As Expected He Was More Warped Than Most
It started off simple enough. There he was, sitting on his chair in the club room, one eye closed and having a hard time with his homework. Yukinoshita looked up from her book and saw what he was doing.
"What... are you doing?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Confusion in her eyes. Ever since the Kawasaki request from a few days ago she had been treating him differently than usual. Her snide remarks towards had lessened considerably and she no longer looked at him like his very presence was going to make her vomit. Granted that was a slight exaggeration but not really that far from from the truth. At least from his perspective anyway. Why this was happening he did not know. Not that Hachiman minded. Perhaps she was no longer constipated like he had always secretly thought her to be? Who knows.
"I think something got into my eye." Hachiman replied. The stinging sensation was irritating. "I'm waiting for it to stop stinging so much." He blinked a couple of times in an attempt to have the tears wash out the invader but to no avail. Yuigahama was with the rest of her clique. Something about making summer vacation plans together. Exams were literally less than a month away and they were planning for that? Normal people really did have an odd sense of timing... Or absolutely no sense of prioritization.
"Let me take a look at it." Yukinoshita looked up. He raises an eyebrow then turns his chair to face her. She stood up, placing her book on the desk while making her way to him. His head tilted upwards, letting him look at her with one eye still closed. A couple of seconds later she froze, as if just realizing what she had offered to do. Or more specifically, how she was going to do it. However she figured it would be too rude to back away now and sinks into the hole of her own making.
Both her hands rose up to his face, holding it gently. As expected his expression remained unchanging. He hands were warm and soft, as expected of a girl her age. Being no stranger to the touch of a woman Hachiman felt nothing. Any other normal high school student might have been imagining marriage by now. That is if that 'other high school student' managed to keep his wits together instead of focusing wholly on the warm sensation of a feminine touch. He saw her cheeks flushing red due to embarrassment. Using one hand to hold his head still and the other to keep his stinging eye open she leaned in to get a 'better look'.
Be it because of his luck or whatever twisted god that had lead him to this twisted path, someone had decided to enter the room at this exact moment. However somehow the sliding door that had always made a loud sound when being opened did not make a single peep this time. A gasp had caught both of their attention. Yukinoshita looked up without letting go of Hachiman who saw her eyes widen in shock. The red in her cheeks fading rapidly.
"A-Ah! Sorry for intruding! I-uh... Mama wanted me home early so I just came by to tell you guys that I'll be going home now! See you guys later!" that was Yuigahama' voice. She sounded distressed. Hachiman wondered if something happened at her home. The door slammed shut.
"Yuigahama-san!" he heard Yukinoshita exclaim, reaching out to the now closed door. Was she trying to be dramatic or something?She did realize doing that wouldn't bring Yuigahama back right? Considering the rushed footsteps he heard after the door slammed shut Yuigahama was long gone by now.
"What's wrong?" he asked Yukinoshita who was still looking at the door with a worried expression. Something he had yet see on her face.
"I-I think Yuigahama-san has misunderstood something." Yukinoshita frowns. Hachiman didn't really understand it himself. Did this mean he also misunderstand something too? "We will have to apologize to her in person for this."
'We?;
"We?" Hachiman' brows furrowed. 'What is this idiot going on about this time?'
"Yes." Yukinoshita sighed. Her answer failed to answer his question. Seconds passed in silence. "Do you know what will happen on June 18?"
'With the way she asked I wonder if she expects me to read her mind to answer.' Hachiman couldn't think of any national holidays or events on June 18th. "No but I'm sure if I look it up on the internet I can find over a dozen-."
"No you idiot." Yukinoshita swiftly stops his train of thought. "It's Yuigahama-sans' birthday. We should celebrate it."
"Are you sure it's on the 18th? That's less than a week away." Hachiman was a stranger to birthday celebrations. For he was never invited to any by his middle school classmates so he didn't known much about them. Maybe that explained why he didn't understand how or why he was included in a birthday celebration this time.
"Her email address has 618 in it." Yukinoshita replied as if a matter of fact
'E-mails?' Hachiman knew what they were but never really bothered with having one made. His regular phone number was plenty enough for him. Now Hachiman became even more confused. He averted his eyes away from the girl standing in front of him and internally 'calculates' on how an email address had came into play with birthday dates. His eyes shifted from one object to another. Hoping for something, anything to help him understand. However it was all for not as inanimate objects couldn't talk and therefore couldn't help with his dilemma.
