
━━a
p l a c e where━━━━━━
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this━━━
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t a k e me━



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76heart ●
ishiko ●
genderfluid ●
he/him pronouns ●
1, 690 words━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
the letter is very much inspired by the things i wish i could say to one of my own
friends who left after promising they'd stay, and then the beautiful song
you said you'd grow old with me by michael schulte━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
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xxxAs Meriam entered the quiet cabin, she noticed that she wasn't alone. There was another kalon, off in one of the corners, sitting at a desk writing something, with several discarded papers around them, and it looked like they were crying. Her heart fell, and she wanted to go over and hug them and ask them if they were okay, and what she could do to help, but she stayed put, her paws firmly planted to the ground. She had a feeling this was something they had to do on their own, and she didn't want to interrupt it. The light was off though, and it had grown dark, so she at least decided that she could turn it on for them, and then leave them be, and come back in a bit to get what she needed and see if the could use a friend then. As quietly as she could, she clicked off the light, and slipped back outside.
Hey,
Hello!
Hi, hello! No, that's stupid.
Hi!
Greetings Too formal, I sound like a business letter.
Saluta-, God no
Why is this so hard? Nothing sounds right, arhg! I guess I'll, I guess I'll just go with
xxxHey,
xxxIt's uh, it's been awhile, hasn't it? It's me, you're old friend Ish- you know what, that's stupid. You already know it's from me, you know my awful handwriting too well, don't you? You used to comment on it all the time, how it just looked like scribbles someone would do as a kid. I'd always say it didn't, but you'd keep insisting, and you're right, it does look like that. I'm sorry I didn't agree with you before. You were right about a lot of things actually, I wish I told you that more.
xxxAnyway, I'm at camp, the one we used to go to, you know, with a 'k' instead of a 'c'? We used to go here every summer together, and it was just amazing. I would look forward to it all year round so we could do all these crazy fun things together. I remember how much you enjoyed making friendship bracelets together, and I still have all the ones you made for me. I'm actually wearing the very first one you made me, I-I knew I couldn't go without it, not when you aren't here with me. God do I miss you, so much, it's so hard without you here, and it's not worth it without you cheering me up and smiling when I start to miss home. No one else here is as special as you are, or as radiant. You were the only one who ever knew how to push all of my buttons, and then make me smile again, even if I was about to cry. I don't think I'll ever find someone like that again, find someone who gives me an actual good reason to wake up so I can talk to them. I mean, I've made some new friends at home, and they're wonderful, and I think I might get close to some, or I hope I will, but none of them are like you, none of them are you. I just, I really miss you, so much, and everything is just so hard when you're gone. You became my world, my best friend forever, I even loved you, as a friend of course, but you left, and now it feels like I'm betraying you to do anything. I went in hopes you'd be at kamp, but you're not, and now I just want to go home. I mean, it's fun, and it's nice to do things again, but all of it just reminds me of you, and I just end up crying. Not even rock climbing or canoeing cheer me up enough, and you know how much I love those. Nothing is able to give me a smile, not a real one anyway, not like the stupid grins you used to give me.
