Frozen Past (A Naruto FanFic/Gaara Love Story)

DISCLAIMER

To start things off, I'd just like to say that I have given serious consideration to simply deleting the chapter "Secrets and Lies" without warning and with no explanation. The amount of people who have commented (and sometimes it's their only comment on the story) about how ill-conceived and ill-fitting Akari's response is to finding out she's been adopted is that staggering to me.

Here's the thing: I wrote that chapter, and this entire story, over three years ago, alright? I was naive back then (not that I'm really all that more informed now, but I digress) and I provided her with a misguided opinion on the subject without giving it much thought. I'll cop to that much. I wrote the scene how you'd see it on TV, or in a dramatic movie, because that's all the reference I had at the time. I was not adopted, I have both my parents, and I was not and am not friends with anyone who has either lost both parents or been adopted in some way or another.

Now, I'm not trying to excuse myself here, I swear, but since I started getting these types of condemning comments, I've had time to think up a legitimate response.

While Akari's reaction might not be acceptable to many people (and I truly am sorry for anyone I've offended with this), who's to say it's not a reaction that other children in her position have had? Just because you yourself, or someone you know, was much more mature in this situation and simply reveled in the fact that they had someone who loved them, that is not the end-all, be-all of possible reactions.

Akari is twelve in this story. Her perception of the world is therefore limited. What she sees in this event is that she's been lied to. Yes, she overacts - I'm not trying to deny that she doesn't. But what kid doesn't overreact to at least something significant in their lives? Lord knows I bawled (unnecessarily) when I found out my dad lost his job, and that wasn't even all that long ago - certainly I was older than Akari is in this story.

Again, the fact that I've offended people is upsetting to me; that was never my intention. I wrote this scene for fucking plot purposes, okay? It was meant to be fucking dramatic and over the top and now I realize it came out stupid and improbable. I'm defending a few points of Akari's characterization here, but overall I'm agreeing this wasn't the "proper" way to handle things.

I'm sorry.

I'm still considering getting rid of this chapter - and even the whole fucking story because it is ripe with cliches and moronic plot points. It was my first fucking fanfiction, one of the first stories I ever finished.

Once again, I'm sorry, alright?