"I-I assume its on June 18 based on her email address." Yukinoshita noticed his confused expression being replaced by an understanding one. Relief washed over her for some reason.
'She assumed... I should have known.' Hachiman wanted to facepalm. It was a reoccurring theme with her. He was already expecting an unreasonably stupid 'solution' to their 'problem' that somehow sounded 'smart'.
"Are you... free this weekend?" that he wasn't expecting.
And that's what happened. Somehow Yukinoshita managed to convince him into coming out to the park where they would meet up and head to the mall in order to pick out 'birthday gifts' for Yuigahama. And again Hachiman wondered why he was involved in this. Nothing against Yuigahama but unlike his middle school days he no longer had the free time to attend such things. Not that he was invited to birthday parties back then either. But that's besides the point. Not to mention it wasn't like he and her were friends.
He checked the time again but Yukinoshita was no where in sight. But that was fine. He wasn't really looking forward to this day. He would rather spend it in the confines of his apartment with his precious futon. He nodded to himself. His mind 'yearned' for the softness of his pillow. 'Sacrificing a weekend of rest for this. How unfortunate.'
"Kotomine-san. I hope you weren't waiting too long." he turned to see Yukinoshita coming up to him. She was wearing a yellow and blue dress with her hair tied in two ponytails. She looked a little at unease for some reason.
"Give or take ten minutes." it wasn't really her fault he was early. He had taken a taxi to here after all. Mostly because he didn't want his new bicycle to get stolen this time. That was 35000 yen gone in one fell swoop. Around 60000 yen including the bicycle that was was stolen(his previous one was cheaper). 60000 yen that he would never get back. "We should get going."
Her look of unease disappeared. As her lips ever so slightly curled up, she looked at him. "Then let us depart for the mall."
The two left for the mall as Yukinoshita suggested. Many turned their heads towards them. A pang of envy hits him. But not because of the reason why they were glancing at Yukinoshita. If it were just him, no one would spare more than a glance at him. Assuming they even noticed him before bumping into him. Hachiman was not blind. He was well aware that Yukinoshita was what one would define as a 'beautiful' girl. Both of the Yukinoshita sisters were very 'beautiful' girls. Yet he couldn't quite feel any form of romantic nor physical attraction towards them. The former he had no answer to but the latter? Because they were still girls. Not women. One was emulating the behavior of one, near perfectly to the point where most would be easily fooled but in reality a child that was incapable of actually understanding what it meant to be an adult. The other behaved like a girl on many occasions yet woman like when necessary. Something that many would find a desirable quality in both a partner and a friend. However she lacked the true experience of a woman for it was all a 'mask'. It took him some thinking to realize it but in a sense, they were both very similar to each other even though they appeared to be complete opposites. Hachiman wondered if either of them were aware of that. Or if either of them would even accept it if it was made aware to them. A curious train of thought. Perhaps he would return to it later.
They entered the mall. Yukinoshita was the first to break the silence.
"Where shall we head first?" Yukinoshita asked him. What made her think he would have a better idea at picking a gift for a girl was beyond him. He thought for a moment.
"A toy store?" he replied. Unsure if his answer would be satisfactory. Yukinoshita raised an eyebrow at him. He can only shrug in response. Yukinoshita sighs in disappointed.
'He's more useless at this than I thought he would be.' she then lead the way.
Despite her initial disappointment at his answer, she went to the toy store just as he had suggested. He followed her and watched as she picked up one toy after toy. None of them seem to catch her interest. She perked up, he did the same thinking she had finally found what she needed and he would finally be able to go home.
She picked up what appeared to be a panda plushy. It looked weird compared to the average panda. Hachiman remembered seeing it in the form of an advertisement on a television in an electronic store a while back. It was called... Panpa-san? Panda-san? He couldn't really recall. It just didn't matter to him. She played with it instead of looking at its quality like the rest of the toys he had seen her pick up so far. He took a few steps away from her and looked in another direction. She failed to notice that as she continued to play with the toy like a toddler.
Seconds passed as his mind began to wander. This would be the... second(?) time Hachiman actually entered a place like this. His eyes move about, taking in the view. Many stores had changed since his last visit here. As expected, he saw many people inside the large building. Minding their own things. He saw couples, families, window shopping. Talking to one another. Being... normal.
A slight frown, barely visible, formed on his lips.
"What are you doing?" he turns to see Yukinoshita giving him an annoyed glare. That confused him.
'I didn't do anything though.' he mentally scratched his head, wondering why she was glaring at him. Was she constipated again? "Looking around." "Did you find anything?"
