Ghost BC Headcanons and Oneshots!

Aether HC - Addiction (TW)

Ask: Maybe Aether with an s/o that is struggling with addiction, and tries to hide it? (if you be specifics, self harm? but it cab be up to you). headcanons, long fic...whatever you prefer!

Answer: 

- I'm gonna take a guess that if you're hiding it from you're S/O, you've probably been hiding it for a while, and you've gotten pretty good at it. You know how to hide an evidence, cover your tracks, and put on a brave happy face. Aether has a habit of taking things at face value, which is great because it means no mind games, but it also means he wouldn't know anything was wrong until you got bad enough not to be able to hide it any longer, or you finally told him outright.

- If he did start to suspect an issue, in this case something specific, he would do endless research before even dreaming of, very gently, confronting the situation head on. (warning signs, coping mechanisms, how to help and things not to say/do to escalate the situation, what types of therapies or treatment are available). He would also likely implement some of these things before talking to you about it too. Small things like checking in more, making sure you're taking care of yourself and that he's helping take care of you when you seem like you need a little extra, just taking time to notice what he might not have before.)

- He wouldn't try to guilt or pressure you into admission, but knowing someone you love is hurting themself sucks, and knowing they're hiding it from you sucks. And hiding something like that from someone you love also sucks. I've been on both sides and there is no way around that feeling. It just fucking sucks. You just make space for the shitty feeling until it doesn't feel so shitty anymore.

- When you finally do have the conversation, he would do his best to shut up and listen very carefully to everything you have to say. When you've said your piece, he would ask a lot of questions, about the addiction in general but also about how you're feeling and how you would like to proceed, and what you need from him if anything. He doesn't want to walk away from the conversation wondering anything, all cards on the table.

- If you were ready for recovery, he would be there with you every step of the way and help you in any way you asked for without being invasive or clingy. If you said you were ready for help and lied, and didn't try, he would be hurt. Obviously. He doesn't lie and he doesn't feel he deserves to be lied to. Admitting that you aren't ready for help is an act of bravery too, because admitting that you don't actually care is usually only hard when you know someone is watching - and you know they're gonna keep watching.

- Aether would be at a loss for words. He would probably drop it and wait for you to come back to him if you needed help, but if things took a turn for the worse and it got really really bad, I don't think he would listen to you about wanting/needing help anymore. He wouldn't force you to do anything, but he wouldn't let it go. And shit would be hard. And even if you're only "being good" when he's around, at least you're being good some of the time, and that's something.

- You recover or you don't, and that decision must come from you, and it's not easy breezy covergirl like movies/tv/music romanticize it to be. But having a good support system, especially if it's your S/O can make things a lot easier. Aether would celebrate milestones with you, even baby steps, and he would never make you feel like shit for relapsing. Recovering from anything isn't linear, and he knows that, and all he wants to do for you is his best, so you can be at your best. He's so proud of you.