"Hey mom, we have a guest!"
Lachesis dragged me inside her house, my feet dragging across the ground as I was met with bright lights. I squinted as I felt my shoes come off, and I could see the hazy image of a person coming towards me.
"Huh? Lachesis, I thought you went to go on your date!"
"Things happened."
She glanced at me, and my eyes finally adjusted to the lights. I saw a cheery woman holding a ladle, frowning in my direction. "Oh, its Depra! It's been a while, hasn't it?"
I could only stare at the blond woman, unable to do much else. Lachesis noticed and readjusted my arm wrapped around her. "Yeah, he looks pretty bad, so I was gonna have him stay over for a day or two."
I watched as her mom grew closer to me, and she peered into my face, worry causing slight wrinkles to appear. "I don't mind. Although, what happened for him to look like this?"
Did I look that bad? I haven't gotten a look at myself in a long time, so I wouldn't know. I felt myself moving again, and I could only watch as I entered her warm abode, filled with life I had forgotten.
Lachesis led me to the dining room, where she sat me down in a chair. "I'm going to get changed real fast." I hadn't noticed before, but she was wearing a yellow dress with heels, and her face had a light layer of makeup.
I watched her walk away before staring down at the table, trying to make sure I didn't fall over. In the background, I could hear Lachesis' mom humming to herself. A delicious smell soon wafted over to my nose, and my stomach lurched forward with excitement, growling so loud that her mom chuckled to herself.
"I see you're quite hungry. Don't worry, it'll be finished soon." I waited patiently, staring at the light brown table, adorned with a basket of colorful fruit. Just looking at that alone made me want to eat, and my stomach let out another loud growl.
I felt a soft blanket wrap around me, and I glanced up to see Lachesis, who had changed into some pajamas, her makeup gone from her face. She tried looking me in the eyes, but I averted my gaze, staring back down at the wooden table.
She let out a soft sigh as she pulled up a chair next to me. "How did you get this bad in the span of a week?" she murmured to herself, and my stomach let out another growl.
Eh? How did she know about my stay at Hiro's? I didn't tell her that. But before I could continue my train of thought, I heard a peppy voice reach from the kitchen.
"Okay, soups up! Literally speaking of course." Lachesis' mother brought out a steaming bowl of soup, the smell starting to make my mouth water in anticipation. She set out the creamy soup in front of me, garnished with a clove.
"Whoa, you really put out all the stops, didn't you?"
"Well, I was about to eat anyway, so it was pretty simple to just make some more." She plopped a spoon in the soup, and I stared at her, her gentle gaze nodding at me.
"You're eating it all. No starving yourself in this house!" I looked back at the steaming bowl of soup, then back at her.
"Oh, you can't really move right now, can you?" Lachesis realized, the audible sound of her scratching her head reaching my ears. "Well, this is kinda awkward, isn't it?"
"Guess we have no choice. My only daughter must be the one to feed you," her mom said teasingly, and I got a loud yell in response.
"That's embarrassing and you know it mom! Why don't you do it!?"
She raised a hand to her cheek, acting woeful. "Who, me? I'm far too old to be feeding someone again. Besides, you need the practice, right?"
"But mom…"
"No buts! Now, hurry up and do it. I doubt you want to starve him any longer, right?" I glanced over at Lachesis, whose face was flushed pink as she stared down at table.
My gaze ended up back at the spoon, and I tried to move my arm, causing it to twitch. I glared at it, scowling. Useless.
"Um, here you go." I looked back up to see a spoon hovering near my mouth, and Lachesis, who's face was still flushed. "Well, don't take all day."
I opened my mouth, and she gently put the spoon in, causing my taste buds to explode in flavor as warmth started to fill my mouth. She took the spoon out, leaving me to just swallow it. I managed to gulp it down, the warmth starting to reach the center of my body as it landed in my very hungry stomach. The process went on for another couple spoonful's, and Lachesis' face managed to lose its pink flush.
"I can't believe I'm doing this."
