Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was nighttime. Everyone else was sleeping. He was looking at the stars instead. He’d been in this new world for a little more than two weeks now.

Bandee still didn’t know what to make of this new world. All that he knew was that it wasn’t his home, that he didn’t know where the others where, and that he was worried. So worried, in fact, that he felt something bitter in his throat, a heavy weight in his chest, as if his heart had turned into stone and slowly started sinking.

And I still didn’t apologize.

Nova, this whole thing was horrible. And calm, quiet times like this, which were comforting before, were extremely good at bringing back unwanted memories and stirring up unwanted emotions.

In times like this, he always looked to the stars for comfort. Always, ever since he was a small nameless Waddle Dee.

He loved the stars. Maybe he wasn’t as passionate as some others, but he loved them regardless. He’d learned some of their names, the constellations. And even if he wasn’t an astronomer, he’d looked at it enough times to know the sky of Popstar by heart.

The stars were like his friends. There were there to see him in his darkest moments, before he had other people to rely on. They were there when he cried. They were there when his sibling left home. Even when his home got attacked, even when his life got turned on its head, he found comfort in the fact that the stars, the sky would never change.

So, when he felt sad again, he’d decided to look at the night sky again, hoping to find comfort.

But this sky… It wasn’t Popstar’s sky. It wasn’t the stars he always knew. He recognized nothing, no constellation, no star, nothing to rely on.

Even when he travelled from planet to planet for a short time, being in the same galaxy meant there was still things he could recognize. And the trip didn’t last as long.

Instead of comforting him like they always did, the stars here only served as a reminder that he was in another world he knew nothing about, expect for the fact that it was far away, perhaps even in another dimension, and that it wasn’t his home. It was nothing like his home. His home that got (and perhaps still was) ravaged by the strong winds from a portal, pulling everything in, uprooting plants and residents from their home.

The Waddle Dees built a village here, and they gave him a home, but it wasn’t his home.

It wasn’t home.

Home…

I miss home… I miss my friends…

He’d been away, before. But never like this. Never alone. There was always a way back, a friend by his side.

But not this time.

He started to feel the tears coming, pricking the corners of his eyes. He hurriedly tried to wipe them, but it only served to bring more. The stars continued twinkling above him, mockingly. He felt like he was right back where he started, back when he didn’t have his name yet. Back when his sister left. And it hurt. Everything hurt.

He continued to cry. It was useless to try and stop crying now. The night looked darker now.

“Um… Are you okay?”

He hurriedly turned around, wiping his tears, immediately put on the defensive by this unfamiliar voice that caught him in such an embarrassing state.

Staring at him was Elfilin, evidently caught off guard by his sudden reaction.

“Oh… It’s just you…”

For a moment he thought it was an enemy. He’d gotten this kind of impression often lately. It was as if someone was watching him over his shoulder every time he was alone. It wasn’t pleasant.

Elfilin looked concerned. Geez, why does everyone look at me that way? Do they think I’m weak? Do they pity me? Is that it?

Of course they do. Of course they do. How could they not? A sad, weak little thing like himself… Pity was the only thing he could ever invoke in people.

“I’m sorry if I’m bothering you… I heard noise, so I thought…”

“It’s fine.”

That was a lie. It was never fine. Especially not right now. Tears continued to roll down his face despite his best efforts.

“…Do you want to talk about it?”

Huh?

No, of course he didn’t. Who would want to be so vulnerable with someone they barely knew? But… The alternative would be to stay alone again…

Alone…

He wasn’t sure he could do this right now, without the stars usual comfort.

…Well, he didn’t have to say everything. Just a little bit.

“Sure. Sit down.”

Elfilin gently floated down, taking the seat on the grass next to him, before looking up at the stars in awe.

“The stars are beautiful, aren’t they?”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. I don’t know why, but… looking at the stars… For some reason it always makes me feel nostalgic. And… Like there’s something important I’ve forgotten… Which I guess isn’t all that surprising but… You know…”

“I like looking at the stars too. But…”

He sighed.

“These… These aren’t the stars I know.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Back on Popstar, I used to go stargazing all the time. I learned the names of the stars and the constellations… It was comforting. Familiar. But here? This sky is nothing like the one I knew.”

“…Is that why you were sad?”

“I mean… I guess that’s… part of it…”

It was harder to speak now. Like a heavy weight was resting on top of his heart, bringing it down. And yet, the words continued to pour down from his mouth. Looking for comfort? Understanding? He didn’t know. It was one of those times where you couldn’t just stop talking, where the floodgates were opened. Hoping for something, anything, to bring comfort.

“I’m just… I’m so far away from home. So much so that even the stars look different. I’m not used to it. I’m not used to being alone in a place like this, with no idea of what to do.”

“I understand what you feel.”

Bandee looked back at Elfilin, confused.

“I mean, I was alone too before, right. But the Waddle Dees found me. They helped me. So, I get how you feel.”

Huh…

Maybe… Maybe Elfilin was right. Maybe he wasn’t alone. He had the other Waddle Dees, and…

It had been two weeks since they met. And so far, they hadn’t tried anything. They were nice, enthusiastic, and very pleasant to be around. Eager to help and hear some more stories from Popstar… And well, Bandee liked to spend time with him. He wanted to trust him.

So that’s what he was going to do. And if it turns out to be a bad choice… Well, he’ll cross that bridge when he got there.

But… He wanted to believe he wouldn’t have to.

So he did.

Bandee looked up at Elfilin and smiled.

He had a new friend too, now.

“Thank you.”

“What? But I didn’t do anything…”

“No, you did. I… I think I needed this.”

He still felt heavy, but… He was a little better.

That was a start.

Elfilin smiled.

“Well, I’m glad I could help!”

They looked back to the sky, continuing to stargaze together in silence. But this time, the silence was comforting instead of oppressing.

“…Say, Bandee?”

“Yes?”

“When you figure out how to go back home… If it’s possible, I’d love to see what the sky looks like on Popstar.”

…When. Not if. When.

Bandee smiled.

“I’d love to take you on a visit to Popstar once this is all over.”

Sure, it was a bit of wishful thinking. But it couldn’t hurt every once in a while, right?

…Right.