"Unfortunately not." she said even though she was carrying a small shopping bag he knew wasn't there before.
"You remember that we're here to buy a gift for Yuigahama and not ourselves, correct?" he asks her. Her glare returned.
"Yes I do. Do you?" hey, she was the one that bought a toy for herself. "If we are to purchase gifts then it's best for us to stick closer together and shop with both of our opinions... So stay close to me. If you so desire you may even consider this as a date." she looked away from him.
Wait... why did that feel familiar?
"This feels like a date, doesn't it?" *giggle*
... How the heck did he raise that flag with Yukinoshita? Nononono, that needs to be avoided at all costs.
"No, I'd really rather not." his reply was sudden and quick. It almost caught Yukinoshita off guard even. She coughed into a clenched fist and face flushed pink in embarrassment.
"It was merely a suggestion..." she trailed. His blunt and honest reply had stunned her more than she'd care to admit. "Nevertheless let us continue." they exited the toy store and browsed many more. At one point Hachiman notices an older woman in her thirties walking towards him. His eyes follow her to the point where his head turned to see her form moving away when she was no longer in front of him. He didn't know the woman but she was quite beautiful. Her body had all the- A sharp pain came from his side before he turned to see Yukinoshita looking forward with an annoyed scowl. He didn't understand the reasoning behind that scowl. What was her problem? He was just appreciating the feminine form... Was she treating this as an actual date? He hoped not.
Either ways this day was going better than he had expected. Later they had lunch and even though they were finished they stayed in their booth a little longer to not upset their stomachs. Their halfway finished drinks were sitting on the table. They were sitting outside of the food court in one of its many seating arrangements. Neither spoke since the sat down. He took a sip from his MAX, gazing into the small hole in the canned drink with his empty eyes.
"I still can't figure out what to buy for her." Yukinoshita suddenly said. They had spent the better half of the day trying to find a gift for their club mate but she was not even close to finding anything for her.
"I believe the purpose of a gift is to show appreciation. However, if that person is close to you then anything should suffice as long as your 'heart is in the right place.'" Hachiman shrugged. Half of that came from a book and the other came from an anime. "Or you could find something that would be useful to her. I just picked this thing up." he showed her a yellow phone strap with a golden brown dog on it. It was safely kept inside a transparent plastic casing.
"When did you..." Yukinoshita couldn't even remember when he bought that. But she didn't want to admit it but it looked really cute to her. But she would have preferred a cat instead of a dog.
"Right now this is all I can afford." he said. Putting the ornament back inside his pocket he sees her reaction turn for the worse. Again he had no idea what he had done to upset her. 'Maybe shes constipated again. Well it was good while it lasted.' he sighs visibly.
That seemed to get another reaction out of Yukinoshita. As she looks away and clears her throat. "Listen Kotomine-san. About your stolen bicycle."
Curious, Hachiman motioned her to continue. She starts to fidget, regretting her decision to bring up the topic of his stolen bicycle. She looks back into his eyes. With an emotion Hachiman could not name.
"That night when we went to Angel Ladder." She started. "When Yuigahama-san and I were leaving the hotel. I... may have noticed a suspicious person that was messing with a bicycle. Thinking back to it now. It may have been yours."
"Do you remember his face?" he asked her with a raised brow. He could keep an eye out for someone with those characteristics.
"It was too dark at that hour." Yukinoshita half lied. "I wasn't able to see much of anything. Only that he was missing an eye."
'A missing eye? She probably got scared when she saw him.' Hachiman figured as much. When confronted with a real conflict people like her either would either freeze up in fear or instantly get themselves involved without realizing the true weight of the situation. Unfortunately real people weren't like anime characters. Sometimes times even if a man was being beaten up or harassed in broad daylight it would go ignored because of the onlookers simply too scared to interfer. He didn't fault her for her inaction though. For like Yuigahama Yui, he and Yukinoshita Yukino were not friends. And as seeing they were nothing more than strangers she had no obligations to him. "Don't worry about it. What's done is done."
Yukinoshita stared at him, gobsmacked at his reply. "B-But if I had done something back then you wouldn't have been inconvenienced so much!"
He didn't really understand why she suddenly cared so much about inconveniencing him. Had she already not done so with all the unnecessary work she had him do for the Service Club? Even though he had decided to join on his own will she still had a tendency to pile unnecessary stuff on him. "And if you had you might have gotten hurt by that person. Those sort of people would not think twice about hurting children." Crime may have been low in Chiba but it was not nonexistent. That aside, if she had actually gotten herself and even Yuigahama, her only 'friend' because of her actions, well...