"Look on the bright side, at least he's able to swallow it without help. It's also not dribbling out of their mouth; unlike a certain girl I know."
Lachesis pouted as she narrowed her eyes at her mom, who was resting her head on her hands, smiling happily.
"Ooh, you know what I should do? I should take a photo to commemorate the occasion!"
I received another spoonful from my feeder, and she moaned to herself as she heard those words. "Please don't, I'm already embarrassed enough as it is. I'm taking this with me to the grave."
"Oh, come on, it's cute! I'm going to take one!" Her mother responded gleefully as she pulled out her phone.
"…It's warm."
Their antics stopped at my sudden words, and they both looked at me in shock.
"…It's…really warm…" I murmured, my vision starting to go hazy from the tears that couldn't fall from my face. It's been a while since I've seen a scene such as this one play out between a parent and their child, and it was more than enough to bring me to tears, especially after everything that had happened today.
Through my hazy vision I could see a warm smile as a gentle hand wiped away at one of my eyes. "I'm glad you like the food Depra. I'll go grab some tissues, okay?" I nodded once, and her mom was off to grab some tissues for me.
I sniffled as the tears continued form in my eyes, but still unable to cry, and Lachesis fed me another spoonful of food before talking.
"How many?"
I glanced at her, and she was staring at me intently. "…three…"
"Average per day?"
"…Two."
"Damn it Depra, how did you get worse?" she muttered to herself as she fed me another spoonful. I was only able to respond with my eyes constantly watering.
"I'm back! Here, let's clean up that face of yours." I felt my face get padded by tissues, and when she got to my nose, she asked me blow, causing my snot to come out.
"There we go, looking a little bit better now, right Lachesis?" Her mother asked, giving me a thumbs up.
"He looks worse since his eyes are bloodshot," she said, scowling. "And speaking of worse, what happened to you anyway? Your clothes are an absolute mess, and you're covered in dirt!"
"I… am?" I glanced down to see my well-worn pajamas having been through the abuse of my episodes, dirt and grass stains all over them, along with the occasional hole.
"Well, once you finish eating, you can go take a hot shower," her mom replied, throwing away the used tissues. I glanced at my arm once more and tried to move it, this time being successfully, albeit shaking the entire time I was doing it.
"You can move now?" Lachesis asked, feeding me what I hoped was the last spoonful from her. Nodding, I managed to grab the spoon and bring it to my mouth, my arm slightly shaking the entire time. Nonetheless, I managed to do it on my own, and a look of relief passed over mother and daughter, a weight off their shoulders.
"Thank you," I mumbled out as I continued to feed myself as fast as I could move my body.
"No problem dear. After all, mi casa es su casa as the saying goes," Lachesis' mom said, giving me a wink. "You're basically family by this point, so don't hesitate to come over whenever you wish!"
I don't wish to impose on them, I thought miserably as I continued to fill myself up on the warmth they offered. It wasn't fair to them if I do after all, regardless of what they think.
Lachesis stared at me eating at my painstakingly slow pace, deep in thought. I could never tell what she was thinking, even though we've been together for so long. And right when I thought I knew her, she did something that always surprised me. And those surprises were never any good…
"Lachy dear, it's rude to stare," her mother said, chiding her daughter's actions.
She blinked as she focused on my face, and she frowned when she realized what she had done. "Sorry, I'm trying to think of ways to make sure he doesn't end up starving himself."
Morbid, but plausible. "Does it really matter? I already told you, I'm fine."
Her nostrils flared up in anger at my words, her normally soft blue eyes turning ice cold. "Whadda'ya call today then Depra? Quit with the crap, you're clearly not fine, especially if it got to the point where you couldn't even move anymore!"
"Whose fault is that?" I muttered, and she balled up her fists in anger. But before she could say anymore, she got a slap from her mother.
"Ow, what was that for!?"
I suddenly got chopped on the head, and I winced in pain as I dropped my spoon back into the creamy soup.
