#why the end of season 1 i want this friendship to blossom and bloom and all those other flourishing words by episode 2 thanks | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

threadofdestiny · 3 years

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Magnolia (Bakugou x f!reader)

Feudal Japan AU

Shogun!Bakugou x Midoriya’s sister!reader

Summery: Her mother, lady Midoriya Inko, had once told her that the gods had predestined a path for every single person. All she had to do was follow the path and trust that it would lead her to happiness. But how could (Y/N) find happiness in a political formed marriage with her brother’s rival, a man known for being brutal and cold hearted?

Warnings: sexual content in later chapters / period-typical-sexism / strong language / violence / Drama / Angst / Fluff / Slow Burn/ political marriage / Reader is Izuku's sister / period-typical-discriptions like vague mentions of longer hair to form typical hairstyles or specific wardrobe / Bakugou is not good at feelings / Bakugou is a mean, explosive boi / third-person perspektive

Wattpad

AO3

If someone wants to be tagged, just let me know ;)

Chapter 2

Chapter 1

The life of a lady

No matter what culture you were born into, the structures of the society of the noble born, were always one and the same in their most fundamental form. A life as a noble was blessed with wealth and influence, but intrigues and scandals enjoyed dominance over those who had enough money and power to be part of the emperor's curt.

Only the most important people were powerful enough to receive the honor to get a tailored role in such a glorious play, while the rest served only as cheap, unappreciated extras. However, it did not matter at all whether the nobility was absorbed in their role's descriptions or if they would have preferred to step off that pretential stage. Every single one of them was obliged to play their part. If they did not, they had to expect that it would not only be their own end, but often for their entire family and subordinates as well. In that case, all that could save them was the favor of the crown itself, which usually was as fickle and impressionable as the rough sea.

In a world like this, you didn't decide for yourself who you were...

No, not really...

It was the tongues of the others that had the power to deform the image of your identity. They decided who you were and what was best for you. They defined what was right and what was wrong and were able to destroy you at the slightest misstep. So, bearing a title was a privilege and a burden all at once.

As a noble it was not only important who you were and how well you fulfilled your own part in society, no, it was important who you knew and what contacts you had cultivated. Your connections were what made you powerful. So it was common that unions were closed around various families to secure better conditions for their offspring's or to form better alliances to gain power over the emperor's curt. In a society like this, everyone looked for their own benefits. Compassion was a rare treasure, which could only be found in the fewest individuals. Sons were raised to rule, while daughters were only used as bargaining chips. They must humbly serve their families by marrying powerful men, to obtain alliances. They had to bind themselves to those who were raised to rule over them, without ever getting a chance to decide for themselves.

So... how can anyone romanticize such a morbid spectacle? Why are there such big differences between the rights of various people? Why are the deeds of the powerful always glossed over, while the weaker were oppressed?

Noble warriors, who fought for glory and honor...

Fine diplomats, whose silver tongues could melt every single heart...

Mighty kings, who hold their hand protectively over their people...

Well-guarded ladies, whose beauty and elegance could made a whole hall shine...

Weren't these colorful descriptions only empty paraphrases, in order to be able to hide the cruel faces of reality?

But...

Who told of the blood of the innocent that dripped from the warrior's blade?

Who mentioned the lies the diplomat had spun to achieve his goals?

Who wrote about the wars the king instigated to expand his empire?

Who acknowledged that a lady's supposed beauty and family status was the only means to even have the prospect of a rosy future? And even this was not an indicator that her destiny would not be her downfall, because the rules were set by those who wielded the power and if she was unlucky, they were the ones who took advantage of it without thinking of her well-being.

Yes, even the carefully planned and detailed balls and parties, looked at first glance like dreamlike picture perfect background's. They blinded onlookers to what was behind the scenes, but those who lived in this world for long enough, knew that even these were literally only bloody battlefields disguised in beautiful shining robes. It's was a spectacle full of lies.

True love?

A spark of equality?

Boundless trust?

What most rare wonders they were in her hypocritical society and yet (Y/N), young and unreserved, hoped to find them in spite of everything. What a blessed life she had led until now. She was lucky to be born into a wonderful family. Despite her status, its members were warm-hearted and free-spirited. But she knew that this was not the norm and was wise enough not to take her privileges for granted.

With a wildly beating heart, she stood next to her mother and waited for her call to finally be presented before the Emperor and his guests as a marriageable debutante. Normally, the Empress would review the new young ladies year after year, but she had passed away in her own childbed some time ago, and so the Emperor, bless his suprisingly kind soul, took over this task, with a nostalgic smile on his fragile face.

In the midst of the whole crowd of young ladies and their mothers, (Y/N) stood and called herself to patience while she tried to fade out her competition as best she could. Some of her fellow competitors she knew personally, but only a few she had a closer, more sympathetic relationship with. Somewhere at the other end of the waiting area she had spotted Miss Uraraka with her mother. But unfortunately they had only been able to give each other a fleeting smile before she was already called. Ochako was one of her few childhood friends, but she too was unfortunately on the hunt for a good match and was now in some ways as much her competitor as all the rest of the unmarried girls. So all (Y/N) could do was to hope that this season wouldn't drive a wedge between them and at least one of them would get hitched safely.

However, no matter how much she would like to think about her friendships at this moment, the young girl had to use what little time she had left to mentally prepare herself for her own appearance. Breathing deeply through her chest, the budding debutante stretched her back while pulling her shoulders taut. The stiff, floral-embroidered obi was cinched very tightly around her waist, making breathing a little more difficult, but not as impossible as it seemed with some of the other ladies. Testing, (Y/N) tried to put on a charming smile as she interlaced her fingers in front of her body in a demure pose before turning her frame with trembling lips to her mother, who was already looking at her with affection. "I hope I can bring honor to our family today!" the young girl spoke softly as she gazed hopefully into the green eyes of her counterpart. Lady Midoriya regarded her daughter with a moved expression, raising her well-groomed hands to fix the blooming magnolia blossoms she had personally placed in the elaborate hairstyle that morning for one last time. Satisfied with her work, she let her fingers glide gently down over (Y/N)'s ears, only to finally cup the young girl's cheeks in a delicate manner. "You already do, my child! And I know you will continue to do so!" the older lady replied confidently, while placing her slightly wrinkled, yet still delicate fingers under (Y/N)'s chin to lift it decisively. "You are beautiful, intelligent and kind-hearted! You have inherited your father's strong will! He would be as proud as I am to see you like this. Just like your brother, you put all your passion into your tasks and diligently learn what is expected of you. You, my child, will be able to go your way and overcome any stumbling block. I am incredibly sure of that!" Lady Midoriya added emotionaly before she cleared her throat softly, hoping to catch herself again. Tears glistened in her eyes like raindrops on an evergreen branch. The words of her mother gave (Y/N) the necessary strength to suppress the slight trembling of her lips. Slowly but surely, the nervous lump that had spread in her throat dissolved and disappeared along with her fear.

Yes, her mother was right! (Y/N) had inherited the will of her father and had prepared herself in the best possible way for exactly this moment. She would face the emperor fearlessly and make her family proud. On this day and on each still coming!

"Lady Midoriya. It is now your and your daughter's turn!" the stiff voice of the herald's assistant rang out, snapping them out of their brief emotional moment. Nodding, (Y/N)'s mother started to move and placed herself with perfectly executed etiquette in front of the closed red and golden double doors that would lead them into the throne room. The remaining debutantes and their mothers, who were waiting for their momentto come, gave them appraising looks, but (Y/N) tried to ignore them as much as possible. Each of them knew how privileged the youngest Midoriya was, her own brother being one of the three former students of the current emperor. But she would shine today because of her own abilities. Today she would not stand in the shadow of her talented, kind-hearted brother. Taking a deep breath, the young girl followed her mother and positioned herself half a step in front of her while she waited with galloping heartbeat for the herald's introduction.

This was it...

This was the moment on which everything depended. All eyes would be on her to determine her own worth. As soon as those doors opened, she would take the first step to be able to grab a good match for herself. It would be one of the most important steps that would determine the rest of her life and she could not help but dare once again to let hope for a good future arise in her. Conscious of her duty, (Y/N) lowered herself onto the pillow and took in a bowing posture. With her head bowed and fingertips touching, which hovered in a rehearsed posture stretched out in front of her just a few millimeters above the ground, she took one last look at her beloved mother. Making the final decision to take Lady Midoriya as her role model, (Y/N) set herself for the very last time the goal not only to achieve an excellent match and honor for her family, but also to fight for the oh-so-rare love that only a few were truly allowed to experience. Even if her future could not be determined by herself, she did not want to leave her entire destiny solely in the hands of the gods, for only those who proved virtuous and courageous would be truly heard by those same deity's. She had prayed and pleaded that she would be able to feel for her future groom as her mother once did for her beloved husband, but to achieve this she would have to fight in her own way.

"Your Majesty, honored guests, we now present Miss Midoriya (Y/N), younger sister of the head of the family and distinguished samurai of Shizuoka Province, Lord Midoriya Izuku, one of the three former disciples of the Symbol of Peace. His Imperial Highness, Toshinori-sama. The young lady is accompanied by her mother, Lady Midoriya Inko," the clear voice of the herald echoed through the hall, while the richly decorated double doors were pushed open as if in slow motion. As she had been taught, the introduced debutante slowly counted to three before elegantly rising from her bowing position, only to just as slowly lift her eyelids to cast an innocent glance around the hall. In a culture like hers, aesthetics and elegance were invaluable. They were taught to one from childhood. Like a graceful mask, she wore the delicate, demure garb of etiquette expected of a young girl of her station.