xxxWhat even happened between us anyway, why did you leave? I mean, I can pin point a thousand reasons as to why, but which one was it? What did I do to make you leave? I know it's my fault, I know there's no other reason you would have left without a goodbye, so why did you? Why didn't you say goodbye to my face? Why couldn't you at least do that, and give me some closure so I can move on and try to find someone new? It would have hurt, we both know it would crush me, but you know I would understand. I'd respect what you want and say goodbye and wish you the best on whatever path you'd go on, and we'd both be able to feel good. But you didn't, and I don't blame you for it, because I can't, I care for you too much, and I'm not able to let you take the blame when I'm so sure it's me. I wish I could hate you sometimes, but I can't, and I'm sure you know too that I never will. I'm not sure if I'm even going to send this now because of this, but why didn't you just say goodbye, or tell me you couldn't keep your promise anymore? You promised me we'd always go to kamp together, until we were too old to go. Remember? When you found me crying under a tree because it was time to go home, and I wouldn't see you again, you promised me I would, that we'd come here together, every year until we couldn't, and talk every day until then and be the bestest of friends. I still remember every word of it, every piece, but I won't repeat them back to you, I know that would hurt you, and that's the last thing I'd want to do. It meant a lot to me though, and even more that you kept it for so many years, until you didn't. I thought you were the friend that would finally stay, but you weren't, and you knew how much it hurt me that so many people I used to know just left without a word, and then you just did that too. Why? I thought you loved going together? I thought you loved going with me? Did it ever mean anything to you? Did the promise ever mean anything to you? Did I? No, that's not fair of me to ask, I know it did, I'm- I'm sorry. I guess I definitely can't send this now, eh? You'd see through the scribbles and know what I meant to say, you always were good at that, and I can't rewrite this, it wouldn't be as genuine then, and you deserve the most heartfelt thing possible. I just wish you'd tell me why you left me here behind, to wonder why you left, and not tell me so I have this sick feeling of hope that you still will, even though I know you're gone for good. I know this isn't fair of me to ask, but you got your peace, and I didn't, so what about me? I just wish you'd give me one more moment to ask you why.
xxxWe had so many plans, so many visions and lists of adventures we'd go on for when we were here, for when we'd go this year. You were always so excited about them when we did it before, and I thought you were excited for this too. It was just me and you, our own little duo, us against the world. I guess you weren't excited enough, huh? Was my going really that toxic for you? I'm sorry, I really am, for everything that I've ever done that didn't give you the smile you deserve, I truly am, I hope you know I mean that. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you and chase you away. I hope someday you can forgive me, and that we can be friends again, and you'll give me another chance to make it up to you and apologize, because I promise you I'll spend the rest of my days making it up to you if that's what it takes. I promise that I'm still here for you if you need me too, no matter what, and I intend to keep that promise, always; I won't put you through the hurt of breaking mine too.
xxxAnyway, I should probably wrap this up now, since it's already so long, and I'm really sorry for that. If you've found a new friend, I really hope they make you smile the biggest smile everyday. I hope they send you thousands of pictures of pinecones because I know how much you love them because they don't grow where you are. I hope they give you some more owl toys for you collection, and talk to you about bears, your favorite animal. I hope they're someone who would move heaven and earth for you, since you deserve nothing less, and you don't know how sorry I am that I couldn't be that friend for you anymore, that I did something to drive you away. I'll never forgive myself for that. I do wish you the best though, and I really hope you're happy wherever you are, and someday, I hope we can speak again, so I can tell you how much you mean to me and how sorry I am. I also hope you enjoy kamp, I'm not going to go again. I love it, but I don't want to take it from you, and I get too homesick to go without you here to heal that.
xxxI wish you were here,
xxxxxx
xxx"Hey, are you doing okay?" Ishiko looked up from his letter, to spot a young kalon peering at him from the doorway with concerned and gentle eyes.
xxx"Yeah, yeah, I- I am now. Thanks." He looked up at here, and offered a small, wobbly smile. He was feeling better, truly. It helped to get it all out, to write down what he felt and wanted to say.
