Ari’s grip was enough to stop Dolphus’ hand from trembling, but it seemed to work through his arm into the rest of his body until he was quivering in place. He didn’t seem to mind the pressure.
A particularly large tear hit his leg. It seemed as though he just couldn’t get dehydrated or something.
“I’ve been so cold.” He gulped, still staring into the floor. “I know you wanted me to be bigger than this, but I just can’t.”
“I keep feeling that crawling sensation, of- of the squid. C-Crushing me, holding me underwater. It’s there when I sleep, when I’m awake, it makes me feel so small. Helpless.” Dolphus glanced at the door suddenly, to see if it had somehow suddenly opened on its own. “I c-… I hate that. That small and vulnerable feeling, like… like everything in the whole world can hurt me.”
“I don’t know what to do.” He tried suddenly to pull his hand away, but finding himself unable to escape from Ari’s grip the rest of his body gave in to the motion, his knees drawing closer to his chest as he stuttered out a sob. His elbow wobbled wildly, eventually rattling the rest of his frame right along with it.
“But… But what do I do?!” He suddenly turned, almost looking at Ari… but setting his eyes in desperation on the stars themselves, which shimmered through the window. “You won’t let me be weak, not even for a moment, but I have nobody! no one!! and just when I thought I found you again, all she ever does is… hate me…”
His eyes broke away for a moment as he looked towards the floor, as if he would somehow control his outburst of emotion even in that moment. It didn’t work, and he stared back up at the stars again. “I’m sorry!” He cried, his hand beginning to tremble now in spite of Ari’s grip. "I can’t be any bigger than this! I’m sorry!!"
“I’m s-sorr-rry!!” His voice warbled weakly from all the effort being put into his outburst, the rest of his body finding it hard to stay upright enough to keep eye contact with the window. In spite of all their lights, and the brilliance of them, the stars did not seem inclined to answer.