'Do not speak unless you are addressed personally.'

'It is better to be seen than heard.'

'A young girl's weapon is not her voice, but her manners and countenance.'

'Be a work of art that all the world wants to admire.'

Even though (Y/N) wanted to be independent in her deepest heart. Even if she would have loved to use her own voice not only to be seen but also to be heard, she knew that for that she needed a man who was kind enough to give her that very chance. Her gently, encouraging brother would not always be her guardian. In a society like hers, a woman alone was worth nothing. Her status was measured by that of her husband and only that man would be able to shape her further life. He alone would have the right to decide whether to lock her in a golden cage and let her wither away or to give her the wings she would need to continue to develop freely. So she had no choice but to be exactly what was expected of her if she wanted to attract as much attention as possible. The family name she carried could not be her only trump card. She had to portray the perfect, well-mannered bride. A girl that was worth fighting over. Beautiful and quiet. Attentive and discreet. Talented and elegant. For this reason, she had poured her heart and soul and perfectionism into this very charlatanry. She wanted freedom! She wanted to be able to hope! Hope that the seed her family had planted in her would be able to blossom! Hope to be able to attract the attention of a man who would be her blessing and not her downfall.

Without losing her balance, the young girl stood up, while with purposeful flowing gestures, she placed her hands hovering over each other under her chest. When at last the seat cushion was discreetly moved aside, the debutante stepped into the packed hall with shining, soft eyes, closely followed by her venerable mother. A slight implied smile, meant to exude modesty and delicacy, played around her lips as she resisted the need to look around the room.

Look at me. I am everything you have ever dreamed of.

Her gaze rested on the hem of the emperor's multi-layered robe without once losing her focus as she strode past his wealthy guests, who were spread out on either side of the hall and focused their full attention on (Y/N). The young girl knew that somewhere in that crowd was her big brother, Midoriya Izuku, watching her intently just like all the others. By the gods, she hoped that he felt pure pride for his sister, just like their mother. He was probably even more nervous than she was at that moment. Perhaps he was even quietly whispering push prayers into his non-existent beard to give his sister all the blessings in the world. No matter. This thought alone warmed the debutante's heart as she took one step after another toward the emperor until she finally came to a stop in front of him. Without lifting her eyes, (Y/N) curtsied as deeply as her legs would allow and then waited with bated breath for the crown's reaction.

Silence reigned in the hall, so pervasive that one could have heard a pin drop on the floor. Like a mantra, the words, Look at me, I bring honor to my family, echoed in the mind of the youngest Midoriya. The sudden clap of the emperor, which echoed through the room like lashes of a whip, almost made (Y/N) wince, but she had managed to pull herself together. Calmly, the young girl waited while she made sure to take deep breaths through her chest so as not to fall prey to dizziness. Out of the corner of her eye, she could observe the emperor nodding warmly in the direction of his guests. "As one would expect, my student's little sister is shining brightly!", Toshinori's voice loudly and warmly pierced the silence of the room.

"This my honored guests, I call a truly sparkling diamond."

#buku no hero academia #bakugou x reader #Bakugou x female reader #bnha #mha #x Reader #bakugou x yn #freudal Japan #arranged marriage trope

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sasodei-is-real · 3 years

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@justfudgeplease @sadgirlshitpost

Hey!))

Thanks for the answers (/^*^)/💙

About their friendship

I still see their relationship as friendship. And that's not sugary nozzles, this is a real relationship.

About Ino's proposal "you're not a bloomed flower yet" and about the fact that she perceived Sakura as someone who needs to be protected

But it was so

Look

Sakura was ridiculed and an insecure child. She generally could not associate a flower with her image. Ino, rather on the contrary, said that Sakura is also a beautiful flower, only it has not yet blossomed. It's true. And there is nothing unpleasant in this. It's better than a simple compliment. Sakura was not self-confident, did not know who she was, often copied Ino's behavior herself and clung to her. She did not perceive herself at all. Ino assured her that she was just as beautiful, and even dispelled the doubts of those in need of human support by disclaiming why she was a little different - "you are not a blossoming flower yet"

About the fact that Ino perceived her as a person who needed to be protected.

1. Apparently she had sincere feelings ( I mean platonic) for Sakura and this has been shown more than once.

2 It's true

Sakura really needed support . Since even then she herself did not have the uncertainty of not having the strength to stand up for herself. And Ino began to slowly perceive her as a sweet little Sakura who needed protection. And even during the chyunina exam she could not hit her friend. Sakura understood this and didn't like it. Of course, you want to be on an equal footing. Ino partly did not perceive her as a competitor because of her position as a protector (leading) and because of her feelings for her.

But that's okay. In real life, everything is not so snotty and cloying. We all relate to a person from the side that we see. And until we recognize them from other sides, we will not change our perception. And this does not interfere with the feelings. And we recognize a person by degrees

That's different. What kinde of Sakura did she see? A notorious and insecure, but loved girl. And it was so. She defended Sakura, and until the moment of maturity, Sakura herself assumed her quiet role. It was nice and comfort role.

They both whre setisfied whit that. Then they begin to grow. Sakura begin to grow. Then an understanding of her own I woke up in her. This is not selfishness, this is a vision of her role in relationships and self-awareness. Not a single person will shield himself as secondary, because each of us has our own consciousness. And when it comes to some secondary importance in friendship, dissonance begins. And of course, something needs to be changed. Show yourself from the other side and change the attitude towards yourself. it is not selfishness. And this was what their relationship needed. And it is not Ino's fault that she began to perceive her as a sweet friend Sakura with a blush on her cheeks and in need of support. Sakura simply did not give a reason to treat herself differently. This is normal.

And in real life there is no stranger when an attitude towards a person is born out of nowhere. This was their story and this is how Sakura showed herself and wanted to show herself for a long time along with Ino. And let's be honest, Sakura was not such an innate strong personality as the same Naruto who was poisoned by the whole village, but he survived it. She gets to strong personality, losing a loved one, enduring life and understanding the importance and need to change her state. And this development of it began from the moment of understanding the self. With the understanding that you are not just an existing anioba, but you are a person. And you must first realize your personal integrity, and then prove it.

So why should Ino have a different relationship to her? She always loved her, but treated her as Sakura herself showed it. Sakura had no reason to just treat herself as a friend. And as soon as she accepted it, she gave Sakura a symbol of her personal integrity with love. I repeat, in the real world there is no miraculous groundless attitude towards a person. Well, you don't wake up to shield an intelligent person until he shows his mind? And still it will not stop to love them.

And after all, the attitude of a foreigner to sakura was formed quite naturally and clearly. Is quite real. We are all so remote. We see a person and begin to perceive him judging by what he showed us, and then we recognize him from other sides. And sometimes it takes a push. The impetus was the rivalry for Sasuke, by whom the way, Ino felt irritated with.

But they both realized that their relationship needed a push. People develop throughout their lives. And if the relationship is dear, each one adapts to the other.

So why did Ino have to shield her strong personality if Sakura didn’t show that side of her and wasn’t even strong then? And Ino just showed herself in their relationship from the side that Sakura could not. It's always like this in a relationship. She got used to the role. She really thought Sakura needed protection.

Moreover, because of her sincere feelings for sakura, Ino saw in her something that sakura did not show and did not see in herself.

That she herself is a beautiful flower. But you don't have to be at a loss and doubt, it's just that it hasn't bloomed yet. But the time comes and it will bloom wonderfully. This was proof of Ino's reverent devotion to Sakura. And the rest is quite natural. She remembered Sakura as her beloved friend always. Later then she took on new facets of her character, which Sakura gave her. All the same, they were small children with no clearly sharply degenerating character. Then it all began to manifest itself with age. They groped for each other again, maintaining friendship.

"Why are youacting all serious?"

This is a life situation associated with changes in the vision of a person in our head in connection with the multidimensional nature of human nature, which cannot be perceived immediately, since we ourselves recognize ourselves all our lives. Proximity check. Sakura and Ino went through this check.

There was a change. Ino never wanted to have power in a relationship. She just naturally treated a loved one judging by her behavior. And as soon as she saw sakura from the other side, she accepted it

And this rivalry helped to embrace their equality, which has always been, but which was blunted by the fact that each currently had a role. The role of a supportive person and a role of protector. In relationships, these roles and needs change always. The relationship between people remains the same.

This is normal. Such situational roles that appear due to the lack of resources for acting for ex. Strong in situations are normal. Sakura then did not have the resource to behave like a strong and tough person. Ino took this role on herself and did not notice how she not only stayed in it, but also became the leading one. Sakura herself wanted it. And then she began to develop

It's just that then they were just kids who took the episodic role as their own. At this age, it is very easy to cling to episodic things, shielding them with their place and designation of individuality. There is no understanding of the search for an integral personality. And just cling to superficial roles and abstinences as a characteristic of one's own personality. And then Sakura just woke up this understanding and at the same time the desire to break out of this one-sided role.

And the inner Sakura that we see in the first season is a confirmation of Sakura's still unstoppable search and acceptance of herself. Two extremes. Sakura pretending to be innocent, sometimes showing an aggressive inner Sakura. After accepting , not without help from Ino, after re-evaluating her behavior and state, after deciding to develop, we see Sakura in shippuden as an integral person. Formed. Without inner Sakura.

