#who needs therapy when writing and ocs can accomplish the same thing without involving anothet person

[anadorablekiwi]

Look At The Stars

Her chest felt heavy, like a weight was on her chest and shoulders.

Her mind swirled.

Weak. Stupid. Needy. You just want attention. Don't bother. No one needs to know about your patheticness. Don’t dump your mental and emotional mess onto others. Pathetic. Failure.

Eli sighed and stood. She walked over to where her boots were, slipped them on without even bothering with socks, slipped on her coat, and grabbed the key to the hotel room she was staying in.

She wasn’t getting any sleep anyways.

She made her way to the patio outside and leaned on the railing, gazing up at the stars.

Slowly, the negative thoughts were replaced with positive ones.

It’s a beautiful night tonight. I can see so many stars. The breeze feels nice. I like the chill. The crickets chirping is always so soothing. And is that an owl?

Wow, the stars are gorgeous. It’s amazing, thinking about how far away they must be. And yet they shine brightly still. How fascinating, knowing there’s so much depth to this dark blanket that we can’t perceive. The stars are so impossibly far away. Spheres of gas larger than the huge planet we reside, reduced to pinheads of light.

And all that blackness, so many stars that aren’t visible but shine nonetheless. Not to mention all the planets out there, orbiting some of those millions upon millions of stars. Some with life on them too, most likely. Maybe there’s someone on a planet immeasurably far away, gazing at the night sky, contemplating just as I am now.

“Couldn’t sleep?”

“Ahh!” Eli jumped, whipping around to find Link, who was trying not to laugh.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you so much.” He poorly suppressed a chuckle.

Eli smacked his arm. “No you aren’t.”

She leaned against the railing again, and Link came and joined her.

“You know, you won’t get any sleep standing out here.”

“Better than the thoughts in my head in the hotel room,” she muttered under her breath.

Not quietly enough, it seems.

“Eli.” Link turned towards her, gently bringing a hand to her chin and redirecting her gaze.

She refused to make eye contact.

“Mm hmm, what’s up Link?”

Link let out a heavy sigh and dropped his hand, leaning against the railing again.

She could feel his gaze still, but returned hers to the stars again.

“It’s a beautiful night tonight, you can see so many stars.”

“Yes it is, Eli, but I’m not letting you change the subject just yet. Talk to me, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just tired is all.”

Link didn’t respond, so she chanced a glance.

And he was staring at her with the most unamused expression she had ever seen.

“You’re a bad liar, Eli.”

His eyes looked straight into hers, and she felt like he was seeing a whole lot more than just her eyes. Like he could see her whole soul.

She averted her gaze again, grateful for the brisk breeze which had already turned her cheeks pink.

Link sighed again. He seems to be doing a lot of that tonight.

“Look, Eli. I won’t make you talk if you don’t want to. If it would be better for your mental health to just move on, I’ll respect that.”

He rested a hand on her shoulder, drawing her gaze once more.

“But that’s not what’s best for you. And I think you know that.”

Eli looked into his eyes, unable to look away. They’re distractingly beautiful shades of blue and green, but more captivating was the concern and care and tenderness they held.

Link held her gaze. “Please. Let me help you.”

A second passed, then the dam broke and Eli flung herself into his arms.

Link held her as she cried, rubbing her back and stroking her hair and whispering softly.

“I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

Safe.

I like safe.

When the tears ran dry, they embraced for a moment longer before Eli pulled away.

“Thank you. I-”

“If you’re about to apologize, stop it.”

Eli began to apologize for apologizing, then wisely shut her mouth.

“So. What’s wrong? What’s been bothering you?”

Eli stared at the ground. They used pretty wood for this patio.

“Just the usual depression thoughts.”

“You do realize that you could have just woken me? I’m always happy to remind you why the self-deprecating thoughts are wrong. And talking always helps you.”

“I know. But I didn’t want to bother you. And besides, stargazing helps too…”

Another sigh. “I’m glad you at least did something that helps, but I wish you would let me help you more. You don’t have to be alone, and you aren’t a burden. Even if you were, though, you’d be a burden I will happily bear as long as I live.”

“You have people around you who love you and want to help you, Eli. We want to see you happy, truly happy. Not the fake smiles we all see right through. Zelda, myself, your family. I know it’s hard for you to reach out, and ask for help. But I at least want to make sure you remember that you can, and it isn’t a bother or a burden on me. Or any of us.”

Eli took a deep breath and nodded. “Yeah. Thank you, Link.”

“There’s no need for thanks. I’m just doing my job as your friend and travel companion.”

Eli stifled a yawn, her eyelids growing increasingly heavy.

Link chuckled fondly and ruffled her hair. “Come on, sleepyhead. Let’s get you some water and get you to bed.”

Too tired to argue, Eli simply nodded and let herself be led back to the hotel room.

Sleep came easily this time.

~