. The sea dragon’s muscles are tense with fear of the unknown, ready to fight off white suits and whatever could be waiting above the water.

The two mermen breech the surface of the water and Anti blinks as he’s pelted in the face by more. He stares up at the endless abyss of the sky and is met with grey swirling clouds. Small droplets of water drip on his face at random. Anti stares confused. The grey of the clouds light up with yellow light and a crack of thunder is heard, almost sending Anti diving back into the water. But Jackie holds him gently in place so Anti can watch the pattern. A flash, a beat, then a boom. His tail would light up in response to the flash every time.

No ships. No flying white suits machines. No white suits at all.

Anti struggles to sigh a breath of relief. The foreign sounds of the sky still leave him tensing up every time they echo across the surface. After a while, Anti notices Jackie tenses up with him.

“....Why are you doing this Jackie…?” Anti eventually asks.

“To show you there’s nothing to be afraid of,” Jackie replies.

“...you’re tense too. Are you scared?” Anti prods with a raised eyebrow.

Jackie is quiet for a second before he responds, his shoulders shaking slightly, “...t-terrified…”

Anti turns and stares at Jackie. And for the first time in a while, Anti sees him as his scared yet overly cocky little brother from so long ago, always heading headlong into danger, trying not to be afraid of anything. Now here he was, braving something he was scared of to make Anti feel better.

Tears prick at the corners of Anti’s eyes as he pulls Jackie into a fierce tight hug.

“You’re an idiot…” He whispers, holding his baby brother close. Jackie stiffens for a second then returns the hug, smothering Anti. Anti balks slightly, when did he get so much bigger than him?

“Yer a dummy too, Anti,” Jackie grins back. A huge crack of thunder sends both the boys jumping in the air, clinging to each other with their hearts in their throats. They exchange glances before Anti coughs and whispers, “Um, can we go home now?”