cuddle therapy | ✓

04 | hold

ELLIOT
===

as elliot finished up in the bathroom, he couldn't help but look at himself in the mirror.

he frowned at his reflection.

fat. he was simply too fat.

elliot trailed back to the empty toilet bowl, bending over slightly to grasp his stomach.

fat. ugly. worthless.

kneeling on the tile floor, he put two of his fingers together and stuck them inside of his mouth, gagging into the toilet bowl.

keep going, you don't deserve to eat.

you need to lose weight, fatso.

you're finally getting what you deserve.

tears sprung to his eyes, as he fell back against the wall in utter pain.

you're getting what you deserve.

elliot let out a groan.

you deserve this...

he shakily stood up from the ground, flushing the toilet and cleaning himself up using the sink and a bottle of mouthwash. this time, elliot didn't look at himself in the mirror, and fortunately the voices in his head left him alone.

drying his hands, he ran one through his hair. elliot sucked in a breath, put on a smile, and opened the door.

immediately, he found himself clutching onto a sobbing arden.

"everything's okay, love. i'm okay." he hushed, wrapping his arms tightly around her small frame.

arden let out a shakey breath, moving her face back to look at him.

"i-i know, but i didn't know what was wrong and i scared that you were hurt and-"

elliot lightly kissed her, silencing her rambling. arden froze, but immediately responded by kissing back.

both were careful with each other, knowing that they were both at a fragile state of mind. elliot gingerly held the back of her head with one arm while another was wrapped around arden's waist. arden had loosely wrapped her arms around his neck while she stood on her tippy toes to reach his mouth.

finally, the pair stopped kissing to catch their breaths, both of them looking at each other lovingly and with care.

"wow, that was..."

"different?" elliot finished, smiling at her.

"yes, but in a good way." arden managed to say, smiling back at him.

elliot laughed, quietly.

"maybe this will work after all."

"you mean us?"

he nodded, placing a hand gently on the side of her face.

"i'd like that that very much."