"Both of you, stop this nonsense. You've been friends for a long time now and will continue to be friends for an even longer time!" We were hushed into silence by her words and could only wait as the onslaught continued.
"Now, I don't care what happened between the two of you, although I can hazard a guess that my daughter did something stupid again."
"Hey, it's-!" Lachesis got cut off once again by her mother, this time with a glare.
"Even if my daughter did something stupid, Depra, you should at the very least understand where she's coming from and be able to forgive her. You two are far too old to be acting like this."
I stared back at Lachesis, who was staring at the floor, holding something back. It wasn't that I hated her. "It's just that I couldn't understand…" I accidentally let out, gazing back down at my half-eaten soup.
The events of last year came pouring back into me, and I was starting to fall back down into the endless abyss of black, falling, falling…
"DEPRA!"
I felt myself almost slip out of my chair, Lachesis catching me before I did so. My heart was hammering, and I couldn't catch my breath, almost unable to breath.
"Calm down, it's okay." Those soothing words were almost enough for me to calm down, and I clutched my chest in shame, tears filling up in my eyes, but never falling.
Why am I stuck like this? This never-ending cycle, what could I possibly do to make it stop? I didn't know, and in truth, I didn't know if I could stop it. But, maybe it's for the best…
"Don't you dare think that way!" Alarmed, I looked up at Lachesis' mom, who had her arms crossed, an angry look on her normally gentle and carefree face.
"Do you think giving up is the right way to go? If you do that, then you'll never be able to find a solution. I won't allow that to happen, because if you do, what'll they think when they finally come back?"
I felt my blood freeze into lead, as those words I never wanted to hear came out.
(When they come back)
I shook my head, and I readjusted myself in the chair before continuing to eat, trying hard to ignore what she just said.
She sighed when she saw my reaction, and simply shrugged. "Well, I'm not going to force the issue now I guess. But, just know that it's something you should think about."
I continued to ignore her, wiping my tears away while shoveling in the warmth they had always managed to provide me.
"Depra." I looked up to see Lachesis holding out her hand. "Give me your key, so I can grab some clothes and lock up your house for you." Nodding, I fished my key out of my pocket and let it fall through my hand before landing gently in hers. "I'll be back."
And then she was gone, like a warm summer breeze. Her mom watched as she left, and she let out another sigh before smiling.
"You kids sure do have it rough, don't you? Well, as I said before, you can stay as long as you like," she said, getting up from her chair before mussing up my long unkempt hair. "And keep what I said in mind, alright? I really do worry about you."
I managed to shake off her hand before looking into her warm blue eyes. While what she said was true, I had given up on that vicious cycle a long time ago, it only leading me down a path of pain far worse than what I was suffering now.
I put in another spoonful of soup as my answer, and she giggled when she saw me do it. "You'll be alright, I just know it." I watched as she left, going into the kitchen before I put another spoonful in my mouth, only to find it empty.
"Oh. I finished," I said quietly, staring down at the empty bowl of soup. There was also a cup of water that I hadn't touched, complete with a straw for my drinking convenience.
I sucked up the water, glancing around the brightly lit home, filled with all sort of keepsakes and photos, many of them having me in them. It was always like this in this place. Warm and bright, soothing to the mind, body, and soul.
I finished my water before letting out a sigh, and I wrapped the blanket around me tighter before getting up. I shuffled my way to the couch, looking over the pictures in their simple frames before stopping in front of one in particular.
It was of Lachesis and I, graduating from the sixth grade together. We both had goofy expressions on our faces, and even though it was just a picture, I could feel the laughter echoing in my head, the happiness of that time resonating within me, and a rare smile formed as I gently picked up the photo.
I felt a single tear form in my eye, and I quickly wiped it away, but not before the person behind me noticed.
"Depra, what's wrong?"
It was Lachesis, and she was carrying some clothes for me to wear in a small basket. I set the photo back down before shaking my head. "Ah, it's nothing. Just… reminiscing is all."
