https://ko-fi.com/bluecoba
Just a 90's babey ♡. This is my personal blog dedicated to whatever I happen to be obsessing over at the time. Stuff under "cobasart" tag signed as Tenebrosa96 (old blog). Sideblog: CobaWrites
I’ll be there for you (Yes, like the Friends theme) Chapter 7
Summary:
After being in a coma for two years Vash wakes up, not being able to remember Anything that has happened since he was “a teenager”.
How is he gonna adapt to living in a world so strange and unfamilliar?
By going to therapy for once
Pairings: None
Warnings: Nope
Wordcount: 3.4k
Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6
Truth be told, this morning Vash is super nervous to join everyone for breakfast.
After all, they all know now that he's not human.
But he can't stay away forever and someone is already knocking on his door, so he hastily opens and-
„Brother Vashus, will you be joining us for breakfast on this wonderful Tuesday morning?“
Vash stares at Chelsea.
„W-What....?“
„It's breakfast time. Time for breakfast. Munch munch, crunch crunch.“
Vash lets out a sigh.
Maybe he should give up on trying to understand whatever is going on in that girl's head.
Chelsea is skipping along the hallway back to the kitchen and Vash follows.
„Good morning Vash! You want some coffee?“ Steven greets him before anyone else can say anything.
„Uh.. I don't know if i ever had coffee.“
„Pour him one extra strong and black I wanna see if he can scale walls.“ Melvin mutters under his breath.
„What?“
„What?“
Melvin and Steven stare at each other.
Vash just sits down and grabs some toast.
„I'll just pour you half a cup and you can try it and tell me what you think of it.“
„Drink it up, drink it up, drink it up...“ Melvin continues to mutter.
„Maybe you should shut your mouth for a while until you are properly awake.“ Steven offers and pushes the cup towards Vash who takes it and smells it.
„Put some milk and sugar in it. It's less bitter then.“
Vash does as suggested.
Chelsea stuffs herself with cereals. Anna is nowhere to be seen yet.
Melvin's head suddenly slams on the table. He's snoring loudly.
Everyone immediately stops their movements and stare.
„Uhm....“ Vash looks the most confused „Does this happen often...?“
Chelsea makes an affirmative noise, her cheeks looking like a squirrel's.
„Once in a while. Let's ignore him for now. Did you sleep well?“
Vash takes a sip from his coffee and makes a face.
That's not exactly going to be his favourite taste.
„I think so? I had no nightmares at least. Or any dreams. But I needed a while to fall asleep.“
Steven nods.
„That's to be expected. A lot of stuff happened yesterday, you're in a new environment and then we bombarded you with questions as well. I'm just glad you're here because now its not me anymore who's the oldest.“
„I don't feel like 153 to be honest with you.“
„You don't look a day over 152 anyway.“
Morning assembly was pretty uneventful. Joe was absent again and by now Vash wonders if he will actually ever see that guy.
They talked about what each group will have for lunch, what today's therapy groups will be and sang Happy Birthday for a girl in all black named Lucy. She glared at everyone as if she wanted to explode them with her mind.
Then Vash headed to the living-room and went through the bookshelves there. He found a thriller-ish novel called „20 iles from May City“ and just tried that one out.
By the time he had to head for therapy he was already at page 35.
Now that Vash has gotten used to his new surroundings and everything he has more free space in his mind to actually realise how small Mrs Fischer's office is. And its so Full of stuff. Tons of paintings on the walls that all look very... abstract. Mostly Vash can't even tell what they are supposed to be. The colours clash. Nothing is making sense.
Then his attention is caught by a big tube filled with water and bubbles in the corner. In it are fake fish „swimming“ around. There is also a light changing colours constantly in the back to illuminate the tube.
The fake fish get caught in the bubbles, rise to the top and then sink back down slowly only to be caught by the bubbles again.
It is mesmerizing and it takes all of Vash's willpower to redirect his attention back to Mrs. Fischer.
Who is looking at him expectantly.
„Okay, seems like you got distracted. So let me ask again. Did you like the movie you watched yesterday?“
„Uuuhh...“
There is a hint of amusement on his therapist's face.
„Uhm.. I guess it was okay? I don't have any experience with movies. But what bothers me is that it seems like everyone else knows more about me than I do.“
Mrs. Fischer leans slightly forward on her elbows.
