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It's just another day, it's just another cycle, just another charade. Over and over and over again. Everything is just... All the same. Teto's life felt like it didn't even matter. She's useless in every way despite being a chimera with so much potential, can't even do a single thing right. All that she can do is just rot in bed chastising herself for being incredibly bad, occasionally getting up to eat, drink, clean the room or herself, then back to bed.
She does want to improve. She does want recognition for her achievements. She does want to get out of this terrible cycle and this state she's in but, she knows it won't happen. She messes everything up, and she can't do shit anyway, so what's the point? And no one cares about her after all. They just pity her pathetic existence. The only reason why they're friends with her is so that they wouldn't feel bad about "not helping" the loser that she was. And face it, she deserves this cycle until her death. She's sick, and fucked up in the head.
Teto stares at the ceiling from her bed, tail showing absolutely no signs of life, wrapped in her bed's blanket only with the neck and head uncovered for what felt like the billionth time. Atleast this pathetic piece of junk was able to suppress her crying last night. But as always, she felt hollow, but she deserves it.
Her room was all tidy atleast, she always does a pretty good job at cleaning but it all looked so dull, like it lost all it's color. It was a red bed with a bedside table, and a cabinet by the door. That was it, if you don't include the severely depressed Chimera rotting on the bed.
She closes her eyes and trying her best to fall asleep to escape from reality. It was the only thing that kept her thoughts quiet about everything, a break from everything. Unfortunately for her, reality hit her back hard.
A bunch of thoughts were barraged into her head like it was life's own wakeup call for Teto to not try to escape this fate. She's been through this before but it's still affected her to the core. All of those thoughts were so, so loud. All of it were about how she's just useless, and all of it were all hateful towards her. Once again, resisting the urge to just curl up to a ball and cry.
She was tired. Absolutely tired.
...
Buzz!
...A notification sound came from her phone on the bedside table. Teto picked it up to see what it was.
It was a text from her best friend. Miku. Her two best friends have been chatting her daily to check up if she was okay due to her sudden absence. After all, she gave no warning to them before she just stopped going out which was unnatural for a person like her. For some reason, she was a little bummed out that Neru didn't text her anything today, but that's fine. Not like trash needs attention when they're already thrown out.
LeekFan1: heyy its been more than a week since u havent gone out this is the longest u havent gone out
LeekFan1: r u sure ur fine?? were always here if u need anything
Pearto: I'm fine
Pearto: I might stay in my apartment a little while longer
LeekFan1: okay.. pls reach me or Neru out if you need something alr?? I wont bother you anymore luv u!!!! /p
She was glad to have friends like them. Let alone have them be her best friends. She does want to reach out but that'd just be relying on someone else for her own issues. She doesn't want to be a burden so she doesn't talk about it.
Although, Teto wonders why Neru didn't text her. Despite her tsundere attitude on the surface, she was always a caring person at heart, especially to her and Miku... So why didn't she text her similarly to Miku today?
But as she thought about it more, she hears a sound.
Tap-tap!
It was light knocking. Not from her apartment door but to the door of her room directly. She looked to her room's door as her tail looked like it was anticipating something. I mean, It doesn't make sense. How did they-
"Teto? Is it okay if I come in your room? I'm sorry to bother you like this but... Me and Miku have been getting very concerned."
It was Neru's voice. The realization of who it was calmed Teto down a bit. Her tail dropping back like it was lifeless once more.
So that's why she didn't text her, she was coming to her apartment instead. But that doesn't answer her question, how did she-
"I knocked on the front door of your apartment earlier but no one answered despite how long I waited. But I found out the door was unlocked so I kind of just... Let myself in. Forgive me for that."
...Ah. So the dumbass good-for-nothing Chimera forgot to lock the apartment's front door. How great. And how she didn't even hear Neru's knocking despite having better hearing than most. Really, she was absolu-
"Teto? Are you there?"
Okay, Teto should give her a response already. She probably waited a long while so she deserves it. But the chimera doesn't get why she would come here physically rather than converse through text but... That doesn't matter.
"Yeah I'm here, come in. Don't worry about letting yourself inside the apartment, it's fine. My fault for not even hearing you knock the first time."
Creaaak...
"It's not your fault." Neru says, as she slowly opened the door.
Teto shot a confused look at Neru. "Yes it is...? I didn't even hear you knock, let alone hear you walk around my apartment when I'm supposed to have better hearing than average person."
She was wearing a beige long open-style trench coat over a yellow turtleneck which complemented her hair color and some tan trousers... Which made Teto realize the absolute difference in fashion as the chimera was wearing a plain white T-shirt and some black shorts.
But seeing Neru made her heart beat a little faster along with her tail slightly moving. She doesn't know why this is.
After Teto's reply, Neru, with a concerned face, "No one is perfect, Teto. We don't always have to push ourselves to be the best version of ourselves."
Teto put aside the blanket sat upright on the side of the bed, tail standing up a little in surprise. "How did you..."
"I think it's pretty easy to see why with your past behavior last week... Teto, please, we've always said we're always here for you and that always held true." Neru sat beside Teto on the bed, gently placing her hand on Teto's claws.
Teto flinched slightly at the sudden intimacy but thought little of it. "But that would be relying on someone else, I don't want to be a burden to them. I-"
Teto felt Neru's hand slowly cupping her cheek, completely freezing up as her tail stood straight up in shock before wagging slowly for the first time in what felt like months, despite Teto knowing it's only been a week. Her hand was moving with such care that she couldn't help but feel her heart swell with affection.
"You're not a burden to anyone. You're the most amazing person I've ever met and it hurts me- no, US, Miku and all your friends, that you're suffering from this. We've said this many times before but I'll say it again: we care about you, and we love you, Teto." Neru pauses, as if debating whether she should say whatever was on her mind right now. "And I- I'm... nevermind..." A blush spread across Neru's face as she looks away to the side and putting her hand away from Teto's cheek.
Everything that she just said gave Teto an overwhelming wave of comfort as she had her mouth agape. But a thought comes across her mind. What exactly was she about to say? She didn't want to ask but it really piqued her curiosity.
"What.. were you going to say? Your last sentence I meant..." Neru moved her gaze from the side to below her as she took a deep breath before looking directly at Teto.
"I... I'm I- in love with you, T- Teto. I've... Always have since w- we've met. Not JUST platonically, more t-than that."
"But I-" Neru cuts her off. "Teto. You're not whatever "trash" you think you are. You're more than that, especially to me. Even if you were whatever you think you are, I'll be damned because I'd be... I- in love with that version of y-you still."
...
...instinctively, Teto leaned in.
Neru was startled with the sudden kiss, but slowly leaned into it.
It didn't last long but it felt like an eternity passed during it. It was their first time, but they didn't want it to end at all.
When they both leaned back, Teto rested her head on Neru and reaching out her claws to embrace her. Teto's tail wagging the fastest they've ever been, letting the tears she's been suppressing flow out as Neru returned the hug, rubbing circles on Teto's back to calm her.
Her heart felt full, and everything negative that Teto had thought were gone like they were never there, with now only one thought being present: Neru.
"I love you." Teto said. "I love you too." Neru replied.