And for a moment, Ino even reminded Sakura of how crybaby she was. After all, in her head, Sakura was, in essence, a sweet friend in need of care. In her head, their friendship was normal. She did not even notice that there is a state of leading and driven roles due to the addiction to the one-sided role. In her head, Sakura needs protection. And when this little girl tries to escape, and when she saw the beating of her beloved sakura

and began to cry, of course she did not believe in her independence and, calling her a crybaby, wanted to "keep".

But having achieved a one-on-one draw, Sakura proved her strength. Ino accepted it.

And it's so beautiful that Ino accepted it. Sometimes, in such relationships, people who are leaders begin to love the role of the leader. The ego wakes up in them and they don't want to accept equality. This is selfishness and pride. And it happens very often. Friedship just end there or becones abuse. But this is not the case of Ino and Sakura. Ino accepted Sakura's change by calling her a beautiful blooming flower. And as once she gave Sakura a red armband as a sign of support,

and now she gave her a shinobi armband as a support and acceptance. Only now as an acceptance and support of the new (for Ino) sides of sakura.

Moreover, then they not only became rivals and strengthened their friendship. They sometimes pretended to be really "tough" rivals until adolescence, because this rivalry became a very comfortable and calm, rightful expression of equal treatment of each other. Sometimes it was really rivalry, and sometimes it was just a stable and awkward expression of the attitude towards each other as equal and worthy of rivalry.

With age, they no longer need such an expression of respect and trepidation for each other. They matured and could say it openly. For example, Ino in the novel Sakura Hiden is already openly praising her.

Their friendship continues to this day. It is now a mature and tested relationship. Warm and strong. And now, as an adult, Ino reminds Sakura in Boruto of how strong and beautiful she is when Sakura doubts herself again due to worry about Sarada.

This is a very important part of life and relationships. And thanks to the fact that they both cherished each other, the friendship was preserved

They are both good characters. Most importantly, realistic. You need to be able to analyze and link events. And then everything becomes clear (although if You don't want to analyze there are official novellas, where the relations of the characters are revealed in plain text. You can not analyze their friendship, just read the novella lol😅😂)

But they both develop and have their own motives. They both take care of each other and this has been shown repeatedly.

#naruto #naruto shippuden #sakura haruno #ino yamanaka #ino #inosaku #akatuski #sasuke #sasuke uchiha

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shirtlesssammy · 4 years

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15x09: The Trap

The Road So Far:

PURGAYTORY

Now:

Sam and Eileen are trussed up at Chuck’s casino. (Sam, if you tried hard enough, you could slip those zip ties.) Chuck admits to Sam and Eileen that he’s been manipulating her this whole time to get close to Sam again. He couldn’t watch his favorite show and it was killing him (LOL, CATCH ME IN JUNE.)

Sam and Chuck are connected and it needs to stop. Chuck pulls out a scalpel. And then utters the eight scariest words of a Supernatural fan: “All good things must come to an end.”

Meanwhile, in the bunker, the bickering exes continue on their line of bullshit. Cas is expertly making Borax bullets while Dean tries to reach Sam, with no luck. Dean’s worried that there’s something wrong.

Chuck wants to cut out whatever festers in Sam that won’t allow their wounds to heal. Eileen surreptitiously calls Dean. Chucks senses it and ends the call before it really gets going. Dean knows that they’re in trouble though and wants to save them. Cas calls Dean “stupid” (will the bickering ever end?!) and tells him they have to find the blossom in purgatory to trap Chuck.

Sam notices Chuck’s hesitancy to torture him and mocks him a bit. Um, maybe now’s not the best time to bring out Sam Fucking Winchester, okay buddy? Eileen joins in the mockery (#soulmates) and in retaliation, Chuck gets Eileen to do the scalpel digging for him. He likes to watch. The scalpel digging is very squishy. A+ work sound effects.

Dean and Cas are in purgatory and there’s still very much a rift in their relationship.

Dean wants to split up but Cas makes it clear that that also is a stupid idea. Dean brings up possibly running into Benny while there in Purgatory….and I just want to sit a little and think about that was practically Dean’s first thought. He thinks of Benny, and the friendship they had. I am sad.

With a simple “C’mon”, Cas wins the argument and they start walking together. Something tracks them from the shadows.

Eileen continues to be forced into digging into Sam’s wound. Through the pain, he tells her he knows it isn’t her that’s doing it. He’s bleeding out though and things aren’t looking good. Chuck sits back and plays on his guitar. What a nice douchey touch that is.

Sam talks reason to Chuck, and while that pisses him off, he also heals Sam’s wound as much as he can. Chuck can’t understand how Sam can continue to be so defiant. He realizes that Sam still has hope --hope that Cas and Dean will save them, hope that they can still defeat God.

*Coordinated Domestic Dispute to Draw Out the Monster Alert*

Dean notices a corpse that he swears he’s seen before. Cas tell him he’s wrong. He has an excellent sense of direction. Dean gets down to look closer at the body and the leviathan makes his move. Cas hand waves him away. They interrogate the leviathan. He tells them that there’s a blossom that grows from them after they die. Dean wants to end the monster right there but he tells them it takes months for the blossoms to appear. He knows a place.

Before they get walking, Dean asks the Leviathan about Benny. BRB STILL CRYING. Benny’s famous --and he’s dead. (Cas’s concerned look to Dean as he hears the news will haunt me forever.)

Chuck decides to take Sam on a Christmas Carol adventure into the future, and shows him what life will be like if they win.

April 17, 2020

Sam and Eileen are looking up cases in the bunker. Dean’s “resting his eyes” in the corner chair. Cas shows up with beers for all. Things look pretty great. They all decide on movie night and popcorn. HUZZAH!

Well, until Sam gets a call from Jody. Claire’s dead, from a hunt gone sideways. HURMPH.

Back at the casino, Chuck tells Sam that’s just the beginning. He pulls out the time clock of doom.

In purgatory, Cas, Dean, and the other dude, are walking. Cas expresses his condolences about Benny. Their hostilities come roiling to the surface. Cas calls Dean out on not accepting his apology about Jack. Dean is pissy that Cas just walked away. The other dude, presumably, just wants one of them to shoot him with Borax.

January 6, 2021

In the burned out wasteland of the future, Sam and Dean drive. Things are going downhill fast. They’re not saving people. Cas is gone. (CaS Is GoNe) The monsters are winning.

Once at the leviathan blossom site, Cas quickly realizes it’s a trap. The leviathan tells him that Eve wants a piece of Cas for killing the alphas and taking the leviathan. Others attack Dean.

He comes to later. The place is scorched and Cas is gone.

November 3, 2021

Sam’s prepping for another hunt. Dean’s giving up. Sam wants to know what’s up. “Ever since..,” he starts. Dean jumps into why he’s giving up. They’ve lost everyone. HE had to bury Cas in a ma’lak box. Bobby and Jody (and Sam) all have death wishes. Sam wants to go out swinging, like Butch and Sundance. “We lost, brother, we lost.”

Our Sam can’t believe what he’s watching.

Chuck swans into the scene. He claims he’s “just the messenger” benevolently sharing his knowledge of the future. Sam can’t believe that Dean would ever give up, but Chuck swears he’ll tell no lie, stick a needle in his eye.

Dean stalks through the quiet woods, calling for Cas. He’s got just under a half hour left to reach the portal. In desperation, he pauses and centers himself. “Cas,” he begins to pray. “I hope you can hear me.” Dean calls Cas his best friend and apologizes for letting him go.

And then this show gently murders me because Dean looks around warily and, seeing that the coast is clear, kneels to finish his prayer. On one knee now, he cries as he unpacks the terrible anger which he’d turned against Cas. “When things go bad, it comes out and I can’t stop it. No matter how bad I want to.” (I’m with many other viewers when I point to childhood trauma and parental neglect and abuse as one source for that deep anger.)

For I am DEAD Science:

Further pushing me deep into the grave, Dean continues, “And I forgive you. OF COURSE I forgive you.” He apologizes and sends out a desperate wish that Cas will be able to hear his prayer - wherever he is. Dean wipes his eyes, sniffs, and pushes himself up with a quiet “Okay.” It’s time to move again.

Back to the future, Dean stews morosely at a table in the bunker when Sam enters with a bag slung over his shoulder. Sam’s going to take out the vamp nest - alone, if he has to. Dean shakes his head sadly, then drags himself off to go with Sam. “I guess I don’t have a choice, do I?” They head out, two broken down, hopelessly alone men.

“It can’t end like this,” Sam insists. So Chuck has him flash forward in time again using the magic watch.

It stops on December 9, 2022. End of the line!

In Purgatory, Dean has just over two minutes left before the portal closes and there’s still no sign of--- WAIT WHAT’S BEHIND THAT TREE?

“You made it,” Cas sighs in relief as he stands to greet Dean. Dean hauls Cas in for the T I G H T E S T hug. Very good content! I approve! They check in with each other. Cas reveals that he was being marched to go see Eve when he spotted a leviathan bloom. Cas dropped the monsters guarding him, and snagged the bloom which he adorably describes as “a little smooshed.” Dean validates Cas’s achievements! It is very soft! I am emotionally compromised! (I have watched this scene at least 10 times.)

Cas reveals that he heard Dean’s prayer. They exchange soulful, meaningful looks, and then head straight outta Purgatory. I look forward to your post-episode canoodling codas, everybody.

In the future, Sam and Dean barricade the door in a ratty old hotel. They’re being hunted by……….JODY AND AU BOBBY! (Jobby? Body? Ugh, both of those are terrible.) Current Sam watches in horror as his future counterpart (and brother) fang out. They’re both vampires now! Oooo. Awkward.