„What do you mean?“
„They said I look like Vash the Stampede. I assume that is... me? I don't know anything about that guy. Sounds like a complete stranger to me. Why would I destroy a whole city?“
Mrs. Fischer hums and taps on her chin.
While she is thinking about her next words Vash's attention slowly drifts back to the fish tube. He kinda wants one for himself. But then he would never do anything else besides sitting in front of it and staring at it. There is something deeply relaxing about it.
„Well, there are theories about that. But we won't know for certain unless you manage to remember it and share it with us. We do know that it's currently being rebuild, around the crater that is left. How do you feel about learning all this?“
Vash forces himself to pay attention to his therapist, not the fish tube.
„I guess... I don't know? How am i supposed to feel? Maybe shocked? Guilty?“
He stares at his feet.
„I don't feel anything right now. Is that bad? I can't remember a thing.“
The therapy session was inconclusive for the most part.
Vash was reassured that not knowing what to think and feel about a past he cannot remember is normal. He basically just woke up from a coma as well. Memories will come in time.
He was also given a small bottle partly filled with water and glitter and tiny colourful stones and a tiny sailing ship, that he has to hold sideways and then slowly sway from side to side.
Which was utterly fascinating to Vash so until he was called for lunch he sat on his bed staring at it.
After lunch, spinach with steak and tater tots, Melvin asks Vash if he wants to play soccer with him but Vash declines.
"I have depression now."
"We all do." Melvin says with a really dry voice.
"Fool. He has depression Group now." Steven says with a slight sneer. "I am headed there as well. You can just follow me."
"What do we even do in Depression Group? Are we just.. sad?" Vash asks. He has no idea what to imagine. He was told to bring a notebook and something to write with and that's it.
"I actually don't know myself. This is a new group and I was in behavioural therapy before this but that is over now."
Depression & Anxiety Group is on the third floor right under the attic, in the same room where everyone organises their meds for their pill boxes. Vash hasn't done that yet though since staff still has to figure out Exactly what meds he needs.
Behaviour therapy is in the same room, but as Steven said, that group is over for now.
The room also has a glass wall to the floor, like the Assembly room directly opposite. It also quite unfortunately has lots of large windows so the sun is streaming into the room right now. When Vash enters he feels like he's in a sauna.
He sits down next to Steven and immediately recognises the girl from today morning who still looks like she wants to explode people with her mind. There are also five other people in the room already, including the therapist. Who is shuffling through his papers as of now.
"So uhm.. Is... is everyone here? Where is my attendance list?"
Two more people enter the room and sit down. Not everyone has brought a notebook. Maybe they forgot. Or weren't told.
"Okay that should be all. Or is anyone missing?"
"Joe can't come, he is feeling really sick." some guy says.
At this point Vash is starting to accept that this Joe must be some kind of cryptid. Maybe nobody has ever seen him.
"That is very unfortunate..."
The therapist does not sound convincing at all.
More paper shuffling.
"Okay then. We should be 9 in total but Joe is sick so that makes 8 and there's 8 of us in here, yes very good. Good afternoon, welcome to depression and anxiety... group. I am Mr. Kowalski and I am just filling in for Mrs. Fischer. She had to urgently see an external patient of ours. This is a new group so we will figure things out as we go. Or You will. I won't. I won't be here next time. I normally lead the pain group and also the addiction group."
Some girl starts giggling.
"Haha yes very funny, that is how the groups are called, I did not come up with this. You are laughing you are obviously not depressed, get out."
More giggling.
"At least someone finds this amusing." Mr. Kowalski seems like he really doesn't wanna be here.
"Do you know why you are here?"
"Uh.. because we are depressed and don't want to be anymore..?"
Looks like the blue-haired guy from last evening is also here.
"Wrong! You are here because you want to go on a long and hard journey to the inner workings of your mind and fix the broken clockwork."
Silence.
This guy is definitely just as bonkers as anyone else here.
Mr. Kowalksi clears his throat.
"My humor is clearly misplaced here. Let's do some actual therapy then. I have a worksheet for you. Take one and pass it along, please."
It's about symptoms of depression. But oneself's symptoms. How is Vash supposed to know that yet? He doesn't even really feel depressed, maybe.
