𝕴𝖘𝖊𝖐𝖆𝖎 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚇 𝚃𝙱𝙷𝙺: ˢᵗᵒⁱᶜ

16.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ ᵖ ᵃ ˢ ᵗ ᶠʳᵃᵍᵐᵉⁿᵗ ᵖᵗ.2

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Another field of flowers with the sun painted too bright, it hurt my eyes just keeping them open. The sunlight spilled messily around the grass, giving his eyes the impression they were intricate, gentle, and fragile despite the darkness that clouded them.

Every single day, I felt my heart growing heavier each time I saw him. I couldn't tell whether he was glad, or upset by my dedication to our friendship. Was it even friendship? I didn't know, he didn't even trust me enough to show me his face. I didn't know, as I didn't know what true friendship meant.

I've told him countless times I wouldn't judge him, and our friendship wouldn't be severed in any way, but I suppose he just doesn't want to for an unknown reason. I respect him though.

"How many times have you fainted?" His voice rang in my ears. It didn't quite echo in the field, but left quite an impression on my ears. Same question.

Same question, for the thirtieth time.

'Shouldn't he have been counting if he was going to be asking me the same question every time we met in the fake realities I've created?'

"...I thought if you cared, you'd know already..."

I could swear the shadow beside me sighed heavily, or was it the wind slipping through the trees? Was it just me?

There was a lake, too nice and reflective, in front of us. He threw a pebble across the water, creating a soothing sound as the water made a plop! sound every time the pebble came into contact with the pond. I could only gaze at the ripples in pure admiration, taking in the beauty of my own painting.

Not every artist gets to experience their painting itself.

"...Things have been questionable at home. I'm growing tired everyday, I'm just losing the will to live, slowly," I mumbled. I glanced at him before laying down on my back, feeling the grass prick my skin as I stared up at the sun.

"It doesn't matter if I look at the sun here. No matter how long I look at it, I'll never go blind...so don't worry."

The shadow beside me coughed to ease the tension, twirling a black- or was it white- rose in his fingers before throwing it away into the pond. 'That was inconsiderate, surprisingly.'

I sighed at his lame attempt to make things feel any less heavier.

The rose created yet another subtle ripple on the water's surface, before floating in circles. The pond's clear blue intermixed with the yellowness of the dandelion. And soon enough, the blue swallowrd the dandelion whole and it was gone.

"Your world makes no sense," he whispered, voice barely audible. I snickered at how clueless he sounded. He wasn't even the slightest bit irritated.

"It wouldn't be fun if it was like the real world. The real world is shit, it's hell, it's..." I sighed.