A nonhuman deathworlder learning about major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation from a human so used to suffering from those that they treat the loss of their medication as an inconvenience, and apologize to the poor sap they got stranded with while they ask them to keep an eye out for self destructive behaviors.
"So, I've only got a few days worth of my meds, and it'll be at least a couple of weeks before we get rescued. Mind keeping an eye on me so I don't off myself?" -- Anon Guest
Human brains can be sensitive organs prone to disorder. Thraak knew this on an intellectual level. Humans had all sorts of things that could go wrong with their ever-profitable, yet squishy brains. Ze had not known until Human Gar told hir that he had some troubles with his own vulnerable organ.
They were in the middle of jury-rigging a life-boat to get off the planet they had accidentally become stranded on through a series of bad mishaps and accidents. They were both determined to prevent anything further, but Human Gar had re-sorted their inventory and muttered, "Aw, flakk."
There was a problem. Of course. Humans tended to downplay those things for the ease of their companions. Nevertheless, ze had to know what the problem was in order to defeat it. "If it's something I need to worry about, I need to start now. Please."
The magic word worked. "It's just I only have a few days' worth of my meds left. Without 'em the depression starts to win and I start thinking of bringing the end closer, so to speak." This news was immediately followed by a reassuring smile. "I can maybe stretch the supply out to a Standard Week, but... I'm gonna need your help after that. Maybe even during."
"Help in which form?"
"Keep me outta my head until we get back to civilisation. Give me something that needs me. Something that'd fail if I wasn't there, y'know." Gar sighed. "Any reason to keep going. Even if it's small and dumb."
Thraak raised a brow-ridge. "My own existence is not enough?"
"You're big enough and ugly enough to help yourself. Something small, helpless, and alive for preference. Cute helps. I can care for other things before I care for myself when I'm down."
Thraak knew that ze wasn't cute. Human Gar's nickname for hir was 'Fugly', which just showed how close they were as friends. Humans were strange like that. "I shall find you something small and vulnerable and preferably not very deadly."
"You are such a great pal. I'll keep going with the jiggery pokery while you're doing that." That was, after all, Human Gar's job.
The rescue came in the form of a small fluffy creature that, though venomous, was not that venomous for the pair of Deathworlders. It was cute enough for Gar's needs and kept Gar abreast of self-maintenance regimes that might have been difficult for him to motivate himself to do on his own. Having a dependent organism made Gar aware of his own needs when an argument from Thraak or the absence of medication would not help.
Even though it was clearly not a cat, and closer in physiognomy to one of Terra's mythical Dragons than a cat. Nevertheless, Gar named it Kitty more for its general attitude than its appearance. The creature was more a force for chaos than the Human who bonded with it. So of course they just had to take it with them when it was time to leave.
After all of it, building a ship, leaving the planet, finding civilisation, and finally getting Gar back to neurochemical stability, Gar had bonded with Kitty to such an extent that it was now a lifelong companion. When in a safe area, Gar often wore the animal like a scarf. The creature apparently refused to settle down, continuing to be an agent of chaos wherever they went.
Should anyone try to stop Gar from bringing Kitty along? "This is my emotional support dragon. I need her."
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / Franzisca]
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