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i really hope i haven't missed anyone, and i'm so so sorry that not all the compliments are super long! i wanted to make them all a lot longer, but my internet died for a long while as i was working on this and took the time that was for this. all of the staff, even the ones who didn't participate in the event, are all such wonderful people and you all deserve so much in this world, and many many smiles <3
xxxriddlestyx: genuinely, I don't think you've ever made a design I haven't fallen utterly and completely in love with. I adore your style so much, and the way you draw the eyes with such lovely lashes is honestly drool worthy and because of it, a main thing I look for in a Kalon. I don't know why I love it so much but I do, and you do them just so perfectly and skhjfdskfdsak honestly I'm just in love what whatever you draw. Hopefully someday I'll be able to own one you've designed since it's honestly a dream. You also seem like such a wonderful person too, and I really hope I can talk to you someday and get to know you more. I also really hope things are going well for you and that you're doing alright, since you deserve so many smiles for all the ones I'm sure you give the community
magpie! and Trollish: can I just say how incredibly god dang gorgeous the kals you two made for the event were???? I love them all so much, you both have such beautiful styles and I always look forward to seeing what adopts you put out, event or regular, and I really wish I could have tried out for all the adopts you guys did for the event, but I ended up going on a trip and just didn't have the time
Obliivous and irina: bird watching was honestly so, so much fun. also huge props for the hide and seek part of it too, I imagine that it took loads of time and patience, and I really hope it wasn't too much of a stress. I love the designs both of you did for the event as well, and I really enjoyed trying for the s'mores one. I love your styles too ahh
☁Lady Raincloud☁ again, I freaking love your art. I also had a lot of fun working on the first event adopt you did. It was a clever idea to reveal more of it with each round, and when it was fully revealed it was just so beautiful. also 10/10 choice on it being based on a wolverine, I really have a soft spot for them and you did the design so well.
julibee: fdsakfasdkjhfdsak I adore all the adopts you make so much, and the beautiful koi kamper you made was just glorious, I still can't get over it. also I give you so many props and kudos for running the rock climbing activity, I imagine that took a hell of a lot of time, and good lord all of the art you did for it was simply magnificent.
kyar: first, you (and julibee of course) did a splendid job running rock climbing, and it was honestly so much fun. I really enjoyed it so much, I can't imagine how much time it must have taken to do it. all of your adopts are so splendid too, I really enjoy seeing them when you do them. you entries for things are really creative from what I've seen too, and you really seem like a cool person
néktar and milkkittea: the archery was really enjoyable, I love the little comments you made when the rounds were done. it was well ran, and you both did so well. néktar, you have such a stunning signature, and milkkittea, I give you so many props for running the archive, that must be so much work and I really hope it's not a stress.
tig and dog: you two are so fun to chat with in the couple streams we've been in together, and I really enjoy those so much, even if to you I'm probably coming off as annoying or something. bug catching was really enjoyable, and you both ran it so well. I also adore the art both of you do so much. the styles are so unique and positively gorgeous, and I really hope some day I can get some kalons you two have designed
eunkyung.: star catching was just lovely. the coding is beyond stunning, and I loved all the individual and unique prompts you did, and how each one had it's only little story. the planet search must have taken a lot too, so I so hope that wasn't a stress, and you had fun doing that too
Lillybear: oh god, I loved reading the intro to the mess hall. poor guy. you also did the scavenger hunt portion of it so well, and I so hope you had fun doing that all too, and sifting through all the jokes to choose a favorite.
takura: the entries of yours for kalons I've seen are honestly super creative, and I really like seeing them. you did your event so well, and it was really awesome to you to do a planet search thing too. that was very hectic and you did an excellent job of hiding it all and coming up with the hints.
CSMintCat: test of courage was genuinely the favorite thing of mine this event, and just thank you so much for doing it. the prompts were created and the drawings were just brilliant. the scratch card at the end was also just so awesome, and a super fun and engaging way to handle the prizes at the end. thank you so much. I'm also completely in love with your avatar, it's stunning
karm and pallis: postcards must have been so much, you both handled it so so well and deserve a long and wonderful break from the hectic time that must have been.
high noon: I've already said most of what I can say in other compliment events, but you're just a magnificent person from what I've seen, and the time and effort you put into kalons is so commendable and the love you put in it shows too. someday I do hope we can be friends or at least acquaintances, and I really hope this all isn't annoying of me to say so much
wicc: thank you so much for running the event. you and karm are both wonderful owners, and you deserve hundreds and thousands of smile for all the ones you give us. I also really hope you're doing okay <3