~𝘓𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳~ // 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘻𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘸𝘢 𝘹 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

- 𝕏𝕏𝕍: Motivational Speech -

      "You've gotta make some more of these." Sanemi said, giving the empty platter to someone he passed in the hall.

      "Maybe; if you earn it then I will." You teased.

      "What did I do last time, then?"

      "You were sick. And I promised you some. Speaking of promises, I've still gotta treat you to a date, hm?"

      "Yeah, yeah, sure, but about promises, do you promise to make more ohagi... say tomorrow?"

      "Nope." You said, popping the 'p'.

      He huffed.

     Sanemi sighed and threw open the door at the end of the hallway, revealing a marvellous garden.

      Beautiful wisteria blossoms hung from the winding branches of trees in several places. Flowers decorated the ground in beds. Different colors of petals flourished between bushes and other blossoms.

      A gorgeous pond rippled in the slight breeze, drawing your attention. Koi fish swam lazily around at the bottom, completely ignoring the wonderful lily pads that drifted on the surface. One with orange and black spots came up the surface and looked at you curiously.

      You smiled and waved, the overwhelming urge to laugh too irresistible to not let out a small giggle. Sanemi felt his heart flutter before he took your hand and led you around a corner of the house. An ivy arc stood over you, vines twining amongst themselves.

A fence made of bushes circled around a fountain with a beautiful depiction of several birds, including a crow at the top. Water pooled at the bottom of several bowls, all stacked on top of each other. Even more water poured over the edges of them, trickling tranquilly into the larger bowl that held everything else up.

      Sanemi sat down on a bench and watched you gawk with a cocky smile on his face.

      "Sanemi! It's so cool!" You ran over to it and threw your shoes and socks off, pulled your pant legs up above your knees and stood in the bowl, laughing.

      "What-?! WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU DO THAT?!" He yelled and shot up out his seat. He grabbed you by the arm and tried to pull you out of the water.

      You pushed him off. "It looked crisp!" Sanemi was blown away by your idiocy.

      "Crisp?! CRISP?! WHAT?! YOU COULD RUIN MY FOUNTAIN GET THE HELL OUT!" He was almost red in the face. You sighed and got out, carrying your shoes in your hands.

      "You're so fucking weird." He said while leading you back out of the tiny sanctuary.

      "Maybe so, but that doesn't mean you don't love me!" You sang, clinging to his arm as you walked down the gravel path that led to the door inside.

      "I fucking hate you." He mumbled.

-

"You're staying in there." Sanemi pointed to a guest room.

"M'kay. Thanks. See ya tomorrow." You waved and ducked into the room, sighing as you flopped onto the provided futon. You buried your face in your pillow and felt genuinely blissful for the first time in a long, long while.

You rolled over onto your side and felt yourself drift off hopelessly into the comforting void of sleep.

...

"PST."

Your mind seemed to buzz with silence. Your lower lip quivered as you messaged your temples, squeezing your eyes shut in an attempt to make it all stop. Your skin prickled and the hair on your arms and the back of your neck stood on end.