"I see…" She murmured, and she walked up next to me to also examine the pictures from long ago. "This really brings back memories, both good and bad."
"You sound like an old woman when you say that," I muttered, and I felt a light kick on my leg from my comment.
"Whatever, I know you feel the same," she said, scowling to herself.
I looked back at the photo I had put back. "Yeah, I really do…" I sniffled before shuffling to the couch, where I collapsed, relaxing my body into the warm softness it provided. Lachesis stayed to look at the photos, and her fingers traced over another old picture, back when we were about 5 years old.
"It's really been that long, huh?" she asked herself, picking up the only odd picture out of the bunch, one with three people in it instead of the normal two.
I brought my knees up to my chest, wrapping the blanket around me so only my face was able to be seen. I didn't respond, but instead stared at her melancholic face, filled with nostalgia and sadness as she picked up the photo.
So warm, I thought to myself as I was staring at her, and I felt my body trying to drift away along with the warmth, but before it could, I felt a light tap on my head, jolting me out of my stupor.
"Now, now Depra, you have to at least get cleaned before you fall asleep. Are you sleeping in the guest room?" It was Lachesis' mom, standing behind me holding a rolled-up newspaper. "I drawed a bath for you, so hurry up and get in before it gets cold." She took away my blanket, and I groaned as I was forced to get up. I grabbed some pajamas, underwear, and socks along with my toothbrush before heading into the bathroom.
I got undressed as quickly as possible before hopping into the comfortably warm bath that was prepared for me. I felt my body relax as I sunk deeper into the water. Even in the bathroom, their home still provided me a sense of relief, and I quietly blew some bubbles from underneath the water, my aching body finding some sort of salvation that the bathroom provided.
I heard a quiet knock from the door, and I managed to mumble out some words to signify that I could hear them.
The door opened a crack, and I saw a towel being put on the counter. "This is for you Depra. Take your time and relax, okay?" Nodding, I yawned as I began to clean myself. I really don't remember how long I stayed in that bathroom, but I do know that the water never lost its heat or comfortableness, not once.
After finishing up bathing, I emptied out the bath at the behest of Lachesis' mom before putting on my pajamas and brushing my teeth, still unable to look at myself in the mirror.
I yawned once more as I walked out the bathroom, heading into the living room once more, where Lachesis and her mom were waiting for me.
"Ah, I see you're finally out! Where are you sleeping?" Lachesis' mom asked cheerfully, and I pointed towards the couch.
"In here."
Both were stunned silence before they glanced at each other. "Um, are you sure about that? You don't wanna sleep on a bed Depra?"
I shook my head, my long unkempt hair swishing back and forth. "I like it in here."
Lachesis chuckled to herself. "Typical, I guess. Well, I guess I'll sleep here as well and have a nice little sleepover."
Her mom nodded and clapped her hands together. "Then, let me get a comforter for you real quick Depra. Lachesis, grab your own."
"Hey, how come you spoil him so much!?"
"Because he's cute obviously."
I knew better than to believe that logic. It was just how she acted, plain and simple. Even so, it still filled me with a strange sense of joy. She ruffled up my hair before going to grab a comforter for me, and Lachesis went back to her room to grab one of her own.
I situated myself on the couch, curling up into a ball as the warm house slowly started to lull me to sleep.
"Here yah go Depra, one comforter for you." I felt a thick blanket gently fall onto me, and I opened my eyes to see the culprit nodding to herself, gazing down at me.
"Sleep tight Depra." She turned off the lights after Lachesis got on the other couch, and then left to retire back to her room.
"Do you wanna talk some, or would you rather sleep?"
"Talk."
"Okay then, how did your trip with Hiro go?"
I snuggled up within my blanket more as we caught up, talking to each other like we used to so long ago, back when we were the best of friends, the warmth of the house almost lulling us back to an age of peace.
And so we fell asleep talking to each, not knowing when conversation ended or when dreams began, me having the most peaceful sleep I had in a long time…