Quite Possibly The Biggest Indicator That Crosshair Has A Heart Past All That Jerking Exterior, And I

Someone's a fast learner... and gonna give me cavities with all this sweetness! Seriously tho, Cut should be a parenting teacher.

1.02: Cut and Run | 1.03: Replacements

Okay, I just looked to confirm that Clone Captain Howzer looks like that clone toy named Ballast that was seen not that long ago, so likely the same person... but that got me thinking; is it possible that the clone we're seeing is Ballast, and the real Captain Howzer is dead? Maybe Howzer noticed something off with Ballast and accused him of treason, tried to kill him, only to flip the tables and take his place so he could hide in plain sight..... 🤔

Last Resort by Papa Roach (Kayzo remix, specifically)

ATTENTION

If you see this you are OBLIGATED to reblog w/ the song currently stuck in your head :)

yall. i see a lot about masking, and i just wanted to ask that, well personally, i dont mask. and i feel like thats weird because i keep hearing how, it feels like everybody else is in some form masking?

i dont even know what masking entails, what it is, i only know some very few information that it is like, well one is wanting to touch stuff but dont? idk, i just, if i wanna touch something, i touch it. but im not obsessively touching stuff. i dont like, stim either, in the autistic way, im sorry if that came across as rude i just wanna say i dont do it because of autism, i do it because of my severe anxiety. i only do stuff, crossing arms, twisting foot, idk how to explain it, if im stood still, i will like, bend my foot so it looks like it might break but it wont lol...etcetc, are those even stims? they dont sound like it now that i wrote some down haha, because i have severe anxiety and i feel like im gonna pass out and vomit when im out of the house. i have a whole ass YEAR left until i begin my cbt therapy. i dont even know if thats gonna help, i tried it before years ago but pretty much gave up because i felt it didnt do anything and im depressed af and have zero motivation. because im never gonna get better anyways. i had a nurse telling me that too ages ago and i still remember it because he was all like "so im not supposed to tell you this because its private information about me, but you'll never get better from this. this is a lifelong issue you'll have to deal with for the rest of your life, because i have it too" real comforting when you just told that person you wanna kill yourself because you suffer so bad. i feel like he wants me to kill myself so they'll rid a troubling annoying person. but anyways!

oh yea! another one is forced eye contact, i dont do that either haha, i look up people in the eye, or in the middle, and then if i dont wanna, i dont. so im sure i dont mask and is that normal? is there anybody else out here that dont either?

yall, a list of various ways of masking would be appreciated so i know whether i am or not, even though im preeeeeetty sure that i do not.

thank you. and i hope you have a good week.

I'll answer this in parts.

1 - Autistic masking is the conscious and unconscious act of pretending to be neurotypical.

Conscious versions of this are things like practicing conversations, practicing facial expressions in a mirror, watching others communicate so that you can mimic them. However, unlike neurotypicals or allistics (non-autistics), at no point do we feel comfortable or confident in doing these performances. It's exhausting and we're very aware of our actions and other's actions.

Unconcious versions of masking are those that are drilled in to us either by society, family (on purpose or not), bullying etc. These include forcing facial expressions, forcing eye contact, forcing vocal tone, holding back or permanently repressing stimming, ignoring special interests due to mocking or bullying, enduring adverse sensory experiences etc. These are often enforced from infancy and we may not even be aware we're doing it. But we are aware we're exhausted from tasks others are not.

Unconcious and conscious masking mix and match. They're fluid, and not everyone experiences the same versions.

2 - Not every autistic masks. Higher needs may not mask, intellectual disabilities may prohibit it, and supportive families may never enforce it. Some autistics grow up and refuse to mask any longer. And many different versions of this, too.

3 - Everyone stims. Stimming is any repetitive behaviour that is used to modify external or internal input via a soothing behaviour. Autistics and many other NDs simply do it a lot more and have more variety. So, yes. If what you described is done in order to add input or block out input, it's stimming.

4 - Not all Autistics struggle with eye contact. Whilst clinicians use it as this big indicator, it's really not.

5 - Lastly, that nurse who spoke to you in that moment of need was a complete ass. Anxiety is difficult, but it's not the end of the road. If CBT therapy didn't help, it may be that you need a modified version, or try something different all together. There are many different therapies and avenues. There is hope, you just need to figure out what road is yours.

Remove the stereotype of knowing everything about the so called special interest, I have never had one, but I'm curious why is it called like that, when it isn't for Neurotypicals?

