First of all, thank you, @hannabearOwO , your comments, especially the last one, really made my day. This one is for you.
This has major spoilers for Supernova, so please please please don't read this if you haven't read the last book yet. You can always come back and read this after you finish.
This is Nodrian, because I feel like my latest chapters are either Osby or have no romance at all.
Disclaimer: Mentions of PTSD, mental illness, and trauma and other sad stuff. If this stuff triggers you, please don't read.
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"Adrian, I told you, leave the fish at home." Nova said. She was standing at Adrian's door, ready to go to a movie they both wanted to see at the movie theater.
"But she needs a babysitter." Adrian argued.
"Then let Max watch him." Nova suggested.
"I don't trust Max," Adrian replied.
"Adrian, we can't go into a movie with a goldfish in a fishbowl." Nova stated.
"There's no rule against it."
"Because it's an unspoken rule." Nova said, trying really hard not to roll her eyes.
"Well, unless they specifically tell me no, she's coming with." Adrian insisted.
"Fine! We better get going now, since we're inevitably going to have to come all the way back here to put your fish back."
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As Nova bought the tickets, the ticket person looked at Adrian.
"Sir, I don't think pets are allowed."
"This sign says no dogs," Adrian said. "Georgia is a fish."
"But..." The ticket guy started, but quickly realized that he didn't really have an argument.
Nova was beyond embarrassed.
"Come on, Adrian," She said, taking his wrist.
"Nova, I know you wants this to be a date, but I don't think it would be a good idea for us to sit net to each other. Georgia should sit in the middle." Adrian said.
"Adrian, she's a fish. Can't you just keep her in your lap?" Nova asked.
"No! She deserves a seat." Adrian insisted.
"I only bought two tickets." Nova argued.
"Nova! I told you to buy three. Hold Georgia while I go buy another ticket." Adrian said.
"What am I doing?" She asked Georgia. "I'm holding a fishbowl in the middle of a movie theater lobby. Why?"
She sighed.
"Because I love that idiot."
"Nova? Why do you have a fish? Isn't that Adrian's fish?" Danna asked as she, Ruby, and Oscar walked into the lobby.
"Adrian didn't trust Max to babysit?" Ruby asked. Nova nodded.
"What are you doing here?" Nova inquired.
"We weren't seeing the latest Twilight remake or anything," Ruby lied.
Adrian spotted Nova and approached the group.
"One ticket for Twilight." Adrian said.
"I didn't get tickets for Twilight." Nova stated.
"What?" Adrian asked. "I thought we decided on Twilight." Adrian said.
"No, Adrian, I told you that I'd rather let that assassin, who killed my family, kill me," Nova replied.
"Oh, wow, harsh... My dads are big Twilight fans and..."
"Just... Ugh! Just forget it!" Nova exclaimed, handing Adrian his fish and storming out of the movie theater.
"Nova!"
"So, did you guys want to watch My Little Pony next or what?" Oscar asked.
"I'll go buy the tickets," Danna said.
Adrian thrust the fishbowl in Ruby's hands.
"Watch Georgia for me!"
"Or not," Ruby said.
"Eh, the fish can join us," Danna said.
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Adrian looked for Nova.
Unfortunately, he didn't see the direction she went in.
He wasn't sure why she was so bothered.
He knew his attachment to his fish was abnormal, but he named the fish Georgia, after his mother, and ever since then, he had trouble leaving her alone.
He saw Nova sitting on a bench.
"Nova?"
She looked at him, and then looked down.
He sat down next to her.
"Is it the fish?" He asked.
Nova shook her head.
"Your relationship to the fish is strange, but it's not that."
"Then what is it?" Adrian said. "If it's Twilight, I've never actually seen the movie so I'm not a fan or..."
"I feel like we've been out of sync lately," Nova sighed.
Adrian cocked his head to the side.
"Why?"
"I told you I didn't want to see Twilight. Honey loved the book and the old movies. And she made me watch it and I hated it. She would have wanted to see the remakes, too, and she would have made me watch it, and I would hate it but also love it because Honey loved it. In the end, she was crazy, and horrible, but she was still like a mother to me. And I killed her."
"Ok, so maybe I misunderstood you, but that doesn't mean we're out of sync," Adrian said. He put his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged his arm off of her.
"Adrian, it's so much more. I've been acting differently. I've been going through a personal hell. I had three mental breakdowns yesterday because I saw a bee. I can't... I just... You didn't know! You didn't even notice!" Nova cried.
Adrian looked at his hands.
"I have noticed, Nova. You live at my house. How could I not? But I figured that you didn't want to talk about it. You hate having people see you when you're vulnerable. I thought you'd just push me away again." Adrian stated. "I wanted to give you space. Because I want to see you heal. Because I love you."
Nova began to let tears stream down her face. "I still don't sleep, Adrian. I still get nightmares, but instead of seeing my family die, I see myself pulling the trigger. I see Honey sink to the floor. I see Ace falling to his death. And then I feel so guilty because he was bad, they were bad, and I shouldn't feel sorry for him or be sad because he ruined my life. But he raised me. After mama and papa and Evie... he took me. He raised me. He didn't love me. He wanted my powers, but I... I loved him. I loved Honey. I loved Winston. I loved Leroy. And I lost them all."
"You didn't lose Leroy," Adrian said.
"I haven't seen him yet. He might as well be dead."
Adrian was speechless. Nova has been hurting for a long time, and Adrian just let it happen. He had no idea that her wounds were this deep.
"Nova, we'll get you help. You have me. You have my dads. You have Ruby, Danna, Oscar, and Max. We'll all here for you. And you'll get better. Someday. It won't be soon, because you went through a lot. But I promise I will be there every step of the way. And I will give you all the space you need or none at all. Just tell me next time. I need to know that you won't push me away. And that you'll communicate. I'm so sorry, Nova. I never meant to abandon you."
Nova's tears stopped.
"Thank you, Adrian." She said.
He just put his arm around her and tugged her closer, so he held her tight, so she would never feel alone again.
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So I made myself cry.
I have been going through a rough patch, too, and I knew that after Supernova, Nova would have a lot of feelings to sort through. I didn't murder my surrogate mother or watch my uncle die, but I did lose someone in a sense. They didn't die, but I barely talk to them anymore, and I've been feeling the same things Nova is feeling. Guilt, shame, sadness, which is why I didn't update for the longest time. I figured that after the battle, she would feel emotions similar to mine, so that's what I wrote. It's truly an inner conflict for her, and for me, too.
I'm not a psychologist, but I did minor in it, and my minor is finished, so I know some. I know enough to know what mental illnesses look like.
Nova has PTSD in the books, her nightmares and flashbacks are enough evidence for that, and the Second Battle of Gatlon would only exacerbate her mental illness. I felt like it needed to be addressed. Because mental illness is no joke. And if the person doesn't have support, it can ruin their lives. And Nova deserves happiness after all she went through.
So, here you go. A heartbreaking one-shot.
And even though it's sad, it's still romance, so this is a win for me.
If you cried, well, I'm sorry, but that also means it worked.
Hopefully, the next one will be happier.
Until my next update,
Keep reading!