She would break. And he didn't want that happening, not if he was not there to witness it himself. No... She would break eventually. He just didn't want her to break because of something so boring as getting hurt because of her foolishness. He wanted to see the look on her face when her ideals fail her. He wanted to see her break when she realized that-
"But that doesn't change the fact that I failed." Yukinoshita' palms clench into fists. "Maybe if I had just contacted the police then perhaps..."
"Yukinoshita." he cared none for her. But for the sake of his own amusement he lets her in on a secret she should be aware of. "This life is unfair. Bad things happen to people all the time. They can kick, scream and try to fight back all they want. And for the most part it will not be enough. At the end, all they can do is take it to the face hope they live long enough to see the next day." He waited for her response even though he didn't expect her to understand. With a family background like hers, she had options that most people could only fantasize of.
He was proven wrong. She looked down at her lap, contemplating what he said. Her shoulders slumped as a look of understanding comes to her eyes. Her lips morphed into a frown.
"Oh my! If it isn't Hachiman-kun!" Both paused when they heard that voice. Yukinoshita was confused and Hachiman sighed visibly. He knew it was bound to happen eventually so there isn't anything to be surprised at. "Hey. You don't have to look that annoyed. It hurts you know?" Did he look annoyed? He didn't know the answer to that.
'Ha-Hachiman...kun?' Yukinoshita' eyes widened in disbelief. "Nee-san. You know Kotomine-sa-kun?"
Haruno stopped, turning to Yukinoshita faster than she should have. Due to coming up to them from behind Yukinoshita she had not noticed her younger sister till now. Her eyes widened a little as her gaze went from Yukino to Hachiman. Her eyes narrowed a little then she smirked. Hachiman began to ask himself when he had jinxed this day. Haruno pulled a chair and sat next Hachiman. A little too close for the liking of the younger Yukinoshita sister.
"Weeeell." Haruno trailed. "I ran him over with my car once." Yukinoshita could only stare with her mouth agape.
"You're making it sound like you almost killed me." Hachiman took a sip from his drink. "Your car just hit me while I was on my bicycle and I fell off. I was not injured."
"Are you kidding? You were like, sent flying away. I was really shocked to see you just stand up and act like nothing happened you know!" Haruno laughed. Patting Hachiman' shoulder with enthusiasm.
"Nee-san." Yukinoshita bit back an unladylike growl. "Can you please stop getting so close to him? Physical contact will give him weird ideas."
"Nownow. No need to be so testy. It's just harmless fun. Besides, I want him to get weird ideas~" Haruno winked. "How do you know him, Yukino-chan?"
"We are in the same grade at school." Yukinoshita replied with her eyes closed.
"Oh ho? Is that so?" Haruno raised an eyebrow then gave Hachiman a questioning look. Hachiman nodded, confirming what Yukinoshita' statement. He knew she would be asking for clearer details the next time she came over to his apartment.
"Hachiman-kun~" Haruno cooed and Yukinoshita' left eyebrow twitched a little. "Why didn't you tell me you knew Yukino-chan?"
"Yes Kotomine-kun." Yukinoshita pitched in. "Why did you fail to inform me of your connections with my sister?"
Aside from Yukinoshita suddenly calling him 'kun' instead of 'san' for reasons he did not know. He knew that the hostility was coming from both the girls near him. He just didn't understand why. All directed towards him no less. "Neither of you asked."
"That's a bad excuse." Yukinoshita deadpanned. "If fact it's not an excuse at all."
"Not my problem." Hachiman could only shrug at them. Both Yukinoshita women knew there was no use trying to argue with him.
"So what are you two doing here?" Haruno asked. A playful smirk appeared on her face. "Are you two on a date? Is this why you rejected me Hachiman-kun? Because you were interested in Yukino-chan?"
Fortunately Yukinoshita knew her sister better than most people and knew she was joking. "No Nee-san. We are here simply because we are picking out a gift for a friend at school."
"Friend you say?" Hachiman felt a headache incoming and closed his eyes to get calm himself. Due to his eyes being closed he did not notice Yukinoshita flinch when she heard Haruno say 'friend'. "I can help! Can I join you guys? Pleaaase Hachiman-kun." All three of them knew Yukinoshita would deny her request so she asked the person likely to agree.
"Pleasepleaseplease."
