Rust 10: Reaction Shot

[bookblather]

Author: Kat
Title: Reaction Shot
Story: In The Heart
Colors: Rust 10 (porcelain doll) with Sara's paint-by-numbers (Michael hates when people treat him with kid gloves.)
Supplies and Materials: Pastels (disability (chronic)), oils (when a heart breaks), seed beads, modeling clay (battle).
Word Count: 239
Rating: PG-13 for cussing.
Summary: Michael has grievances.
Warnings: ableism.
Notes: Thanks to Kelly for looking this over. <3


When people find out about the OI, they have one of two reactions, and Michael isn't sure which one he hates more.

First there's dismissal-- "everybody breaks bones once in a while," or "but you don't look disabled!" As if looks had anything to do with it. As if everybody breaks a toe when they stub it. He looks young and healthy but his bones are brittle as glass, and if they could see beneath his skin, maybe they'd get it.

And there's the other reaction, his mother's reaction, the sudden overwhelming need to smother him in cotton and bubblewrap, to keep him from ever getting hurt. He gets it most often from girls he's dating, but even total strangers do it-- "hey, you can't do that, you might get hurt!"

Which... no. He is a grown-ass fucking adult. He's lived with OI his entire life, and he's pretty sure he knows how to handle it by now. He's even more sure that he doesn't need total fucking strangers telling him he's doing it wrong, judging him, securely smug in their authority over the poor boy with brittle bones, because heaven knows they, in all their able-bodied glory, know what's best for him.

If he dignifies this reaction with a response at all, these days, he just flips them the bird.

He still can't figure out what it is about disability that makes people treat him like a child.

Comments

[kay_brooke]

Poor Michael. Most visibly disabled people get the second type of person, but he has to deal with crap from both ends.

[bookblather]

Yup. Poor guy.

Thank you.

[sarcasticsra]

Ugh, Michael, I'm sorry people suck.

This is great.

[bookblather]

They do suck. At least he has people who don't suck in his life.

Thank you.

[shipwreck_light]

The bird = totally fitting AND great character building XD. Especially since it reads like he's just going to sigh things off and then... LOLNO. :D

[bookblather]

Haha, yeah. Michael is so over not being angry at people because "they just don't understand."

Thank you.

[clare_dragonfly]

Ugh, why do people have to suck? I'm sorry people suck, Michael.

[bookblather]

He's sorry, too.

Thank you.

[isana]

Man, poor Michael. I have to admit that as an able-bodied, my instinct for cotton and bubblewrap would be high, but hell, after being an adult and getting around just fine, I don't blame him for being pissed.

[bookblather]

Yeah, exactly. It's that... he is an adult. He knows what he can and can't do. Other people trying to dictate his life so he can't get hurt pisses him off because it infantilizes him and implies he can't take care of himself. Which he can. So. Basically, I don't think he minds the instinct, just the execution.

Thank you.

[subluxate]

First there's dismissal-- "everybody breaks bones once in a while," or "but you don't look disabled!"

I HATE THIS SO FUCKING MUCH. EDS gets me the SAME GODDAMN REACTIONS ("everyone sprains things sometimes!" "you look healthy!"), and it is SO FUCKING FRUSTRATING because, like Michael's thoughts, SHUT THE FUCK UP.

Ahem.

You done very good here. It's so perfect and YES and extremely identifiable.

[bookblather]

ugh I KNOW I just got that from a classmate about my mental issues and it's like. Guys. I am living in my body. I THINK I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ME BETTER THAN YOU.

Thank you. <3