𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚 [robert downey jr.'s daughter] - discontinued

010 - it's not okay

Trigger warning: talking about self harm and suicide

Dana turned around to lie on her back as the skin on her back began to burn from the sun. She listened to the sound of the waves. It took her back to her vacations in Italy, to the lido di Jesolo.

"Felia?" Robert asked to see if she was awake. The girl sat up a bit to look at him. She looked a little sleepy and confused.

"What?" She followed his glance and she got that he was looking at her thigh. Her eyes widened. "Uhm... wanna go for a walk?" Dana asked while standing up and throwing over her dress.

Her father nodded and stood up. They walked to the shore together, away from the paparazzi. Dana could see that Robert was understandably fighting with what to say. "It's okay."

"What?" The man turned to her, his face showing confusion. "No, it's not okay. You're hurting yourself. That's anything but okay." He exclaimed.

Dana sighed and looked at the horizon.

"Why? I know that's a difficult question but I want to understand it."

Dana looked at her father, then to the ground. She had often thought about why she had started to harm herself and it was difficult to find a reason. "Uhm, I guess I just didn't learn to cope in a healthy way. I think it's stress because of school, because of the struggle I had figuring out my sexuality, uhm, yeah." She looked back at his face.

"Uhm, do your parents know?" By now, he had figured out that Dana was a really private person, that didn't trust many persons with her personal feelings, even family. She hesitated for a few minutes, still walking along the shore.

"No. Only Charlie. I love them, but our family isn't one to talk about feelings, I guess. I mean, I talk with my brother, not about my problems, but about his problems and feelings so he doesn't use those coping mechanisms." "Don't you think you should tell them?"

"Someday I will. When the time is right." "Is it ever?"

Dana chuckled. "Probably not."

Robert hummed. "Let's go back to the others." He took Dana in his arms and gave her a peck on her forehead. "But this conversation isn't over."

The girl nodded. "Thank you."

"Please, stop thanking me. I'm one third of your parents. And I'm late to the party."

"That doesn't mean you need to make up for anything." Dana looked at him. When she saw the reluctant expression on his face, she added, "I am serious. It's not like I had no parents. I have two great parents. I have a mother who is really strong and a great role model and a dad that taught me how to stand up for myself, even if we've had many disagreements. You don't need to make up for anything. You're here now."

"Okay, okay. But since I'm here now, I want you to talk to me about your feelings, Dana." Robert smiled softly while they walked back to the rest of the family.

***

It was ten o'clock when Dana was finally ready for bed, showered and in her PJs. While the teen searched for the TV remote between her pillows, blankets and comforter, she thought about what movie she could watch. She grinned when she had the idea of watching Iron Man 1. Watching Iron Man in Robert Downey Jr's house was definitely new.

Tony Stark just unpacked the proof he has a heart when it knocked on her room door. She paused the film and sat up. "Yes?"

The door opened and Robert stuck his head in. He grinned briefly when he saw what she was watching. "Hey, can we talk now? You don't need to. I just, I just think that I can't sleep without talking to you." He let out a stressed breath.

"Sure." Dana patted on the bed next to her, inviting him to sit with her. "Okay, so I can feel you have a lot of questions. Please ask away." It was obvious to her that it was a difficult topic that needed a lot of answers to understand.

Robert sat down but hesitated. "Are the cuts on your thigh the only scars?"

"No. I have some on my inner upper right arm and on my outer upper left arm, too." She answered soberly while gesturing to the places she was talking about. Robert gulped and rubbed his hand over his face.

"Okay, uhm, I'm sorry." He apologized as he failed at containing his feelings. "Can I hug you?"

Dana smiled sympathetic. It was a difficult topic and she totally understood him. "Yes, please." She said with a lightly breaking voice, wrapping her arms around his torso and burying her face in his shoulder.

Robert laid his head on hers and sighed. He hadn't thought having a teenage daughter was so intense, not in a dramatic but in an emotional way. "Can I ask another question?"

"Throw all your questions at me." Dana said, her voice muffled as she spoke into her father's shoulder.

"When was the last time?" "A week ago."

Robert's arms tightened a bit. "What do you think was the trigger then?" "Performance pressure and stress from my a-levels." Dana had always been the source of her own pressure.

"Have you ever thought about suicide?"

Dana stiffened in Roberts arms. She had always hoped he would not ask that question because she couldn't imagine how it felt as a parent to know that your child wants to die. Robert noticed her hesitation. "Oh god, Dana. I am sorry." He almost started to cry.

"No, stop, don't apologize." Dana hated apologies if they weren't necessary. She looked into his eyes. "You had nothing to do with it, so don't apologize. It's been some time now."

Robert pressed a kiss to her head. "So, since your parents don't know, you don't go to therapy?"

"No. But at the moment I don't want to or see a necessity in it."

"That is your decision. Uhm...do you have anything to hurt yourself with right now?"

"No. I left everything at home because I wasn't sure if they checked my stuff at the airport security. And when I come back, I bet Charlie has disposed of everything. She does whenever she has the chance to."

"Thank god for Charlotte. Can you or I tell Susan?" "Uhm, maybe but first I think I need to tell mom and dad." Dana made a grimace at the thought of telling them.

"Anything else I should know?" Robert raised an eyebrow as he looked at the girl in his arms.

"Nope." Dana popped the 'p'. The lie rolled of her tongue easily.

"Ophelia, in the future please talk to me or someone else." He had a determined look in his eyes while he stood up groaning as his leg has begun to get numb as he sat on the bed. He turned the TV off. "But it is late. So, good night and sweet dreams. Love you lots." He gave her a peck to the forehead.

Dana smiled as she made herself comfortable in her bed. "Buona notte, Mr. Stark." She had noticed his grin when he saw her film choice earlier. "Love you lots times two, Robbie."

Word count: 1211

a/n

it's a pretty long chapter but I didn't want to part it into two.

thank you so much for over 2k reads!! also sorry for the delay but it was my dad's birthday and before that I was on vacation!

kisses x

~snax