She started to poke his cheek repeatedly to make him agree. His headache started to grown. Yukinoshita herself was getting annoyed and wanted her sister to stop but said nothing.
"Can you please sto-" he requested her to stop. But as he turned his head to her while she was still in the process of poking him. Neither expected what happened next. The silence that followed was deafening.
Yukinoshita kept watching them with wide eyes and lips parted but found no words to even describe what she was seeing. Haruno starts to blush a little and Hachiman... well he was just grateful that the manicured and sharp fingernail on Harunos' index finger did not pierce a hole through his tongue or slice open his gums. At that moment he realized that some women were armed with a very dangerous 'weapon' at all times.
So that's it. That's what Yuigahama misunderstood. Hachiman really didn't get why she would think that. Women were weird. But he supposed he was one to talk.
"Don't worry. I have higher standards than that." Yukinoshita was the one to say that as she points a finger towards him. Wait, wasn't that his line. "Besides, a person like him can't maintain a proper relationship with another human being." Oh yes, since last weekend Yukinoshita started taking more potshots at him than ever before.
"And that's why you're still a virgin. Your standards are too high. I pity the fool that eventually has to marry you." he knew his comment was not necessary but his lips moved before he realized it. That was... a first. He looked back at the math equation he was solving. Oh wait, he forgot to carry down the third 'x' four lines ago. Great, gotta do this again now.
His club mates look at him in disbelief and... disgust? Oh come on, what is it this time?
"K-Kotomine-kun. You've had..." Yuigahama stutters out, pointing an accusing finger at him.
"Sex before? Yes. Haven't you?" he asked her. "Aren't you like a bitch or something?" Or was the term called 'gyaru'? Honestly he couldn't recall.
"Of course not!" that may have been said with more volume than necessary. Yuigahama turned red "And bitch?! Why would you think that?! I'll have you know I'm still a pure maiden!" Pure maiden? People still used that term in this day and age?
"It seems you are every bit of a degenerate as I had originally thought you to be Kotomine-kun. Quite the let down honestly." Yukinoshita shook her head in disappointment.
He had no idea what she was expecting from him. Or even why she was expecting anything from him. Maybe he raised another flag with her without knowing it again. Who knows. He left shortly after that, saying that he needed to leave early. They did not protest. Apparently still steaming from the earlier revelation they received. Once again, women are weird. And once again, he was one to talk.
Unlocking his new bicycle he pedaled his way out of the schools premises. The grounds were almost empty. Few students were still there, as club hours were still ongoing. They ignore him and he does the same. The roads were nearly empty. That was fortunate. A limousine rolled by him, heading towards Sobu's direction. He remembered seeing Yukinoshita going into it that one time. There was nothing else to be noted about the vehicle as it passed by him.
"Kotomine-san!" a voice called out to him. His pedaling stops and he hits the breaks. The tires stop spinning before he came to a stop. He turned to see who called out to him. A blob of black hair came up in front of him, gasping for air. He blinked in confusion.
"Hikigaya Komachi?" he questioned. She nodded, still trying to catch her breath. Seeing that she was no longer in a state of exhaustion he asked. "How can I help you?"
"I... I heard what happened from Taishi-kun." she began. "Thank you for that."
He nodded. Not knowing what else to do at that moment. "I was merely doing what I was supposed to. Anything else? I have to get to work."
She flinched when he said said. He didn't know why. "N-No. Kotomine-san. I just wanted to thank you for saving Keika. She's a really good girl..."
He nodded again. His right foot lands on the pedal.
"Wait!"
He eyes landed on the girl standing next to him again. Komachi started to fidget under his unblinking gaze. "Yes?"
"Your hair..." she trailed as if unsure of what to say without making it sound weird or driving him off. ".. it's a little messy. I can... Can I fix it for you? It won't take long I swear!"
He ponders her request for a second. He had nothing to loose from it and technically he is still had a few minutes to spare before work. He nodded and leaned his head towards her with eyes closed. Because his head was lowered, he missed the surprised then happy expression on Komachi' face. He felt her much smaller hands run through his hair. Due to the angle she was standing she missed the small scar on the back of his head. Her hands stop suddenly even though they were still holding his hair between their fingers.
"Is something wrong?" he asked her. She stumbles back a little. His head leans back then rose to a normal posture. What he saw surprises him. She looked like she was about to... cry? But why? He didn't know. One of his hands rose for a reason he didn't quite understand? To comfort her maybe?