There’s a fierce fight. Dean chews Jody’s throat clean outta her body, hissing like an angry cat the whole time. It would be awful if there weren’t so many funny memes of hissy Jensen floating around right now.

Sam wakes from Chuck’s vision which was A LOT. Chuck apologizes for the terrible ending. (All these ending narratives in this season are the result of 15 years of exhausted writers room shit talking, right?) Chuck reveals a couple of things. 1) He “powered down” Eileen in a closet while he’s talking to Sam which is just….GROSS. And 2) The heroic and free ending which Sam aspires towards is actually awful. Is dying as monsters really worth locking up Chuck?

Safely back in the bunker, Cas and Dean prepare the spell with the leviathan bloom. Dean pauses, questioning Cas’s choice to take on the Mark trapping Chuck. Cas insists that Dean can’t take on the Mark again, and that the only choice is for Cas to take on that burden. Dean agrees, remarkably not insisting on damaging himself this time, and the spell is completed. It all gets sucked up into a sphere. Since Cas will contain the Mark, Dean or Sam will have to destroy it (thus sealing Cas’s fate along with Chuck’s).

In the casino, Sam shouts at Chuck. “We will beat you. I will make it better!” Chuck sneers at Sam, and accuses him of playing fast and loose with the laws of nature and magic. There’s a whole lot the Winchesters can’t know about the universe, Chuck insists. Only he - God - can grasp it all. As one, the Supernatural audience collectively fake-coughs, “Billie!”

Chuck prompts Sam to reflect further on the visions. Was the worst thing truly the way the Winchesters died, and all their friends were decimated? Or was there something even WORSE which befell the world after Chuck got trapped? In horror, Sam realizes that monsters were taking over the world. Chuck affirms this conclusion. Without him in it, the world descends into evil. (Somewhere, on a wholesome farm, Garth is asking, “Hey, who are you calling evil?”)

While we’re all trying to unpack this latest revelation, Dean and Cas break into the casino. They free Sam from his chair. Eileen, still puppeted by Chuck, comes in swinging but Cas tackles her away.

Dean punches Chuck. Chuck punches Dean. While they’re exchanging blows, Cas rolls the bespelled ball over to Sam to smash and trap Chuck when….

Sam falls to his knees. He can’t do it. He can’t trap Chuck knowing what he knows about the future. The ball rolls out of his fingers.

Suddenly, light flashes in Chuck’s shoulder. The Equalizer wound in both of them is healed at last! All it took is for Sam to...lose hope. FROWNY FACE! Chuck crushes the sphere and destroys the spell. That’s two anti-God weapons down and how many to go in the next ten episodes?

Dean confronts Chuck and he is 800% bluster at this point, cosmos bless him. He insists that Chuck won’t kill their motley band. Chuck wants his ending too much for that. After all, the “drafts” Sam saw in his visions--

Chuck interrupts that thought. All the “visions” Sam had were Chuck’s memories of other, actual worlds where Sam and Dean made those awful choices and destroyed each other. That move, in Chuck’s mind, is inevitable. “Just like you, they didn’t think they’d do it, either.”

Dean growls. “No. Not THIS Sam and not THIS Dean. So you go back to Earth II and play with your other toys. Because you will never get what you want.”

“We’ll see,” Chuck says, rather ominously, and poofs out.

Back at the bunker, Sam and Eileen bid farewell. Eileen’s been puppeted back to life and romance...and she’s not sure what’s real. (Where have I heard THAT before?) She needs to head off on her own for a bit.

Sam kisses her so sweetly. “Now that was real.” She caresses his face lovingly before walking out. (I firmly believe we’ll see her again - next time on her own terms!)

A shaken Sam makes his way to the kitchen where Dean and Cas are decompressing.

Sam brings up the botched Chuck trap, and tells them he believes Chuck showed him the true future. Dean accepts Sam’s choice, and his calm acceptance is a balm to my fucking soul. What’s next? “We find another way,” Dean says.

Cut to Jack in the Empty. He’s taking in the non-sights when Billie appears. “It’s time,” she says, and Boris and I throw a giant party!!!

I Don’t Know Why I Get So Quotey:

I hate missing my favorite show!

Come on, Eileen

Stop being so stupid!

Chuck, you dick

“Okay let’s split up.” “WHAT?!”

You still think you’re the hero of this story. You still think you can win

The Dean who raised me, he’d never give up no matter how bad things got

I should’ve stopped you. You’re my best friend but I just let you go, ‘cause it was easier than admitting I was wrong

Sorry, kid. It’s a crappy ending. You and your brother deserve better.

We know about your galaxy brain idea. How you think this story is gonna go

Want to read more? Check out our Recap Archive!

#spn recap #spn 15x09 #the trap #dean winchester #castiel #cas #sam winchester #eileen leahy #chuck shurley #jack kline #billie #bobby singer #jody mills #supernatural season 15

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paperbagpetrichor · 5 years

Text

Symphonic Song II - [Izuku Midoriya]

Sharp sunlight streamed through the shutters, slinging shadows across the darkest recesses of the classroom and steaming the few visible portions of the windows beneath their shields of shades with evaporated dewdrops, evanescent in the stifling heat of the first sweltering day after weeks of winter chills, ushering in a new age of soft buds and blooming petals, green life poking through the watery remnants of white snow, peeking through sidewalks and parking lots and scrambling for the first meager shreds of solar scintillant skies. Every now and then a faint darkness would stain the glass panels, only to flit away moments later in material form as a leaf or bird emerging from their respective fourth-season nests.

Restlessness hung in the air like festival lanterns. Its overwhelming girth was inevitable to touch all beneath it, tugging with anxious claws, jumping with turbulence, pushing this way and that with elephantine hands on infinitesimal bodies; a force larger than an agglomeration of all of U.A.'s class 1-A could ever form. Denki sporadically twitched his leg as though electricity was running uncontrollably through it, Eijiro's foot harshly hit the hardened floor with every other irregular breath, and fingers red with feigned control and forced calmness drummed atop Bakugou's desk. Even Iida, usually stick-straight with respectful attention, seemed to be distracting himself by rocking the balls of his feet back and forth, heel to toe and toe to heel and back again, all very quiet and very discreet, but still present nonetheless.

Izuku made no outward display of noticeable discomfort, however. His hands were folded, undisturbed, neatly atop his polished desk, and his legs seemed as though they were stuck together through some offhanded measure of superglue. Unlike the muffled, husky humming emanating from Kyoka's seat a few desks over, no sound escaped Izuku. His posture was somewhat slouched, and yet simultaneously spoke nonverbal volumes of his vigilance, stuck between the striking distaste of the day and the singular, stupendous image of the person sitting on his mind, sweeping through his thoughts and shoving out space for anything other than her.

Her.

Even just the thought of her name provoked an instinct within him, immersively monumental, a feeling buried beneath every last fiber of his body, until body controlled mind and his eyes, still as curious and wide with innocence as ever, would scan his surroundings, not stopping until his gaze fell once more upon her. She sat only a few rows away from his desk. Still, each and every inch felt like miles to him.

There once would have been a time when, in fear of her catching his gaze, he would've blushed and glanced away only after a second, and, in those few times where she did meet his eyes, would flush absolutely red, and hide his head in his hands atop his desk, embarrassment marring his face into something like a cherry tomato. For a few weeks things continued this way. Until, of course, he caught you doing precisely the same thing.

From there on, the spark laid within both of their hearts had bloomed into a fastidious fire, feasting on the times spent together and tugging intensively at their heartstrings whenever the other was not around. Minutes with each other turned to hours, hours into days, until eventually a balance was reached; an unspoken bond written in the ciphers of sentiments surrounding them both, yelling louder than words that this was no longer just a friendship, but rather something so very much more.

Despite the tangible discomfort in the air, seeing her supervised to soothe him. The day was almost out. Just a few more minutes and finally, he might be able to put his emotions into words, tell her the truth and make it known out in the open air that he was indeed in - ding.

Immediately everyone began to scramble for the door, pouring out into the halls, chatter erupting and polarizing the restlessness as though two opposing sides of a magnet. Class 1-A had nearly all drained out before Izuku could find room to make his way to her, hoping deep within his heart that she hadn't been swept away amongst the crowd.

Surprisingly enough, she was on her feet. Not heading towards the hallway, though.

Headed towards him.

He could feel his heart fluttering in his chest, dancing to some unknown upbeat chorus of careful calamity, just enough to startle him but still keep curiosity lingering in his chest. Something about her determined movements caused his plan to crumble to the ground. Within moments he'd forgotten what he was supposed to do, to say. There was only her and her beauty.

The same could not be said for her. Although her cheeks began to flush and her gaze flitted back and forth between her shoes and Izuku's equally-reddened face, she managed to speak. "I've - been thinking about a lot of things lately," she began, softly, scarcely heard over the beating of their own hearts.

This struck a chord within him. Typically, things like that did not bode well. Rather, they almost always seemed to cumulate into the end of something, or the beginning of something worse than what was once previously available. A shiver slithered across his spine. Now he wouldn't have his chance. She was going to say that she no longer wanted to spend time with him, wasn't she? She'd explain how he was boring, how he was useless, how Deku really did mean fruitless and nothing else, only disappointment and lost promises, forgotten love and wasted days. She would leave him and find someone better, stronger, more capable of providing her all the love that she needed, that she deserved. This would be her final moments with him.

"Izuku..."

Here it came.