So the list you posted, it just sounds like something a person likes, but why is that it is called special interest?

Because if a Neurotypical would say, if they had those interest(s) that are on that list, or more. Its just...likes. hobbies even. But when a Neurodivergent has any of that, its called a 'special interest' why is that? It just occured to me too this question, I find it strange. That it has a name like that for Neurodivergent but not for the Neurotypicals.

I also feel like, if you utter you like something, then people just assume straight off the bat that it is a 'special interest' when it may not be.

Its the same with the Autistic Meltdown, or that other thang I forgot what the name of it is. Why is it called like that? Because again, if a Naueotypical has, like a big outburst of anger and they get real mad even throwing stuff, whatever someone does, it's not called specifically a meltdown, or that other thing i forgot the name of it. I'm genuinely wondering btw, not trolling.

This is a good question, and completely understandable.

Firstly, a special interest is specific to autism. My post lists a variety of ways that they can manifest, but obviously it's not the only ways.

A special interest is different to a hobby in the way that an autistic engages with it. A hobby for a neurotypical is something they know all about and do to pass the time. They may even take breaks from it.

A special interest for an autistic may not even have a physical component, we have anxiety about not interacting with it, and it's not to just pass the time. It can feel like a core part of us.

Which is why if a special interest fades, we can be left in a state of deep loss. It's like losing a loved one. It can cause grief.

Autistics can also just have hobbies.

Now, an autistic meltdown or shutdown is once again specific to us because it's linked to how we engage in the world. Specifically, sensory input.

A neurotypical can have a "meltdown" after a bad week at work, a break up, plus their car won't start and they'll scream and need a day off. It may even lead to a breakdown. They are serious, and they need self-care. But it's a long build up of stressors.

An autistic meltdown is a painful experience of no longer being able to endure sensory input. We need to escape, and harmful stims, screaming, crying etc are our only coping skills we have left in our arsenal. There is no emotion behind it, no end goal, except to make the pain stop.

*inhales deeply* ..... oof. I felt this one in the pit of my stomach.

nd culture is not having anything to say and then one of your special interests comes up naturally and you think "talking about this has gotta be better than the silence right?" and next thing you know your 40 min into an info dump and the other person is barely paying attention.

.

Honestly, spot on.

the clone wars trio +  variations of a power trio

YES! TIMES A MILLION!!! Crosshair's definitely a caring guy, he just has a resting bitch face and is only able to speak in Basic, Shade, and Fighting Words (and that's if you get him to talk).

Just 2 Crosshair things I noticed during my TCW arc rewatch (I’m not a gifer and Disney+ figured out screenshots so you’ll have to go back and watch to witness)

First, the Crosshair sibling energy. Listen, as 1 of 5 kids, I LIVE for the sibling energy the bad batch give. It’s everywhere. First and most evident between Crosshair and Wrecker in TCW arc with the “topping” each other. Now we’re all aware of the badass hallway scene in ep 4, but may I turn your attention to after the intro of ep 3. Wrecker shoots some droids, and then Crosshair takes a turn and after some impressive shots turns to wrecker and does the cocky shoulder shrug, aka the sibling “whatcha gonna do about it??” Obsessed.

Next. Crosshair’s gentleness towards Echo. I know I know, Crosshair HATES regs. He’s grumpy, he’s rude, etc etc. Exhibit A and B that Echo’s the “exception” (and secretly Crosshair is just extremely protective of his brothers). 1. Ep 3, after Echo exerts a lot of energy shooting down a flying droid, Crosshair immediately goes over and pats him on the shoulder in a “job well done, you ok?” gesture. Next, it’s fabled there’s only 1 Crosshair smiling scene found in ep 1 of season 7 TCW. I GIVE YOU ANOTHER! At the end of ep 4 of TCW season 7, after Hunter says “come find us”, Crosshair is full. On. Smiling. At. Echo. And not just “yeah that’d be nice I think we’re cool” but “heck yeah you’d fit right in our squad is so cool you’d be a great addition”.

Listen, I’ll die on the “Crosshair is a good man he’s just the grumpy goth sibling going through puberty and will die for his family but god forbid they know it ” rock and seeing these interactions towards Echo has closed the coffin for me

Hunter, why?!😭 Well, at least Crosshair can give some burns as well as he takes them yeah I'll see myself out.

Someone stop me-

Please someone stop me-