"Depression can take many faces." Mr. Kowalksi explains.
"Some people sleep all day, some people cannot sleep at all. Some lose all interest in their hobbies. Some don't feel anything, they just get unexplained pains and aches or an upset stomach. Or even funkier physical symptoms. Some want to end their lifes... Depression can disguise itself as other illnesses as well. I had a patient who told me she had no idea she was depressed. Went to her doctor and was treated for stomach ulcers. Took three years until someone figured out what was actually going on. It is really important that you all know what your very own personal brand of depression is, before you can do anything about it. You don't have to fill this out immediately. Do it in your own time and bring it back with you to the next session. For now, let's brainstorm a few symptoms of depression that you are familiar with and put it on the white board here."
Vash's head is swimming. That was way too much stuff for him to take in and the group seemed to drag on and on. He definitely has issues with focussing. Originally he was planning on doing research on what depression and anxiety actually Are but given how full his head is right now he shouldn't do anything that uses his brain at all.
Let's focus on something easier instead. What is going on around him?
This time, not much. His group might be over but there is still therapy stuff going on for the others. Group 2 also went out a bit earlier. They went bowling. Which is another thing that Vash doesn't know.
Steven is quiet. Melvin also seems very quiet. There is muffled talking in the hallway but it isn't anyone Vash can immediately recognise.
The next thing on his schedule is Relaxation. Yeah, that is literally what it is called.
Vash doesn't know what to expect from it. Will they just talk about relaxing things or will they actually... relax? How do you just do that on command?
He once overheard some people at the hospital talk about something called Yoga. Maybe they will do this Yoga thing in Relaxation?
They did not do The Yoga Thing at Relaxation Group, which is the full name of the group.
Instead the therapist, who is funnily also one of the physical therapists but not Diego, had laid out foam mats on the floor and instructed everyone to lie down in a way that is comfortable for everyone.
It was a small group there were only seven people, Vash included, and the group was being held in the room with the glass wall where morning assembly is done.
Relaxing soft music was playing in the background.
First Vash was worried that people might look at him funny if he showed up in fuzzy slippers and sweatpants but looked like everyone was wearing similar stuff.
After everyone had lied down the therapist was giving a small introduction of what she wanted to do today, which was reading them something they have to imagine while doing their best to relax.
Five minutes into the story which was about flying in a balloon over sand dyed in a myriad of colours, Vash heard the first person starting to snore.
Several people seemed to have fallen asleep and had to be woken back up after the session was over.
Vash himself was feeling a bit groggy too.
This seemed to be a common theme lately. He doesn't remember that he got this tired as fast when he was younger. Is that what people mean when they say they are „getting old“?.
In reality he was simply still overwhelmed by everything being new and novel to him. His brain had a whole lot of catching up to do, after all.
After all therapies for the day are over Vash is now lying on his bed with his book and looks for a radio station to listen to while he is reading. He figured since they found his radio and it is still functional he should also actually use it.
Seems like it was tuned to rather military-sounding stations previously but Vash managed to get „normal“ stations in now. Probably at some point in life these served a purpose to him but not now. But he can't imagine that he used to be a military man at all. What's there even to fight? Worms?
Hopefully not other people. A war is the last things anyone needs on this planet.
Maybe... Knives?
Before dread and a Very Bad Feeling can fester in Vash the radio is blaring in his ears.
„TURN YOUR PHONE INTO A STYLISH COFFEE MACHINE WITH THIS APP!!!!“
Nope.
„..And this is why the planet is actually an elongated trapezoid.“
Nope.
„The cure all for everything. Excessive sweating, stomach aches, flus and other infections, buckteeth, obesity, internal bleeding, death and balding be gone!“
Nope.
„DANN GEH DOCH ZU NETTO!!!!!“
Uhm... Vash would rather not.
„Amazing! What has hanging upside down from a cliff for two decades taught you?“
That.. that's very painful...?
„(Speaks in ancient greek)“
Huh...?
The sound of the worst „music“ Vash has ever heard in his entire life fills the room. This song-like something has more bpm than there are stars in the entire universe and the sawtooth synths could cut down a whole forest in two seconds.
Nope, dear god, nope!
