honestly if we didnt hate the same people we would have a friendship based on nothing

[dedikated]

Have you ever just wanted to tell someone flat-out what you think of them as a person? Does your roommate have this one quirk that drives you up the wall, like dripping apathy all over the kitchen sink? Sometimes all it takes to be the best person you can be is a dose of self-awareness, sometimes what it takes instead is a cluebat to the head... and sometimes they just have a stupid name you can never quite spell right.

For all this and more, have I got the meme for you!

THE LOWDOWN
i. Post a header with your character's name.
ii. Comment in-character to other people's headers. With what? Depends on your CR! Maybe they're a good person and really should keep on keeping on, maybe literally everyone can see they need to suck it up and confess already, maybe they'll change their wicked ways if just one extra person casts aspersions on their pompadour. Bring in examples if you want, as with any helpful critique. Be as creative as you like!
iii. Other characters will comment to yours, no doubt overflowing with well-meaning advice on how to be the best person they can be. Your character is free to respond. Excuse you, maybe despair is still in fashion?
iv. Feel free to assume there's a compulsion to speak their minds, if your character's not usually the type to give unsolicited advice.
v. A probably unnecessary reminder, but just remember, this is not a place for OOC crit! There are other, more appropriate channels for that.

Comments

[lifetothefullest]

I should say the same to you.

[puzzlingly]

...what?

「lol」

[lifetothefullest]

You're giving me advice I gave you first, and there was a reason I felt it necessary to say to begin with.

[puzzlingly]

What reason? Was it because you thought I would go down into some kind of self destructive spiral of hatred towards the one who attempted to kill me? I know better than that. Hate leads to nothing good, it is weak.

「And yet... here we are.」

[lifetothefullest]

[...Wow.]

I didn't say any of that.

[And he'll just leave it implied that it's very interesting Atem did.]

[puzzlingly]

And yet, you are not saying anything.

[lifetothefullest]

There are times when not saying anything is the best choice.

[But he's not supposed to be playing psychologist with Atem, and therefore avoiding influencing how he thinks or feels about things by saying too much is not the tactic he should be going with. So instead, he decides to actually answer the original question.]

The reason was that people deal with the type of situation you're dealing with in different ways, and often it has a detrimental effect on them mentally and emotionally if they have to handle it alone. It doesn't always manifest in the way you described, although it can.

[puzzlingly]

I would rather say what I think.

「As he's demonstrated before anyway. He rarely ever shuts up...」

You're getting technical on me again, Lance. But... how did you expect me to handle it anyway?

「He's just curious now.」

[lifetothefullest]

I would've never guessed.

[It's clearly teasing; being able to say that you think is a good trait, as long as the individual knows where the boundaries are between being honest and being unkind, which so far it seems Atem does.]

I didn't have any particular expectations; I don't know you well enough for that, and even if I did it can be very difficult to predict this sort of thing. I just wanted to make sure you knew there were other options rather than dealing with everything yourself, and that it's okay to take them if you need to.

[Because both issues are just as important.]

[puzzlingly]

So, you're leaving it all to luck when trying to help people with your methods? Wouldn't it be easier to simply ask?

「Psychology seems tricky and he can't say he particularly likes it... Sorry, Lance. But he is actually thankful for him trying.」

[lifetothefullest]

[It's okay, he's used to that, and at least Atem's being nice about it.]

It's complicated, but no, it's not luck, and asking directly is not usually very effective. For serious or personal issues, asking someone bluntly is both insensitive and likely to make them feel defensive.

[puzzlingly]

Hmm... I've often found that it is easier to be honest to someone, but... think I understand. What do you do when someone gets too defensive?

「Bakura, he's looking at you.」

[lifetothefullest]

That depends on what's causing them to react in such a way. Often it's about protecting themselves, whether from appearing vulnerable or being unwilling to trust whoever they're speaking to, but there can be other reasons.

Most often, it's more a matter of time than anything else.

[puzzlingly]

「Oh damn, that makes him chuckle...」

I guess I will have to wait another three thousand years to solve that one.

「Eh.」