"...I really like you."

The ice encased around his heart was immediately shattered by her silky, chivalrous statement, a single welcomed blow to the aches and pains beginning to spread presumptuously throughout his body, destroyed the clock in his mind that had waited, wondering, counting down the minutes and seconds and milliseconds before she would tell him she no longer thought of him the same. But she did. She thought all of it and more. And without even knowing precisely what was occurring, without being fully aware of his feelings or movements or actions or appearance, the blush had spread across his face, forming a butterfly across his cheeks and nose, and he was taking another step towards her, wide-eyed and nervous, mirroring her expression perfectly.

Before he could continue she stole the opportunity. "I - I know you might not feel the same. But I thought -"

"- I do," he murmured back, a small smile spreading across his lips as he watched the same sight bloom across her own face, gentle and graceful, generating goddess-like gorgeousness along the face of what was already an angel. "I like you, [y/n]. I've been meaning to tell you, but I didn't know..."

"I didn't know how you'd react, either," she murmured, a giggle escaping her. "I mean, I felt it was all unspoken, but I wanted to make sure you knew."

Oh, he knew. He knew with all his heart, mind, body, and soul, with every last millimeter of his frame and every movement of his figure. He knew he was in love and she was in love and they were in love and greatest wish had just been granted.

The elation he experienced that day never seemed to leave in the next week or so. The time they spent together increased exponentially, now accompanied by cuddling, hand-holding, attempting to sit as close to one another as possible no matter when or where or why, passing notes during the most dragged-out of classes, hugging and remaining in embraces, never wanting to let go. Never wanting to let go of each other, nor their time, nor their experiences, nor their love. The strings of fate had intertwined and wrapped them up together in their own cocoon of young, flourishing fondness.

Love was in full-swing of early spring blossoming one morning, where, as per usual, Izuku waited outside her house, backpack slung over his shoulder and uniform feeling heavy against the beginning of the sun's heat, knocking on the door and lightly lingering for her to appear on her porch. It had become a bit of a tradition for him to walk her to school. So, of course, even though she'd requested to leave earlier than usual to turn in a bit of extra credit, he still came. The timing was almost precisely like that of their first encounter, all those days ago, where they had spotted one another early, outside the school, hours before it began. Of course, he didn't really presume that hours were needed simply to turn in a spare assignment or two, but often she'd surprise him with a gift, or take him to one beautiful nature reserve or garden or another, and spend her time walking with him, sparking up small talk and enjoying the outdoors in his presence.

Moments later she arrived, looking somewhat harried but nonetheless happy, smiling widely at the sight of him. "Thanks for coming," she nodded, taking his hand and beginning to stroll down the sidewalk. "I'm sorry it's so early. But," she broke off, humming for a moment as Izuku paused to readjust his bookbag, "since it's still early spring, and everything's begging to bloom, I figured we could go to a plant nursery. It's one of the first places I went when I moved here, and everything's so calm and peaceful. I think you'll enjoy it."

Izuku grinned. "I enjoy everything with you," he murmured, tilting his head to the side before blushing and looking away at his own remark.

She laughed. "Me too."

Much like they usually did, their walking continued in relative silence, occasional smalltalk breaking the air but otherwise enjoying the peacefulness of the early spring day, admiring the neighborhoods and houses along their path. Even if the other had nothing else to say, his previous comment was true - silence was beautiful and fascinating with her.

"It's just a ways past school, so I was thinking I could drop my stuff off first?" she inquired after awhile, as they neared the building.

He nodded. "Of course. I may as well do the same; my backpack seems to get heavier with every passing week."

"Because you never clean out your folder," she chuckled, poking his cheek playfully, "and you've always got an extra sketchbook and notebook with you."

Her laughter was infectious. "Yeah, I suppose so. But I'm not parting with any of it. I want to treasure all my memories made here, especially with you."

In a split second she'd spun around, starting, startled by something Izuku didn't, couldn't see, despite turning with her and craning his neck, straining his senses for any sign of what had stunned her. But he couldn't find anything. "[Y/n], what's going on?" he breathed.

"I - I don't know," she relayed, "but something made my music...change. I don't think I've ever heard this song before..." and then she trailed off, reaching for Izuku's hand and digging her nails into it harder than she realized, stumbling back and gaping, pointedly, at something.

And this time Izuku saw it.

Out of the corner of his eye, just beyond a turn outside the angular school, the grasses brushed and parted, revealing an all-too-familiar figure.

Greasy, tousled sky-blue hair fell in an uncoordinated manner down a pale, porcelain face, obscured by a gloved hand, a black coat partially shading the rest of him from sight, but failing to do so entirely. Besides - someone like that, Izuku would never forget.

[Y/n] wouldn't know him. After all, she hadn't yet arrived at U.A. before the attack on the U.S.J.'s plaza. Hadn't seen his strength, his intellect, his touch of putrefaction and how it could melt skin and muscle and bone.

Hadn't ever fought Tomura Shigaraki.

"Run," Izuku whispered, frantically, tugging on her arm and speeding off in the opposite direction.

Frightened, she followed, cautiously casting glances behind her shoulder to ensure they weren't being followed. Her heart was racing in her chest, faster than her legs could pump, drowning out the crescendo of orchestral drama playing in her mind, her quirk on overdrive, blaring trumpets and flutes and making a ruckus, projecting warning signs as clear as day. And yet even as they ran, the song did not change. Nothing changed. It still remained as loud and sinister as it had been the first time she'd seen him. He must've been a villain. But how had he gotten there? How had he surpassed the barriers? Who was he?

This was suddenly interrupted when her song went dead silent.

She stopped, panting, falling to her knees and gasping for air, just a yard behind Izuku, who paused as well, sensing her tiredness. They'd strayed far off campus grounds. What felt like miles. What may have been miles. Surely they'd lost him. After all, he hadn't seen them; couldn't have seen them.

And then a touch.

Soft and gentle and slow, tracing across the side of her head, running from her forehead across her ear and her neck, down to her shoulder.

And then Izuku screamed.

Pain, unimaginable agony, began to prick her skin, plucking it apart, cutting deep into it and growing, swelling, bursting, just like the abrupt return of the music in her head, dark and slow, feeling like decades passed with every second, tearing her flesh from her bones and vanishing her skin, her muscle, reaching deep within her body and roaring as it ravaged her, knives stabbing across her body and revolvers firing, breaking her skin and her shape and her song.

Her song.

She was screaming now, raw and primal, the cry of an animal slowly dying at its hunter's pleasure, ripping up her throat and burning against her already-injured neck, chin, cheek, face, the world spinning and falling apart just as she was, drowning out all noise except that of Izuku, and something like a battle, and oh god no no no no no.

She could only hear from one ear now.

Her song was slowly decaying, just like her body, just like her ear. If it was gone...she couldn't fight. Not with the decay spreading deeper and deeper, burrowing into her torso like termites to a tree, worming around and wrecking her insides; not when the only thing she could concentrate on was her quirk. And that, too, was no longer functioning properly.

Breathe breathe breathe breathe breathe. Focus on the song. She could still hear it, faint and vicious, villainous and hateful and swollen with prideful rage. Barely, just barely, she felt around, searching for the right chord to pull, the right music to start up in rebellion.

Nothing was coming.

Her body was breaking.

She couldn't see a thing now.

The world was crumbling in on itself.

And so she made her song just as broken.

She changed none of the instruments. Instead, she reserved every twinge of pain, every appearance of agony, and with every passing second she transferred them from her body to her mind, focusing on instrument after instrument, shattering their strings and their necks and their bodies, breaking them, one by one, watching them recoil and die, soundless now, the song falling sideways on its own scraping composition.

And then she was falling sideways on her own scraping composition, hitting the ground and breaking, blackness overtaking her.

There were no more instruments left to destroy.

The first thing she saw was Izuku. He was hunched over in a chair, sleeping, fluffy hair falling in cute clumps across his round face, framing his eyelashes and his peaceful face, a small, soft snore escaping his chest as it rise and fell. His arms were in casts, and bandages were thrown all around him, here and there and everywhere, as if nearly his entire body had been ravaged.

And then she remembered.

Tears grew hot in her eyes and she tore her gaze from him. Instead, she slowly, steadily began to move her arm, only to be racked with pain, stinging like it was ablaze. She tried the other - this one worked fine. She reached to the side of her face, and felt, with an ever-present feeling of horror, that over half of it was encased in hardened bandages, running from her forehead all the way across the side of her body, reaching her lower thigh before disappearing into unscathed flesh.

The only thing keeping her from screaming was the fact that her music had returned.

It was soft. Peaceful, even, the calm after a storm, the dawn after the darkness. Simple wind instruments and the occasional violin, playing lightly, a tune of restoration and romance, like something at the end credits of a romance film. This was the singular sound that reminded her she was alive, no matter the consequence, and Izuku was here, with her, battered but breathing.

Somehow this brought even more tears to her eyes, puffing her cheeks with redness and overflowing her lacrimal canals. Had she failed? Were Izuku's injuries because she was unable to do anything? Was she still really that inexperienced? That useless? That much of a failure that she couldn't even protect the ones she loved most?

Her train of thought was interrupted by the curtain to her small room being drawn back, revealing a small frame moving towards her. Recovery Girl?

"Ah, you're awake," she remarked, a small, rare smile spreading across her face. "Good morning, Ms. [l/n]."

When [y/n] spoke, her voice was hoarse from lack of use, and each word took pains to choke out. "Is - is everyone okay?"

