It's been almost a year since one of my closest friends, The Black Maiden, posted a story by the title of Khaver. Almost an entire year. That's insane.

So here I am. The user you probably recognize as "That guy that seems to edit her stuff a lot," coming out of a two year… extended hiatus to do one thing. Congratulate The Black Maiden. One year ago it was me who had done something she found worthy enough to celebrate and take her time to write about. Now I wish to return the gesture.

This is a continuation of Khaver, so if you're confused by who Aylin is or what they're talking about you might want to go over there and read that first. The title, if you're wondering, means "Dear Friend," in Spanish. If you're wondering wht Spanish rather than some derivative of Hebrew like last time… well that's because I know Spanish and I want to make sure Google Translate doesn't fuck up the meaning.

Enough garbage, Black Maiden (that feels weird to say…) this goes out from me to you.

He talked at hundreds of words per minute, ideas jumping around chaotically, stars in his eyes, and his dreams as large as skyscrapers. His hands moved dramatically and with the flourish more fitting of a stage actor. His flamboyant manner of dress and his long hair all fwished back and forth, barely able to express all the excitement through his body language and voice.

She couldn't help but watch in amusement as Mazuma explained all the grand ideas he had for his movies, expressing almost every single detail he had planned up to every individual frame. He had been going on for almost half an hour now and showed no sense of stopping any time soon, locomoting full steam ahead. She almost wanted to stop him, his ideas of sorceresses and magic in a world of greed, corruption, technology, and politics, were almost too grand, too fantastical, and much too ambitious, especially for somebody with so little experience. His movements although, lively, were awkward, erratic, and janky, so absorbed in his mad ideas that he could hardly notice his own eccentricities.

But Mazuma spoke of ideas and theories never heard of, and those that had been were implemented in such experimental ways that were curious and strange. Sometimes she just wanted to poke that brain of his and see how it worked, though she used the word "worked," in the traditional sense wrongly.

He stopped for a moment, caught in the middle of describing a cathartic scene which culminated the stories of several characters in a single crossroads before their paths broke apart again. "Hey, Aylin."

Her head perked up, It wasn't uncommon for either of them to stop in the middle of their pitch just because they were exhausted and were literally on the verge of passing out, however, his tone was different this time. "What's up?"

"Mind if I sit down?"

She blinked, "Sure?" They were both pretty socially awkward but the manner in which he said it felt but tinsiest bit "off."

He sighed contently as he sat beside her at the small park bench and lay his head back to stare at the clouds. Though, given the bright sunny climate and their geography, there weren't many to stare at.

"It's really hot out here, how about-"

"I like it outside you shut in. Beside, why don't you wear a t-shirt for once if you think it's so hot?"

"Because..." He pouted like a child and puffed up his collar.

"So what's up?"

He was silent for a moment, watching the sky silently. "I Uh... Eh... I..." He bit his cheek, he was growing angry at himself for not being able to come up with the perfect way to say what was on his mind.

"Do I ever get annoying? Or seem inconsiderate?"

She was taken aback, that was... Very direct of him. Humans are social creatures but the two of them are more like socially inept creatures.

"I mean… sometimes I feel like I'm moving at a hundred miles per hour and I'm just not paying attention or I feel like I must come off as a giant. Fucking. Deuche."

She raised a hand to her mouth to hide her laugh.

He raised a melancholic smile before continuing, "I dunno, sometimes you, like, um… y'know…" He ran his hand through his hair, trying to find the right words. "Like those times when you're down and you tell me about it I just feel like I'm not helping, like…"

He was talking faster now, his cheeks matching the color of his hair, "Like… you know…"

She raised an amused brow.

"I dunno…" He shrugged finally, "I feel like I must come off as a giant narcissist, like I'm ignoring you… 'Cause you, like, tell me these things and all I can do is maybe listen and then tell you something I did in a similar situation but that's… Like I feel like you must go, 'Oh, there he goes again, talking about himself again, thanks.' And then I wanna stop but I'm already too far into it, so I gotta, like, continue and stuff- and- oh… Oh… I'm doing it right now actually… N-no, t-that's not- O-Oh, annnnnnd…. Now I'm stuttering, t-that's what happens when I- Fuck, talking about myself. Jesus I must be coming off as-"

"Stop." She stuck out her palm before patting his hair, "Take a breath scruffy."

He blinked. "Huh?"

"We made a contract here, you deal with my shit, I deal with yours. Yes?"

"I-I-I…" He chuckled, "I don't remember signing it with my blood~"

"Signing it with your blood and not remembering that you signed it are not mutually exclusive."

"Hey now...you know something you're not telling me?"

"Only that we're part of a huge game fixed by reality warpers spawning from a completely different reality."

"Ha!" He pressed his palm to his chest and grew a smug grin, "Such beings think they can use one such as I as a pawn!? No! For I am the great mad scientist-"

He's stopped when he heard her giggle.

"Hey now…"

"Sorry…" She wiped her eye, "You just get distracted on your tangents is all. You mean well."

"I hope you that's how you truly feel…" He perked up, "I'm trying to help! I just hope I get that across you know? I do it in my own weird way. And...not very well… and-"

"You do you Sheepie." She gave him a thumbs up.

"Thanks," He gave her his own thumbs up and leaned his head back toward the clouds, "Um…"

"Mhm?"

"So that second draft…"

She chuckled, "It's a lot more polished up this time around, you just gotta smooth out those corners and-" She giggled into her fist.

"This reminds me of something."

"What?"

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and was about to look through her backups when she reconsidered it, "Hey, you know, those kids still want to meet you."

"Ah...fuck…." He knocked on his forehead, "You're right...uh...lemme think...I have classes early in the morning, then on Saturday… Friday is my freeday but… If I skip out on Monday I could...no you have classes that day too… so it would have to be-"

His watch began to vibrate violently.

"Didn't I tell you not to bring your sex toys out in public?"

His cheeks burned a hot red and all he could do was smile, "Y-Yeah...Look, I'm g-gonna go now or I'm gonna be late so…"

She waved at him, "You gonna be online later yeah?"

"I'd be pissed if I wasn't."

She smirked, "Then I'll see you later Sheepie~"

"Baaaa~"

She giggled into her fist as he ran off towards work.

Thanks to whoever read this sappy little mess, I know it's not good as the original but I tried my best, and I guess that should earn me at least a pat on the head.

Anyways, a quick word.

Dude. Thick and thin, tears were shed, stories were told, experiences were shared, and a fuck-ton of dumb little ideas were expanded into universes of our design.

It's been... fucking amazing y'know? It's gonna get tough on out from here. We're going to be busy adult-ing and doing adult things that adults do, like not having any time but… I think things can work out, we can take on the world if we wanted but for now… let's make sure our friendship never falters. I dunno 'bout you, but I gotta say, thank you choosing to respond to that one little review that started it all.

I mean this from deepest recesses of my black soul.

Gracias querida amiga,

Omega Mega One