"No-Nothing!" she exclaimed before taking a step back. "Thank you for your time Kotomine-san!" Before he could utter a word out she ran away. He frowned at her reaction.
"Since she didn't mention it... Then maybe I was wrong from the beginning." he muttered. However... seeing her almost cry felt... odd. He never felt something like that before.
Nearly half an hour later he neared a warehouse. With his school vest hidden inside his bag he entered it after safely locking his bike away at their relatively small parking lot. He wasn't the only one that came to work on a bicycle.
"Oh hey kid." he saw a man with a clipboard in his hand and his back towards him. He was one of the only few that ever noticed Hachiman coming in even though he never directly saw Hachiman coming in. An odd ability. Kind of like those ninjas and Samurais in anime and movies. Maybe that's why some of his co-workers called this man a 'ninja'. For now he was counting the large crates in front of Hachiman. "Go and get changed. I got a few crates at the north side that needs to be loaded in van number three."
"Understood, Kyo-san." Hachiman nodded at the man then turned to go deeper into the building where the changing room was. Takeshi sure was considerate when he renovated this place to make it more worker friendly. The man turned to take a glance at Hachiman' retreating form then snorted in amusement.
"Nice hairstyle! It suits you well!" Hachiman heard the man yell. The shout made him raise an eyebrow, unsure of what the older man meant. Had that Hikigaya Komachi girl 'fixed' his hair in a weird fashion? No matter. Something as small as hairstyle didn't really matter to him.
He entered the changing room that they also used as a break room. There was a couple of people in there. One smoking a cigarette and another talking on his phone. He avoided going near the one that smoked and opened his locker. Placing his bags inside and pulling out his work cloths he glanced to his left. Something in the mirror had caught his attention. His eyes squint as he analyzed what he saw. He used an index finger to rub his chin. Well... He did look far less 'menacing' this way. Also kind of ridiculous. His left arm rose up to his head then gently press the strands of hair now proudly facing upwards on the top of his head back down. His arm didn't move for several seconds, applying pressure on his head. He removed the limb from his head...
The stands of hair came back up with a literal whiplash. As if it was meant to be there. It even moved like it had a mind of its own. Was it just him or did it resemble an ahoge? Wasn't that an anime character feature?
-Chapter End-
This AN will be a long one. Unlike my other ANs I advise the um... concerned readers to read this more than the casual ones. Bear with me here... sigh...
Now then, a lot of you have pointed out that I make many grammar mistakes. And trust me, I am well aware. And I am more than sure that you guys have pointed out less than half of my mistakes(and that's if I'm lucky) in here, grammar. I do want to have them fixed one day when I get a proper beta reader for this. BUT that will probably not be happening until AFTER this fanfic is over. Ludicrous I know. But hear me out before throwing your pitchforks at me.
I write for fun. This is not a passion for me like many other writers in this and other websites. I didn't expect this to be good or even liked that well. Heck I did not expect to see anymore than 30 people even consider reading this passed the first four chapters! But if there is one thing I always try to be, its punctual. Some of you might have noticed that my updates are about 4-6 days apart(I take a break that lasts about 2 days, the updated day and the day after. Then 3-4 days to write on whatever spare time I have between my full time job, rest and other personal things. It may sound like a lot of time to write only a 4k long chapter but once again, I'm a bad writer. Did I mention I barely passed high school and flunked out of college by the end of third semester? Yea...). I try to keep to that schedule so that my laziness doesn't take over and I end up barely updating once a month or even two months. That's all it takes is, messing up one update and eventually spiral into the 'meh, I'm too tired now I could always do it later' phase. And I don't want that happening again. Not to mention the stress of waiting for the beta to get the draft, wait for him to finish fixing it and then return it for me to upload would weigh on me as well. That is if the beta isn't too busy with his own problems to actually log in and do all that stuff. And yes, NOW you can throw your pitchforks at me.
This doesn't mean I won't try to improve for myself though. Just that you guys shouldn't have your expectations set too high and get really mad when you're inevitably let down.
Now with that over,
For those of you that are fretting over me possibly abandoning this story in the future: Don't be. I have no intention of doing that and even IF that happens because of some god forsaken circumstances I swear to do everything in my power to let you all know how this fanfic is meant to end in the form of a 'summery'. It will be far less satisfying but at least there will be some form of closure. We've all read one of those fanfics that are weird but we still like to read it for some reason only to see it get abandoned without any prior warning. Does that make sense? Or maybe that's just me...
Changes from the original: Minor spelling errors fixed. A couple of lines added.