Bewitched By You

Chapter Eight

Dekisugi felt a pang in his heart. He understood where Nobita was coming from, the pain, the frustration. But he also knew that Nobita was directing so much anger, so much blame inward.

He let out a slow exhale, fighting to keep his voice even. "Nobita-kun... you can't blame yourself for wanting something. For feeling hurt when it doesn't work out. That's just... that's just part of being human."

“Why am I so hard to love?”

Dekisugi felt a pang in his heart at Nobita's words. The pain, the vulnerability in his voice was clear. But he also felt a flare of anger, at how Nobita had internalized this idea that he was somehow 'difficult to love'. 

"No," he said firmly. "You're not 'hard to love'. That's not... that's not true. And whoever made you think that... they're wrong. Dead wrong."

Nobita let out a bitter scoff. "Then why am I always the one getting rejected? Why does everyone seem to find it so easy to toss me aside like garbage?" 

The pain was clear in his voice, the deep-seated belief that he was somehow unworthy of love, of affection.

Dekisugi felt his heart ache at Nobita's words. He could hear the pain, the hurt, the hopelessness. And he couldn't stand it, couldn't stand seeing his friend this broken, this defeated.  

"That's not..." he began, but the words died on his tongue. How could he explain it, how could he convince Nobita that he was worthy of love, of happiness, when even he didn't seem to believe it?

Dekisugi took a deep breath. "You're not garbage, Nobita-kun," he said firmly. "You're not trash to be thrown aside. You're... you're complex. You're loud and messy and sometimes a pain in the ass, but that doesn't mean you don't deserve love."  He paused, his voice lowering. "And Shizuka... she is an idiot. She doesn't know what she is missing."

Nobita let out a bitter laugh, the sound sharp and filled with pain. "She's not the only one. How many girls have turned me down? How many boys have teased me, mocked me, called me names?" 

He paused, his eyes stinging with tears he refused to shed. "Maybe... maybe I am the problem. Maybe I am just...
unlovable."

Dekisugi felt a pang in his heart. He had enough of this, enough of Nobita tearing himself apart with these self-deprecating words. Enough of him believing he was unloved, unworthy of affection and care. He grabbed Nobita by the shoulders, shaking him gently. "Stop it," he said firmly. "Just... stop it. You're not unlovable. You're not the problem."

Nobita struggled against Dekisugi's grasp, trying to tear away from him, from his words. But Dekisugi held on firmly, refusing to let him escape, to let him continue to tear himself apart. 

"Let me go!" Nobita shouted, his voice ragged and desperate. "Let me go! You don't get it, you don't understand!"

Dekisugi's grip tightened, holding onto Nobita even as he struggled to break free. Dekisugi was not letting go, not until he got through to him, not until he made him understand. 

"I do understand," he said firmly. "I understand more than you think. But the one thing I don't understand is why you've given up on yourself, why you think you're undeserving of love."

"Because no one has ever loved me!" Nobita shouted, tears streaming down his face. "No one has ever chosen me, not truly. All I've ever been is the backup, the last resort. I'm the one they settle for when no one else is available."

Dekisugi's heart ached at Nobita's words. The pain, the hurt in his voice was like a knife carving into his heart. But he wouldn't back down, he wouldn't let this cycle of self-deprecation continue. "That's not true," he said firmly, his grip on Nobita's shoulders not loosening. "You're not a last resort, you're not someone they settled for. You're... you're important. More important than you realize."

Nobita let out a bitter laugh, the sound ragged and choked. "Important," he mumbled, the word dripping with sarcasm. "I'm so damn important that I'm always the one getting hurt, always the one left behind. Yeah, I'm really important, alright."

Dekisugi felt his heart clench. He could feel Nobita's pain, the sheer hopelessness of his words. But he wasn't going to just stand there and let him wallow in it, let him believe he was nothing.  "You are important," he said firmly, his voice stern. "And maybe you've been hurt, maybe you've been left behind. But that doesn't make you less important. It just means you've been dealt a crappy hand. But it doesn't define your worth."

Nobita's shoulders slumped, the fight leaving him. "Then... why?" he whispered, his voice ragged with pain. "If I'm so important, why... why does everyone leave?"

Dekisugi's grip on Nobita's shoulders softened, his expression turning empathetic. "I... I don't know," he admitted. "I really don't. But... but it doesn't mean you're unworthy of love. It just means... sometimes people are idiots."

Nobita let out a bitter laugh, the sound choked with emotion. "Yeah, idiots," he mumbled. "That's a nice way to put it." 
He lapsed into silence, his body leaning heavily into Dekisugi's hands, like he was the only thing keeping him standing.

Dekisugi held Nobita steady, his hands firm and reassuring. He could feel the weight of Nobita's body, the exhaustion and the sorrow. 
He knew there were no easy answers, no quick fixes for the pain Nobita was feeling. But he could offer his support, his presence. And that, he hoped, would be enough. "Just... just breathe," he murmured quietly, his voice gentle. "Just breathe."

Nobita took a deep, shuddering breath. It was ragged and shaky, filled with emotion that he was desperately trying to tamp down. But Dekisugi's words, his firm yet gentle grip, was a lifeline in the storm of his emotions. 
He closed his eyes, drawing another breath, letting it out slowly. It was a small step, a tentative start to steadying himself, to pulling himself back together.

Dekisugi continued to hold onto him, his touch a steady, reassuring presence. He could feel Nobita's breath steadying, the ragged edges of his emotions slowly smoothing out. He didn't say anything, he didn't need to. His presence alone was enough, his unwavering presence a reminder that he was there, that he was by Nobita's side no matter what.

Nobita's body slowly relaxed, the tension draining from his muscles. His breathing gradually evened out, the ragged edges of it smoothing out into something more calm and steady. 
For a long moment, he didn't speak, just stood there, soaking in Dekisugi's presence, the comfort and stability it brought. And then, in a voice barely above a whisper, he spoke. "I...I'm tired, Dekisugi-kun.”

Dekisugi squeezed Nobita's shoulders gently, a silent show of support. "I know," he said softly, his voice gentle. "I know you're tired. And you have every right to be."  He paused, his eyes searching Nobita's face. He could see the exhaustion, the weariness in his features. And he knew that this was so much more than just physical tiredness.

Nobita ducked his head, his gaze falling to the ground. "It's not... it's not just physical," he mumbled. "It's... everything. It's this feeling... this feeling that nothing I do is ever enough. That I'll always be... second best, you know?"

Dekisugi felt a pang in his heart at Nobita's words. The pain, the vulnerability was clear in every word, every syllable. He let out a slow exhale, his grip on Nobita's shoulders tightening ever so slightly. "You're not second best, Nobita," he said firmly. "You're just... you're just different. And that's a good thing, you know?"

Nobita let out a bitter laugh, the sound harsh and bitter. "Yeah, right," he muttered. "Different. That's a nice way of saying 'weird', isn't it?"