Art by  Bonifasko

Original piece here: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/24247624/

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Being left alone with one's thoughts, it's terrifying how much you can hurt yourself.
Normally, Kramer is the type to be upbeat and optimistic. He has a lot of faith in his friends, family, and peers.
But, when it comes to himself, he's his own biggest critic and he doubts himself the most.

He sets up a wall, a front, and as much as he wants to tell everyone else about his burdens, fears, and pains...
He just doesn't want to push people away. He realizes people absorb other's feelings and therefore doesn't let the hurt out around others.

But this time, at this very moment, his feelings got the best of him within the bastion of his own mind. All he could do was let it out, tears streaming down his face as he leaned against the window.

On his phone:
"Hey Kramer, are you okay?"
K: "Yeah, it's alright, don't worry about me."

But his thoughts were swirling in a horrible vortex.

"I don't deserve this kindness."
"Why are they so nice to me? I didn't do anything special."
"I'm nothing in the grand scheme of things."
"I deserve to be lonely."

Or even the regrets of his actions when he was on his mission with Deobroos.

"I could've saved him."
"He wouldn't have lost his arm because of me."
"I'm useless."

And all he could do was cry, gritting his teeth in remorse and regret.
Sniffling and breathing unevenly, he even kept his crying quiet as to not bother others.
He was in for a rough night.

---

Whew, sorry for the heavy stuff guys. But, honestly, the best way to develop a character is to show the good and the bad. And this, is particularly bad stuff.

Other than the mercenary friend bit, I've shared my own fair share of these thoughts with Kramer. I've really put a lot of myself into Kramer and it's kinda telling once you know me.
But phew, oh man, that depressive bout I went through on the tail end of college was ROUGH. Especially during the almost 2 years I was unemployed with an "in-demand" degree.

But hey, life has it's ups and downs.

Kramer will pull through this, his friends will be there to comfort him as mine have for me.