#written works

Star, who had a thought and needed to talk to someone about it, slipped back into the TMAverse. Immediately, without greeting anyone at the Institute, she headed to the Lonely.

In the desolate landscape, the girl walked and walked through the fog. She began marching towards the lighthouse, despite how the fog makes the place seem impossible to navigate. She's been here so many times, to the point that she practically knows this domain like the back of her hand.

As she walked, the lighthouse came into view. Eventually, she saw Peter there.

"Cap'n Findus!"

"Star. I told you not to call me that."

[timeskip to when they're in the lighthouse, in a kitchen of sorts because yes that definitely exists; I can't really write an intro interaction and I don't want to suddenly get hit by writers block bc I NEED to get this down]

Star sat at the table while Peter made himself some tea. He briefly turned towards her to ask,

"Care for some tea?"

Then he remembered that she, in fact, doesn't drink tea, or barely anything for that matter. That was proven by her shaking her head.

"Can I just have some water instead? Please?"

"'Course."

A few minutes later of the kettle brewing and him waiting by the counter, the girl suddenly spoke up.

"I've been thinking," she began, "about how much of a dysfunctional family I have."

Now that made him pause.

"And what, exactly, do you mean by that?"

"Well, we've got a father who's barely around busy with work—he's always got his hands full working on something, lawyer-related or not—and a mother who stays at home and yet somehow her children barely talk to her. A daughter—not me, but my sister—who is almost always out of the house, with her friends, oftentimes coming home late. And then we have me."

She said 'me' with a little bit of...resentment? Disappointment? Disgust, maybe?

The captain got his cup of tea and water for Star and sat down at the table across from her. He handed the glass to Star, and she quietly said thank you. He was lookin' all serious, clearly listening intently and waiting for her to continue.

"And it's funny. I've always tried to deny it, but the improper dynamic is so clearly there. I say I'll make an effort to get closer with my family, to talk to my mother about my issues more, but I just haven't. So many years have passed, and I don't know what to make of it." She paused to take a sip of water. "And today? Oh, I was crying in a parking lot. My mom had gone into the store to get some stuff, and came back to her daughter crying. I passed it off as simply crying because of a few sad—although relatable—songs, but gods was that a half-truth. I wish I could tell her I've been grieving my grandparents, despite my grandma passing a whole seven years ago. The wound from losing my grandpa is still fresh, 'cause it's only been a year, but I can't— I can't fathom it. How am I supposed to tell her about this, and that I've been having dreams—nightmares—where either her or my dad die? I can't possibly tell her about that. Ever. I need to avoid it, not tell her that I'm already grieving someone alive. That's a bad omen. It's very, very bad."

As she spoke, she sounded like she was spiralling. Tears in her eyes, her elbows on the table and head being held in her hands; the whole package deal. She looked like the world was crashing down on her. He watched as this happened, and soon thought enough is enough.

He stood up and walked around the table to stand behind her, putting a firm hand on her shoulder. He focused for a moment, and soon fog appeared, surrounding her. This time, it did the exact opposite of amplify her emotions—it dulled them, just enough to make her feel less stressed out. He grabbed the cup with the other hand, putting it to her lips.

"Here. Drink some water."

So she did. She held the cup in her hands and took a sip, breathing heavily. She put the cup down and leaned back into the chair, trying to steady her breathing. She wiped her tears as she felt Peter wrap his arms around her from behind (completely ignoring the back of the chair btw), and resting his chin on the top of her head. She closed her eyes, breathing in then out, and leaned further into the chair and also his embrace.

After a few minutes, Star's sobs died down. She wiped her tears and let go of the hug. The emptiness was almost gone, but part of it remained; despite that, it felt good to finally get her emotions out. It had been cathartic, almost.

"You're feeling better I see," Elias observed.

Star nodded.

"Yeah, for the most part. Thank you."

"There's no need to thank me, Star. I know you've been struggling and I'm glad I can help you in some way, at the very least."

She wasn't sure how to respond to that.

"I. I am too? I guess?" Wow. What an amazing reply— SHUT UP, WILL YOU? "Anyway. I think...I should go. Thanks again."

Elias hummed, and let her leave. He watched as she turned, headed to the door, and stepped out. The door to his office was closed once again. He sat down to gather his thoughts for a moment.

Meanwhile, the girl walked a few paces away from the office, and lingered in the hallway. She paused, suddenly thinking of—or perhaps remembering—a way to get rid of or make peace with the loneliness and emptiness inside her.

"Let's see if I can still do this..."

She closed her eyes and inhaled. Clenching her fists, she pictured the seaside landscape of the Lonely. Then she felt fog enveloping her. She opened her eyes, just to see a place full of fog; she was by the sea, near the docks and the lighthouse. The Tundra nowhere in sight, not just yet.

"Huh." She breathed out, seeing the condensation in front of her. "Despite the time that's passed, I still got it. Didn't think I had it in me."

She walked over to one of the docks, sitting down at the edge of it. She watched the waves, listened to the melody of the ocean, and felt the fog around her. It didn't have quite the same effect for her; instead of making her forget, it very well amplified her emotions just slightly. Made them clearer, a little easier to work with.

She closed her eyes and suddenly got hit with one too many flashbacks of several things; doubts regarding her friendships, people she used to know, family that was no longer with her... Then the dam broke, the waterworks began. Again. Of course they did. She moved her legs up, hugged them to her chest, and curled in on herself, crying. She moved back a bit, closer to the shore and not too close to the sea. A little later and she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Star," she heard a voice speak. "Don't let the memories overtake you. Stay in the present."

It was none other than Peter Lukas. The fog parted around them, and the memories became fuzzier, not as easy to remember. She stopped crying almost instantly. He knelt beside her, proceeding to sit on the dock. He let her lean on him, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Now, what brings you here? I haven't seen you in quite a while..."

"Here specifically, or this universe in general?"

"The former."

"I wanted to get this feeling of emptiness away, cry it out. But I...admittedly was not expecting something that strong."

"I see. The Lonely will do that to you sometimes. Do keep that in mind for next time."

"I will," she replied, her voice seeming distant.

Peter snapped his fingers in front of her face.

"Hey. Snap out of it."

She blinked a few times.

"...Thanks...?"

He nodded.

"Now. Would you like to leave, or would you prefer staying a little longer?"

"Second option."

"Then I'm staying with you." His reply was swift. He wasn't going to risk Star breaking down again.

"Fair enough. I won't say no to that."

"How surprising."

Star leaned into him, and the Avatar turned to face her, wrapping his arms around her. So much so that she was practically sitting on his lap. She didn't mind it, not at all; this was very much the kind of comfort she needed. More closeness. In turn, she wrapped her arms and legs around him, completely sinking into his embrace. She closed her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder. Her body relaxed significantly, and Peter felt that as he ran his hand up and down her back.

Is she going to fall asleep? he wondered. It wouldn't be the first time, and definitely not the last. His suspicions were correct, as the child in his arms went absolutely limp. Thought so.

He picked her up, and stood up, carefully balancing so he doesn't fall off of the dock they were standing on.

The fog enveloped them once more, this time to transport them elsewhere. Simply so he doesn't have to walk all the way to and up the lighthouse. The fog receded, revealing that he was now standing in his bedroom in the lighthouse. He walked over to the bed, and laid Star down in it. He tucked her in, and sat down in a chair by it. He waited for her to wake up, watching over her.