Before anyone attacks me, I want to clarify something. Timing will be different here from the Free! anime timeline. Just so you know.
(Play Music above) Song for chapter– Perfect by Ed Sheeran
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I had always been the girl who had bloody knuckles and pain plaguing her life. I wasn't given the luxury to relax or to be happy. I had to work for it. I had work for it just so that my parents would look at me. Being a burnt out golden child, I was seen as a disappoint. It wasn't my fault. Depression fucks you up. Trust me. It messes up your memory, makes you forget things. Never had I heard, "you've done well" All I needed was to hear that my efforts were enough. That I was enough. But I never was.
Maybe that's why I had started to develop the sadistic, dark side of mine. That's why I began to distance myself from everyone. Reason why I closed off myself. That was until you extended your hand to me. I still remember it. That day, it was warm. Summer it was when we met.
As usual I sat on the swings underneath the shade provided by the trees. Parents sat on the opposite benches as they watched their kids. Mine weren't there as they never were, due to their work. I was seven, maybe eight, when we met. I can't seem to remember my age but meeting you had given a ray of hope. Made my heart flutter like a butterfly.
Kids were afraid to approach me. I was alone. Parents, I overheard them many times, had warned their kids to be wary of me. To stay away. I don't blame them, I mean, who let their kids near someone who had a totally blank and cold expression painted in their faces. I had tried to give back one of their balls once but the kid just shouted and ran away crying. Their mother then scolded me and had pushed me away. A nickname. They had called me.
"Akuma!*"
I hadn't understood it or what it meant. But then I did. A devil. That's what it meant. Strange it was, calling a kid, barely ten, a devil. I was distant but I wasn't evil. It wasn't my fault that I had never been taught to rely on others. I never had that luxury. That was when I met you.
"Here."
I looked up from my feet as I sat on the swing at popsicle held before me. Then I looked a bit more up and saw the most beautiful red-maroon eyes I had ever seen. I had never seen eyes of that color before. They were beautiful. Full of life. Unlike mine. Mine were green yet I had dull eyes. Void of any brightness.
'He has pretty eyes.'
"You always sit here alone. Why don't you play with the others?" You said and pushed the popsicle towards me. I hesitantly took it and nodded my head as a thank you.
"Thanks...." I said softly as I munched on the popsicle.
"So, what's your name?" You sat beside me, on the swing and I looked at you as swung back and forth.