„And now... types of numbers... Natural numbers: The counting numbers {1, 2, 3, ...} are commonly called natural numbers; however, other definitions include 0, so that the non-negative integers {0, 1, 2, 3, ...} are also called natural numbers. Natural numbers including 0 are also sometimes called whole numbers.
Integers: Positive and negative counting numbers, as well as zero: {..., −3, −2, −1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ...}. Rational numbers: Numbers that can be expressed as a ratio of an integer to-“
Nope.
„Calibur FM! The only alternative radio on the planet that Matters. Welcome to Earth Hour where we only play bands that originate from planet Earth. For you we dug though mountains of old records and found the best ones that are still working.“
Something compells Vash to stop here. Maybe he is curious about Earth Music or maybe he knows this station from Before.
„Let's start the second half of the show with Let It Happen by Jimmy Eat World. Shame that this band is over 400 years old. I doubt they will release any new albums any time soon!“
Only two seconds in and the hairs on Vash's arm are standing straight up.
He knows that song.
He knows that song.
He knows that song.
Before he realises it he finds himself singing along as if he has heard this song dozens of times.
He probably Has.
How?
Vash immediately gets his tablet out and looks the band up. He finds a couple of videos that are mostly all in garbage audio quality, which is to be expected cuz this is Old. Hundreds of years old. But they all paint a very clear picture.
He knows those songs. He finds himself humming along to most of them. Even a few suggested songs sound extremely familar to him.
Someone is banging on his door.
„Oh my god was that Jimmy Eat World? I love them! My favourite band says they were their inspiration!“
It's Chelsea. Her banging is very insistent.
So Vash sighs and gets up from his bed to open the door.
Chelsea almost falls over herself and stumbles into his room.
„Wow theres absolutely nothing in here!“ she exclaims in genuine shock.
„Uhm.. I mean.. I just moved here.“
Vash rubs his neck. Is that really that weird?
„Okay yeah but when I came here I brought my posters and my Pinky Dolls rug and my laptop and my books and my plushies and my magazines and my lifesize sized cardboard cutout of Johnny Death which I made myself.“
„Who.. who's Johnny Death? Anyway, I don't have any of these things. Coma, remember?“
Chelsea lets out a gasp.
„Ohmygodicantbelieveyoudontknowwhojohnnydeathis! He's the frontman of Bloody Samurai, one of my favourite bands! He's soooooooooooo cute and dreamy! I have loved him ever since I saw the music video for As Blood Rained From The Sky and he was looking into the camera all drenched in fake blood and looking so soft. Once at a concert he looked at me!“
Before Vash can say anything Chelsea has taken out her phone and is scrolling through various pictures.
„Look! Look, that's him!“
Vash is staring at a guy with black straight hair down to his shoulders and so much black makeup he looks like a panda. He's making a face like someone disturbed him from a super comfy nap.
„Isn't he cute?“
He looks like he kicks puppies as a hobby, but Vash knows he can't say that.
The next picture is of the same guy, shirtless this time, drenched in fake blood and clinging to himself while looking dramatically at the camera. He also has a buttload of tattoos, most of them black. The panda makeup is not present so he looks like a human person actually.
„He's so hot, isn't he?“
Chelsea is swooning.
He's as hot as a featherless chicken shortly before it gets cooked, but Vash knows he Also can't say that.
He opts for the diplomatic answer.
„That is a lot of pictures you have of him. You obviously love him very much.“
Chelsea nods so fast that Vash is worried she might dislocate her neck or something.
Then she suddenly stops and looks at her phone in shock.
„Oh would you look at the time! I would love to stay longer but I'm meeting with the girlies. We wanna hang out at West Dunes Park and harass some old people.“
She giggles.
„Just joking! We just hang out at the playground and listen to music. Anyway, you really need some decorations in here though. Something that reflects your personality. We had a guy here whose room was totally empty even after half a year and that was so creepy. Hopefully you're not as creepy. Like, that guy had no personality I swear. Well, I gotta go know. See you later!“
And there she goes, leaving Vash even more confused than before.
Now in the night / how I long for you / me, foolish pride / and my forlorn truth
-
Aka my entire jaw fucking aches so bad it’s giving me a headache so im done drawing for the night we go w doodles instead. if braces don’t have my back I know ‘ink and paper - cold weather company’ has got me can I get a +yeagh