The nurse nodded. "Luckily for the two of you, the teachers happened to be in a meeting. They heard the ruckus you were making and managed to shut the villain down. Just a few minor injuries among staff. Of course, Midoriya overexerted himself as always..." she broke off with a sigh. "I'm glad you were there. Apparently you dealt some major damage before passing out. Without you, chances are Midoriya would've done something even more reckless."

Though her tone was admonishing, [y/n] could tell she was glad for their presence, even if it had inadvertently led to a fullblown battle. Something like relief was laced between her words.

"Alright, dear, I'm off. You may need another night before heading home, but I'll check on you again later. I've got some poor sap with burns all over." And with that, she left.

Only a second passed before Izuku jolted awake, hitting his head against the wall behind him and wincing, but pausing as soon as he noticed her opened eyes. "[Y/n]...!" His voice was coated with joy, reprieve, excitement, love. "D - does it hurt? Do you need me to get Recovery Girl? What can I do to help?" His anxiousness seemingly sparked after noticing the tears streaming down her face.

She shook her head. "No...please, just stay with me," she whispered, wiping at her face with her uninjured hand. "I need to see you - t...to know you're okay..."

Something like sadness spread across his face. "I'm fine," he murmured, a remorseful smile spreading across his lips. "I'm safe because of you. And now that you're up, I'm better than ever."

"You still...you're hurt."

He paused. "I wanted to stop you from getting hurt, and I guess..." he chuckled. "Well, you know how it goes. I do everything a little bit too much. I'm still not perfect at controlling it."

Something about his self-degrading humor but overall pleasant attitude about the awful occurrence made her feel more at ease. Not perfect, but at least less self-loathing, less useless, less of a failure. She could see nothing but admiration in his eyes, and she knew, undoubtedly, that he saw the same in hers. And she, too, was better than ever, as she used her spare arm to prop her up and lean into him, an armless embrace, her head against his chest, listening to the most beautiful song of them all, his heartbeat. He buried his nose in her hair, breathing her in, feeling her movements against him, knowing that she was alright, would be alright, despite it all. They remained like that for minutes upon minutes, safe against each other, reminding one another that they were still breathing, injured but alive, hurting but victorious.

"I love you," she whispered into him.

His heart fluttered, beating a million times faster than before, and she heard it, she felt it, and her heart, unbeknownst to him, was doing the exact same. The violins were sweetly rising, the piano playing in a high major key, sweet and loud and growing with every passing moment.

"I love you, too."

She lifted her head from his chest, slowly, as though it pained her to part, but then supported herself by her fingertips, raising her head higher, until their faces were almost even as he hunched down to meet her. She felt his breath, warm and even, comfortable, against her face, and she closed her eyes. The chorus burst out with joy, butterflies and flowers and all pure and good blooming throughout her mind as his lips met hers, supple and sweet and tasting like home, like belonging, like love in its true form.

Yes. They were better than ever.

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naominorbez · 7 years

Text

[redacted] Life: End State Postmortem

[redacted] Life: End State is a game I made for the 2017 Summer Novel Festival, and a fangame of @katy-133 ‘s [redacted] Life.

This is gonna contain SPOILERS for both End State and the original [redacted] Life. Go play them first before reading.

Also, End State explores trauma and recovery, which will be dicussed in detail below.

And awwway we go~!

(Postmortem is pretty fitting considering what happens at the end of the game. Anyway.)

First off, I didn’t set out making ghosts.exe at all. I originally planned just to end the epilogue I wrote; I’d been pondering whether to write or draw it for a while, and was more inclined to writing it (especially after the injury in my hands this summer). And since we’re in the season of SuNoFes, I thought I might as well put it all in Twine, like I did with Three Guys That Paint: Homestretch.

As I was replaying the original [redacted] Life again a few weeks ago (because I was stuck on a scene with Adrian and Hanna), I was re-introduced to Clara and Simon as characters, and the idea faucet in my mind went full blast. I’d wanted to explore Hanna and Adrian’s trauma and recovery process a bit in my epilogue, but replaying the game made me realize that there was more to explore than just the two main characters. Why was Clara so angry? And who was Simon; why was he important? He’s the only scientist in the game mentioned by name, after all.

The Clara fic came first, and the Simon one naturally followed. I also wanted to write a third ghost for Tirle, but it did NOT want to get written, which was fine because this piece isn’t about them. But also a shame because I really like Tirle, and would like to explore them more in the future, if the right idea comes along.

Originally I wavered on whether to put a third ghost to tie everything together (this one was the toughest one to write and probably took the longest) but I knew it would complete the story so I decided to do it. You also might have noticed the ghosts were named after the spirits from A Christmas Carol: Past, Present, and Yet To Come.

In the last ghost, I wanted to explore trauma from the position of the victim and one who took part in hurting them, and explain that bad things do not make a person impossibly evil, BUT the bad things they did shouldn’t be ignored b/c they still hurt someone, AND there is alway hope for change. Recovery is a process and requires work, and change is super tough, but it’s worth pursuing.

I’ve been exploring trauma in my fiction a lot recently, especially in my long-term novel (if you’re a friend, feel free to ask me about it sometime). I also like multi-faceted villains and was inspired by this post here (great post--read it). I liked the idea that Adrian and Clara’s trauma stems from similar roots, and that they could learn from each other. I didn’t want Adrian to ignore the fact that he was almost KILLED by Clara, but I wanted him to see her actions as a cry for help, and CHOOSE to try and help nonetheless. Which is a tough choice to make--not everyone can/should make that choice, but my Adrian did.

I can only hope all of this came through in the final fic.

I also pondered whether or not to explore Adrian and Hanna’s lives in detail (state their ages, where they live, etc), but I eventually decided that writing about their trauma and recovery was more important than whether or not they’re in college or whatever, so I kept it vague, with a few details here and there (mostly inferred from the original). My headcannon is that Adrian has a college degree/minor in medieval art history, and that he and Hanna watch/riff anime from time to time. Renissance Fairs/Festivals (which are a thing in the U.S) probably make him nerd out big time, kinda like me and birds, except he's likely very knowledgeable on medieval things. He either loves or hates the video game Catherine. They won’t watch Madoka Magica again.

The one big story thing I added was the class-action lawsuit aginst [redacted] Life. How did it happen? In my mind, [redacted] Life decided to beta test again sometime later when they thought their technology was ready, but the conscious play system kept players asleep. Some of those players sued, and Adrian and Hanna, as former beta testers, were contacted and asked if they wanted to be a part of it. They both deliberated it for a while, and eventually signed on.

Also, when I started writing this, I remember thinking, “Hanna and Adrian’s gonna be totally platonic. We need more strong platonic friendships between male and female characters.” As I wrote the final ghost, I said to myself, “. . . Actually, I can totally see this romance happening.” Whether it’s platonic or romantic is up to you; I can see it both ways, and I can also see it going wrong or blooming into a healthy friendship.

Btw, this was supposed to be my first real venture into Twine 2! But the code for ghosts.exe wouldn’t work in Twine 2 the way I wanted, so I made the first part in Twine 2, and ghosts.exe in Twine 1. It worked out great in the end. I wanted to draw some art for these games, but I decided not to because of my hands. Perhaps another time.

I listened to a lot of Bastille while writing this (their Wild World album fits these characters very well, I think), as well as jazz singers from the mid-1900s. Clara comes across to me as very Manhattan by Blossom Dearie when remembering Milo (note the “toy” line midway through). Also, side note: jazz singers from the mid-1900s are one of my favorite comment sections on Youtube--it’s all very peaceful and nostalgic.

Aaand that’s about it, I think! The story of how what was meant to be a short part 2 to an epilogue became a project with a word count of OVER 9000! I had a lot of fun making this game, and I hope you enjoyed it too. Thanks for reading!

#visual novel #sunofes #writing #indie game #fangame #my work #my games #redacted life #katy-133

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imfuckingcringing · 7 years

Text

me relating to lyrics #1 (spring day bts)

me being sad and relating to lyrics

I miss you When I say that, I miss you more my old friend hates me, but i'll always miss them even if we don't talk. it hurts to say it but i miss them

I’m looking at your photo But I still miss you i wish i could get feel happy looking at a picture of you because we aren't the same and you hate me without feeling sad. i hate that i can't get through this. i miss you.

Time is so cruel I hate us i hate how we hate each other and our relationship and how it's ruined and that we're no longer friends. why at this time when both of us already felt depressed?

Now it’s hard to even see each other’s faces i can't look at you without tearing up and looking away, vice versa.

It’s only winter here Even in August, winter is here everything is numb, just like it would be in winter.

My heart makes time run Like a Snowpiercer left alone my heart is beating rapidly and i hate it because it beats like this when you're around, i'm scared you're now judging me.

I wanna hold your hand And go to the other side of the earth To end this winter i want to reconnect with you and be friends again, i want to end this numbness and hate between us. i want to be friends.

How much longing has to fall like snow For the spring days to come? Friend how much pain do we have to go through until we are friends again?

Like a small piece Of dust That floats in the air If the flying snow is me I could Reach you faster if i was one of your friends you actually liked , then i'd be able to reach out to you.

Snowflakes are falling Getting farther away this winter we spent together is leaving and we're not friends anymore, our friendship is leaving because you hate me.

I miss you (I miss you) I miss you (I miss you) i fucking miss you.

How much more do I have to wait? How many more nights do I have to stay up? why can't i talk to you? why do i stay up waiting for you to somehow speak to me?

