Comfort Tales

A Short Conversation ~ Eric Comfort Story

(( Author's Note:  This one's short. It's a comfort story, the warnings apply.

Warning: sensitive topics...
Anxiety, and problems with parents. ))

"It's just the most frustrating thing. Feeling like you're getting in your own way, and having no right way of dealing with it." I groan, rubbing my face with my hands.

Eric Derekson hugs his knees to his chest, squeezing a yellow bandana in his hands. "Yeah uh... I get that. I'm... I'm sorry."

Sighing, I lift my head and stare at him. "Stop being sorry. You have nothing to be sorry about."

"Oh." Eric wrings the bandana, staring at it. "I'm sorry you're upset though."

My eyes also drift down to the bandana, as I watch him squeeze the life of it. "Thanks." I mutter, then shake my head. "How are you, by the way?"

Eric is quiet for a moment, then finally shifts a little, shrugging. "Uh... I'm... I'm good? Yeah, I'm good. My dad... well uh... he... you know."

I shift, watching him carefully. "Has he been nice, or...?"

"Um... yeah. Nice. Sort of. Uh... he... well he said I'm lazy and good for nothing, but... but he means well." Eric mumbles, wringing the yellow fabric tighter.

"It doesn't matter what he means... it's a shitty thing to say. You're not good for nothing." I explain, then lean back, laying my head on the couch and close my eyes. "I haven't been eating properly since my mom was picking at my weight on the train... weeks ago. I like to pretend the things she says doesn't affect me, and I that I just stop eating because of my anxiety... but I had been doing so well before that. It's obviously connected." I slowly open my eyes, watching Eric. "I can't imagine what living with your dad is like. It's not your fault you know... that you struggle. It's hard enough dealing with you in your head... and when you get your parents in there too..."

Eric bites his lip, nodding slowly. "So what... uh... are you going to do?"

"Do?" I sigh.

Eric finally turns to look at me, swallowing hard. "About not eating? You uh, you should eat."

I nod a little. "I know." I sigh deeply, then take a deep breath. "I force myself sometimes, and it's getting easier. It's not like I don't eat, just... not enough." I shift a little, sitting up again. "What about you?"

"Oh... uh... I'm all, uh, all my dad has. I don't think there's anything... I can do. You know?" A shiver runs through Eric and he looks back to his bandana squeezing it tightly.

"Are we making each other better or worse?" I chuckle slightly.

A small smile finally crosses Eric's face and he shrugs. "I don't know."

"It's just nice saying things out loud sometimes, I think." I mumble.

Eric's quick to nod as he looks up at me. "Yeah, it really is."

Clapping my hands, I grin and grab the remote. "Let's watch a movie!" Pulling up Netflix, I toss the remote into his lap. "You pick!"

"Oh... I... I couldn't!" Eric grabs the remote, holding it out to me.

"Come on Eric, it's just picking a movie. There's no way for you to do it wrong." I smile. "I'm good to watch whatever you wanna watch."

Eric looks down at the remote, then glances at the TV before he looks back to me. "Only if you get snacks."

Taking a deep breath, I smile and nod. "Deal." Maybe we were making each other better.

(( Author's Note:  I wrote this because I was frustrated with my anxiety today. These days I can usually work through it, and still live my life, but today, I couldn't... and it really bothered me. I started up a conversation with Eric, expecting to work through it, and instead, it went somewhere else. To one of those things that bother me, but I've pushed so deep down inside, I barely remember it's there. That happens sometimes.

Also, no worries. I AM eating... just... not always enough, and definitely not good food. I fall back on comfort food a lot when I'm forcing myself to eat. It's getting easier though, I'm working on it. ))