You are my Sunshine [Laslow x Depressed!Reader]

Oneshot

Remember when you were little and every school year you'd get the question, "Who's your hero?" The answer was normally a family member, wasn't it? It was in my case, all the time. My mother was intelligent, talented, warm, and caring. Well, most of the time. She wasn't someone you wanted to piss off; even father would get scared whenever she was furious. But if someone tried to hurt one of us, she'd viciously attack them just to protect us. She was strong and I admired that.

I was 13 when it happened, just a month away from my 14th birthday, when she left us. Right in front of me, I watched as her final breath left her lips. It was peaceful in her sleep at least, not painful, that I'm thankful for, but the following years taught me she was the glue that held our family together.

Father told me and my sisters he would never remarry. He and I used to do so much together, doing our best to be there for each other. But slowly my life got darker when he would snap at me everyday, telling me I'm a disappointment and I'll get nowhere in life. Soon I rarely went out of the house while he left me alone, and then not too much later I rarely left my room as he did what he said he wouldn't; marry another woman. I thought it would be nice at first, maybe he wouldn't yell at me anymore, but it only got worse as I was scolded by both father and this lady who I refuse to call mother. My sisters told me to stand up for myself, seeing how when they tried stepping in, they'd only get snapped at as well.

My solution was to get as far away as possible. That's how I found myself to Nohr, where a dark and emotionally broken person like myself could blend in. Which may or may not have been one of the worst ideas ever.

"Hello milady, would you care for tea, just the two of us?"

"I'd rather not."

I went out shopping for supplies and other things when a man had walked up to me. He wore armor and had a sword strapped to his side. He had dark eyes and gray hair swept to side and a gentle smile on his lips.

"A lovely lady as yourself shouldn't be alone, c'mon, I'll pay," he said.

"I said no, now if you'll excuse me," I replied a little harsher, walking away.

"But⎼"

"Let it go. Laslow, it's not like it's the first time a girl rejected you!" I heard him and another male call after him. I turned around to see if he was following, and he wasn't, but his expression was genuinely upset, or worried.

I was hoping that would be the last time I saw him, but fate thought to bring us together once more.

So many things reminded me of my mother, it was hard to escape the sorrow of losing her. Being alone, I had no one to talk to, and the only way I could calm myself was through pain. Scars covered my arms and legs, all in line with each other.

It happened when I was walking through town square, and I heard a mother singing to her baby, trying to calm the loud wailing from the small bundle.

"You are my sunshine...my only sunshine...you make me happy, when skies are gray..."

I ran off, running back to my home on the other side of town, trying to hide my tears and block off those memories, but I couldn't. I remembered her warm embrace and how gently she would rub my back whenever I'd cry, and she'd sing to me.

"You never know dear, how much I love you...Please don't take my sunshine away..."

I tripped, not bothering to get back up and just cried. How ironic it is that a song that used to bring me so much joy now only brings me pain.

"Are you alright?" A familiar voice asked. I looked up to see the same man who I rejected weeks ago.

"I-I'm fine," I lied, trying to choke back the tears and the stinging in my heart.

"Are you really? Come on, give me your hand," the gray haired man said, holding his hand out for me. "No one should leave a beautiful maiden like yourself to cry alone." I took his hand without thinking, and he helped me up off the ground. "Now, what's wrong?"

"I don't even know you, why do you care," I said quietly, still trying not to cry.

"It pains me to see people crying, and I want to help," he started. "I'm Laslow."

"That's a load of shit; you just want to fuck me and leave, isn't that right?" I snapped.

"Not true in the slightest, I only care about others happiness."

"Then why are you bothering me? Why me?"

"The look in your eyes." I looked up at him, wondering what he meant. "I know that look, I see myself in them actually."
"What are you talking about...?" I asked, wiping a tear away with my arm.

"I had the same look in my eyes when I lost my parents," Laslow started. "I thought I'd never be able to smile again but then I thought, why should I continue this way? Why not smile and make others happy? Because any day could be your last."

I just started at him, dumbfounded. "I wish it was that easy..."

He chuckled lightly. "It wasn't, but after this long I was able to. And I'm sure they're proud of me too." He looked up to the dark sky and sighed contently. "Ah, such a deep conversation and I haven't even gotten your name!"

"Oh, sorry, I'm ____."

"What a beautiful name," Laslow smiled.

"Thanks..." I blushed slightly.

"Now if I'm gonna help you find happiness, I'm gonna need to see your smile," He said, sharing his once again.

"I don't really know if I can..."

"Nonsense! Anyone can!

Come on, smile for me..."

//A.N.: I wrote this with a bandage on my finger and a headache ahah woah don't point out errors if there are any./ /