It's a Long Way Down

Chapter Thirty-Four: Depression

Copia had decided to postpone the beginning of the tour a month due to all that had happened recently. It had been a week since Ember had lost her kit's and she refused to leave her room, laying on the bed. She wouldn't talk to anyone. Sodo had nearly forced her to eat something so she wouldn't die of starvation.

Rain left her room, closing the door behind him, and walked to the common room. Everyone was sitting in there, hoping he had at least gotten her to talk. Rain just shook her head, "I tried. She just turned away from me."

"Fuck," Sodo cursed, "I mean, I get why she's like this, it's killing me too, but she actually went through the loss. I can't imagine what she's thinking right now."

"She technically lost 3 kits in rapid succession too. I guess depression would be normal. I just wish she'd talk to us," Cirrus said. Cumulus sighed and said, "Would you if you were in her position? I mean, none of us have gone through what she's going through. Some of us never will. She's lonely."

"Sodo lost his kit's too, though. He's out here," Swiss said. Sodo shook his head, "I wasn't the one carrying them. It's different."

"If you just let me talk to her-" Swiss tried, just for Sodo to cut him off, "We already tried that and I think you somehow made it worse. You're not going back in there."

"You can't stop me," Swiss told him getting up. Sodo glared at him, his eyes going red, making Swiss sit back down, "You know what, I'm okay here."

"That's what I fuckin' thought, "Sodo mumbled. Aether sighed, glancing at his phone, something Sodo didn't miss, "What you have somewhere more important to be?"

Aether froze for a moment, debating on if he should tell them. He just shook his head, "No, sorry."

"Aether hasn't tried to talk with her yet," Sunshine said, "Maybe he'll have better luck?"

"If he can get her to eat something, I'd be forever thankful. I can't keep forcing food down her throat," Sodo said. Ember hadn't eaten for almost 24 hours now since Sodo had fed her last. Aether signed and said, "I can try. It's worth a shot, right?"

"I'm close to just sending Copia in there to annoy her out of her depression," Sodo said. He knew she was upset about losing the kits, and that she was blaming herself. He knew because he was feeling the same way. He was blaming himself for not being more careful. For letting her eat food that Sister Imperator had arranged. He was blaming himself for not being able to do anything to help her when she was dying. He was blaming himself because he was useless the entire time. All he was able to do was get angry at everything. It never helped anything, but it's how he was coping with the loss of his kits. Embers coping was laying in bed. He couldn't blame her for losing the kits. He would never stoop that low. Deep down he knew that it was neither of their faults, that it was Sisters. He just couldn't bring himself to believe it yet.

Aether got up and said, "I'll see what I can do to help her out."

Sodo simply nodded, looking at the ground. He hated feeling so useless. He hated that he couldn't do anything to help his own mate.

Aether walked down the hallway to Ember's room. He knocked on the door lightly before slowly walking in, "Ember?"

Her room was still as clean as it was before, showing that she really hadn't left her bed at all. All he saw in the dark room was the cocoon of blankets in the center of the bed. He sighed and closed the door behind him, walking over to the bed, "Ember, you need to eat something."

She shook her head in response. Aether sat on the bed and told her, "I know you're upset, you have every right to be. But you need to at least have something to eat. You're worrying Sodo, you're worrying all of us."