Until I can see you? (until I can see you?) Until I can meet you? (until I can meet you?) how long do i wait until i see my old friend?

Past the end of this cold winter Until the spring comes again Until the flowers bloom again Stay there a little longer Stay there wait for this shit between us to be over and fucking let our friendship start again.

Did you change? (Did you change?) Or did I change? (Did I change?) who changed? what happened to us so that we can't stand each other now?

I hate even this moment that is passing I guess we changed I guess that’s how everything is i hate that i have to be without you, you were my friend. we changed into something we hate about each other and we can't change it.

Yeah I hate you Although you left There hasn’t been a day that I have forgotten you i thought about you everyday since it's happened and i still do, you left me without explanation and i hate you.

Honestly, I miss you But now I’ll erase you i'll forget about you and move on even if i miss you.

Because that will hurt less than blaming you forgetting everything between us happened would make me feel better than blaming you, because if i blame you, i'd be thinking about you.

I'm blowing out the cold you Like smoke, like white smoke i'm pushing you away, i don't want you to suffer anymore with me.

I say that I’m gonna erase you But actually, I still can’t let you go I promised myself I'd forget about you but i still miss the living fucking shit out of you

You know it all You’re my best friend i still fucking think of you as my friend and you know you fucking know how i feel The morning will come again Because no darkness, No season Can last forever i'll be feeling better later because my hate towards you can never end, even if i feel like it'll never end.

Cherry blossoms are blooming The winter is ending me being close to you isn't a thing anymore. we're going our separate ways. i hope you're happy

I miss you (I miss you) I miss you (I miss you) i miss you so much

If I wait a little longer (if I wait) If I stay up a few more nights it'll all be worth it I’ll go see you (I’ll go see you) I’ll go pick you up (I’ll go pick you up) if you forgive me, i'd gladly be friends with you again

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nationalpark-rp · 6 years

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Hello, friends! It’s so wonderful to see you here again. With winter nearly over, the seasons are struggling in transition. From cold to warmth, white to green, this time of year is a time for new beginnings. Just look at those buds! Their blooms are right around the corner, soon to be the prettiest blossoms in all the land!

And you, my friends, are those blossoms. Take off those coats and show the beauty within! Valentine’s is upon us!

This year’s event is shiny and full of love and friendship. A wise unicorn once said, “Friendship is magic,” and I wholeheartedly agree. Where would we be without it? Even the lonely Cyrus has friends, even if he is loath to admit it.

Let’s explore our feelings! Let’s start this event!

THIS EVENT COMES IN THREE PARTS.

The first is a blind date. The second is a valentine exchange. The third is a shiny Pokemon raffle.

Continue reading to find out more about it! It’s going to be big!

A BLIND DATE EVENT:

We all have friend who knows a friend who knows someone who’s single. “They’ll be perfect for you!” they say, without really understanding that chemistry sometimes isn’t all that easy. But you agree, because hey, you’re not getting any younger, and it might be worth a shot. Maybe, anyway.

This event is just like that, but better. Instead of being limited to strictly romantic dates, this Blind Date event can purely be platonic.

Sign-ups for this event start today, February 1st, and last until Sunday, February 11th. If you have more than one character, please state which characters you’d like to enter.

Please submit your names to DJ Mary’s blog.

The blind date event is a mini RP prompt event! While you do not have to write lengthy replies, one-liners are not allowed. Icons and emotions are highly encouraged.

These threads do not have to be canon.

Once your character’s name has been submitted, we will randomize the participants and pair them together. On Monday, February 12th we will post a list of all RP partners as well as their RP prompt.

This event can be either romantic or platonic.

All prompts will take place in Kalos, namely in the city of love and lights, Lumiose City. We will give your characters a place to meet up, and the rest is up to you.

Characters who are minors may not participate in a romantic date unless they are paired up with another minor. Threads with paired adults and minors are only allowed to write platonic threads.

There is no end date to this event! You are free to write these threads as long as you wish.

For the past two years, we at the National Park have done something called a Valentine’s exchange. I’m sure you’re all familiar with DJ Mary’s horrible luck with delivery services. From last year’s Dragonite delivery company to the previous year’s pudgy Pidgey, there seems to be no end to the misfortune that comes to our lovingly hand-crafted Valentine’s!

That’s why, for this year’s Valentine exchange, Mary has opted to use the #1 delivery service in the world: the Prestige Pidgeot Crew. They’re backed by both Silph Co. and the Devon Corporation, and the Poke Ball factory uses them for transporting their goods. It’s the best choice!

...but as vigilant as DJ Mary’s newest delivery service Pokemon are, not even the Prestige Pidgeot Crew can keep a close eye on everything. It would seem that the mailbags carrying the Valentines have all been compromised by someone who loathes love and friendship!

What this means is that every Valentine we receive will be sent to the wrong person.

Example:

Guzma sends Kukui a Valentine saying, “Shit, man, I fuckin’ can’t live without ya. Christ. Where th’ fuck ya been?”

Maxie sends Giovanni a Valentine expressing his deepest desires, most of them involving a certain rambunctious pirate.

On Valentine’s Day, Kukui will receive Maxie’s Valentine meant for Giovanni, while Giovanni will receive Guzma’s Valentine meant for Kukui. I can only imagine everyone’s delight as a result.

VALENTINE’S EXCHANGE RULES:

Sign-ups for the event will remain open for thirteen (13) days, from today, February 1st until Tuesday, February 13th.

To take part in this event, simply submit a Valentine to DJ Mary via her blog. Since asks contain a character limit—and because confessions of the heart shouldn’t be limited by anything—please use DJ Mary’s submission box to send in your Valentines.

In your Valentine submission(s), please fill in a “SENDER” field, a “RECIPIENT” field, and a “CONTENTS” field. If you wish to send out a Valentine, but you would also like to remain anonymous IC-ly, make sure to include that detail in the Valentine form. While it will be known OOC-ly who send which message, we won’t force characters to reveal themselves in the RP world.

Valentines do not necessarily have to be ‘loving’ and mushy. They can just as well be platonic, or joking, or downright insulting and completely against the spirit of Valentine’s. There is absolutely no need to limit yourself to pink hearts and declarations of love.

You do not need to send a Valentine in order to also receive one.

You do not need to tell us who you want to erroneously receive your Valentine. We will be picking who receives which Valentine based on the pool of legitimate recipient names we end up with, as per the example above.

Regardless of whether or not you decide to send in a Valentine or not, please make sure that you are following DJ Mary.

On Valentine’s Day (February 14th), we will post all the Valentines to each character’s blog. We will state which character sent it, but not who the actual recipient was supposed to be. We’ll let you guess for yourselves~

Even if you didn’t personally send one, you may still find yourself on the receiving end of a very special card…

Once all of the Valentines have been distributed, whatever you decide to do with the resulting mayhem is up to you.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! A SHINY POKEMON RAFFLE !

Do you have no-one to send a Valentine to? Do you scoff at the idea of true love? Do you covet shiny Pokémon instead of all this mushy stuff? If so, you are in luck!

DJ Mary has once again teamed up with the Pokémon Adoption Agency in order to give these needy creatures a loving home. And what better way to do that than as huge a publicity stunt as a Valentine’s Day raffle event?

Sign-ups for the raffle will be open from today, February 1st until Tuesday, February 13th.

To add your character’s name to the raffle, send DJ Mary an ask requesting to join in on the Valentine’s Day Raffle event.

If you have more than one character simply state which character(s) you’d like to sign up for the raffle. There is no character limit.

On Valentine’s Day (February 14th), DJ Mary will draw out four (4) random names and announce the winners. The first three (3) lucky winners will be granted their pick of one (1) shiny Pokémon of the following three types: Normal, Psychic, or Fairy. The fourth winner will receive a non-shiny Pokémon as a consolation prize.

Whew! That’s a lot to take in! But just as equally fun, too. Get to it, everyone!

~ lots of love from Manectric- and Meowth-mod

#natpark events

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tannerlansky1-blog · 6 years

Text

Blog #10

Questions for Geisha

1. Today’s Japan is very much like the West. The Japanese wear jeans and T-shirts, listen to Hip Hop, dance at the club to the dance music, sit on the couch, etc. In modern Japan, geisha in Kyoto Gion district symbolize the old, traditional Japan. What kind of arts and lifestyle of traditional Japan does geisha, “a person of art,” maintain and practice?

Geisha practice traditional art and hospitality and play music and dance. They also partake in witty conversations and participate in party games. They will typically wear a rich kimono and fancy jewelry.

2. Considering Bigaku, the Japanese sense of aware means “people are aware of the beauty of full blossoms, of course, but are more touched and deeply moved when these blooms are falling or beginning to wilt” (p.37). Can you find a moment in which you can relate to this Japanese aware in your life? Describe your example and experience. Explain the reasons why you think so. 3. Comparing with the other Japanese films we have watched in this class, in Memoirs of Geisha, do you think it lost ma or aware because they speak English? Why? Why not? Explain the reasons why you think so.

I do not think the movie lost its ma or aware because they spoke English. Maybe it did a little bit because sometimes you can lose emotions or true intent when translating from Japanese to English. However, for this movie, I think speaking English did not take away from the movies underlying intent. If it was originally written or spoken in Japanese and translated to English I feel it may have lost its sense of aware but since it was written and spoke in English it had its full intent. I cannot remember a specific moment were I can picture Bigaku taking place, however, throughout my whole life everyone tells you to look at things different ways. So in a sense, I could definitely see the full beauty of something dying (flower wilting) just as if it was in full blossom.

4. Considering Kisetsu, are there any events (e.g. Tanabata, Omisoka, etc) where you appreciate Kisetsu in the U.S.? Find one and explain what it is. If you were Japanese, how would you enjoy the events differently from Americans.

There is definitely a sense of kisetsu in the U.S although it is not as prominent in the U.S as it may be in Japan. Japan has more of a spiritual connection with the seasons whereas, in the U.S. Some people do not even experience different seasons, like California or Florida. And places that do experience seasons normally complain about the weather that the season brings. For example, Ohioans during winter complaining about too much snowfall. However, places still celebrate the changing of the seasons. My hometown in Independence host festivals like Fall Fest and Winter Fest although this is mostly just to gather with family and friends and enjoy free entertainment and food.

5. Considering Otogibanashi, in the film, can you discover “sense of emotional beauty, of a feeling of aware, which embodied in feelings such as patience and pity” (p.172). Describe the film and explain why you think so.

This can be seen throughout Sayuri’s life as becoming a geisha. Even though there were many drawbacks, Sayuri was patient when it came to her learning and understanding what it is to be a geisha. Her journey was also not very pleasant and was full of suffering and pain, both physically and mentally.

6. Explain Wabi-Sabi with your own words. Compare the sense of aesthetics in your country with the notion of Wabi-Sabi in Japan.

Wabi-Sabi is the simplicity and elegance of beauty. Japan’s sense of aesthetics is simple and beautiful. Whereas in America, I feel that our sense of Aesthetics is usually deep and intricate. In America we are always trying to be different from one another and are always changing the “norms”. In Japan, I feel like there is always a sense of the old world in everything that is done in Japan.

7. In the film, what scenes do you see Wabi-Sabi? Describe the scenes and explain why you think so.

Wabi-Sabi could be seen when the women are seen entertaining the men. Through the movements and style of the music and dancing, there was simplicity and elegance in the practice of the arts.

8. Movie- how did Hatsumomo end up? What is the relationship between Sayuri and Chairman at the end? Do you think Sayuri is happy about the her life or not? Why do you think so?

Hatsumomo ended up in a downward spiral and became an alcoholic. This caused her to get into a fight and ruin her chances of becoming a geisha. She eventually became a prostitute and drank herself to death. The chairman is still Sayuri’s danna. I believe she is ultimately happy, however, I feel like she believes things should have been different for her to get where she is. She had to deceive and hurt other people in order for herself to live a life that she wanted. Although, Sayuri’s goal was to get the chairman as her danna and that is what she got.

9. Movie-Who did Okaasan (mother) adopt? What do you think Pumpkin’s life?

Okaasan adopted Sayuri instead of Pumpkin. Pumpkin’s situation was sad. Since mother decided to adopt Sayuri instead of Pumpkin, it ruined Sayuri and Pumpkin’s friendship and Pumpkin was eventually thrown out of Mother’s house. Pumpkin became homeless and needed help finding work and wanted to come back to the okiya but mother did not want her back.

10. What Japanese key concepts that we have learned did you see in this film? Explain why you think so.

Wabi-Sabi, and Bigaku. Everytime we see the geisha performing for their clients, we can see the simplicity and beauty in not only what they are doing but in the movements and the way they talk and act.

11. What do you think about the movie overall? Share your personal opinions.

I thought the movie was ok. The plot was decent and the acting was good. The movie seemed to drag on a bit, however, it was still a good movie. I felt the movie was educational and portrayed some of the terms very well.

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akaashirabu · 7 years

Text

NCT SEASONS SERIES #1 'that spring, the cherry blossoms bloomed'

SPRING | nct seasons series #1

*cherry blossoms - represents the fragility and the beauty of life.

word count : 1218 words

2018 March

He looked up and watched as the wind blew. He was reaching for the sky when a cherry blossom landed at the palm of his hand.

"Was it already spring again?" He sighed. Spring used to be his favorite season but ever since the day she left it only brings back the bitter memories.

Walking on a sidewalk of Cherry Blossom trees is not helping at all. Why did it have to be the only way to go to school? He asked himself.

Looking straight ahead, Chenle was caught in a daze. What got his attention was a head full of vibrant purple hair. He immediately stopped at his tracks when he made eye contact with her. Chenle thinks his eyes are deceiving him but then he looked closely and he just can't ignore the flood of memories going through his vision.

*flashback 2008 March

"Lele, come on you're so slow! We're going to be late" She complained.

"I don't really get why we have to be early" he in return groaned.

"I told you! We need to get the first ever copy of my favorite console game"

"Can you just get it without me?"

"NO" she started to pull Chenle with her. She's as stubborn as ever.

Rushing to the entrance and being the clumsy girl she is, she didn't noticed the door needs to be pulled and in the end she collided with it.

Chenle's dolphin laugh can be heard.

"Ha ha very funny" she glared at him.

Nevertheless, she still gives the most beautiful eyes smiles. She cheers him up when he's down. She's there whenever he needed him. She was his best friend.

Not until a day on March 2013...

"No no no, don't leave me" His screams can be heard.

Chenle woke up, sweat pooling on his shirt. It was all a dream.

He looked at the clock and it was 5:00am, 3 hours before school.

He shrugged away the thoughts of the dream and decided to get ready for school early.

As he was standing outside the gate of their house, he can't help but stare at the house next door.

Something's not right.

Maybe it was just his imagination though. Chenle walked to school and was greeted by his friends immediately.

"Hey you're early today" Jisung says.

"Naah just woke up a little early" he answered.

They then proceeded to their first class together.

A few minutes before their teacher comes, Chenle looked around only to see her desk still empty. That was weird, she never gets late for class.

"Hey Renjun, have you seen Y/N?" Chenle asked.

"Y/N? Wait, didn't you know?" Renjun replied.

"Didn't Know what?" Chenle asked with confused eyes.

"Well, Y/N's uhm..she's..." Renjun was about to say but was cut off by Jisung. "She's leaving the town with her family"

"WHAT!" Chenle yelled.

Renjun and Jisung received a slap on the arm from Haechan.

"He wasn't suppose to know" Haechan hissed.

"He's gonna found out about it sooner or later anyway" Jisung says.

"Why didn't you guys tell me?!?" Chenle cried.

"She didn't want us to tell you" Haechan replied.

"Then why the heck didn't she tell it to me, ugh screw you guys" He says and stormed off the classroom.

"Hey the class is about to start" Renjun yelled at him but to no avail, Chenle didn't care.

He ran all the way back home only stopping when he's already in front of her house's gate.

He rang the doorbell only to be answered by no one. He looked around and only a sign that says "For Sale" was left to be seen.

Chenle sat at the pavement, ruffling his hair.

"Why didn't she told me?" he asked himself. "Was our friendship not important to her at all?"

*end of flashback

5 years later he sees her again and now he's standing right in front of her but she didn't seem to notice and continues to play her guitar even though they'd already had eye contact.

"Did she already forgot about me when I never once forgot about her at all" Chenle thought to himself.

He walks near her but was startled when he heard a loud bark. Chenle didn't notice a dog was beside her. She was then alerted, patting the dog on the head to let it calm.

"Uhm who's there?" she asked.

Chenle was puzzled. Why was she asking that if he was literally in front her. Maybe she did forget about him already.

He cleared his throat and answers "uhm Hi there, I think you already forgot about me but it's me, Chenle uhm from your old neighborhood?"

She didn't say anything and Chenle was surprised, confused rather when he saw tears fell down her face.

"Hey hey, why are you crying? Did I do something wrong?"

She shakes her head, meaning to say no.

Chenle stared at her and then everything clicked. He placed her hand in front of her face, waved it left and right and just then his assumptions were right.

"I didn't forgot about you...I would never...I just...I" she stutters as she cries.

Chenle can't help but cry too as he reached out to hug her.

"I'm sorry Lele, I'm sorry" she whispers.

"No it's okay, don't cry please, I don't want you crying" he says, wiping her tears with his thumb.

They were silent for about ten minutes when finally she decided to break the ice.

"If you were wondering, I can still remember your voice and how you looked like from before" she said. "How were the others? Renjun? Jisung? Donghyuck?" she added.

Chenle didn't answered her question, he knew he had to ask her. "Why didn't you told me you were leaving?"

She was then speechless for a moment but she also knew she needed to tell him.

"I was immature back then. I didn't want to leave but I had no choice, I didn't want to say goodbye so I left it just like that, I was scared. I'm sorry I didn't tell you Lele" she said, tears falling from her eyes again. "I've missed you so much Lele"

"I've missed you too Y/N" he says.

She told her everything, that her family left because her father needs to work in another country because their business was already bankrupt and a year after her parents got divorced and then she started having the symptoms and 2 months more she went blind and there was nothing to do to cure it.

"At first I was so depressed for I could not see how beautiful the world is anymore but the thought of not seeing how my friends will turn out scared me the most" she says.

Chenle gave her a hug. "Ssshh you don't have to worry anymore, it's going to be okay. I'm here now and I won't ever let you leave me again" he says.

She can't help but cry again, hearing what he just said.

"And as your best friend, I'll never leave your side and be your eyes" he added. She gave a nod and smiled. "Thank you lele"

"Promise me you'll never leave again?" he asked.

"I Promise..."

Two friends sat on a bench as the wind blew passed them. That spring day, the cherry blossoms bloomed, again.

#nct #nctu #nct127 #nctdream #kpop #oneshots #nctseasonsseries #series #fanfiction #chenle #zhongchenle #spring #cherryblossoms

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