A Lesson From Pooh 
(It doesn't matter to me if you guys read this mini one-shot. After the short one-shot is where I make my point.)
Together, the two girls sat on the sand in silence. There was nothing awkward about sitting in absolute silence – the two girls would often come to the beach to relax and soak in the peace. Especially at this time of night. Kiyoko’s fingers gently slid along the sand, tracing nothing in particular. For a few seconds, it seemed as if she was beginning a name, but caught herself and swiftly spread the sand, erasing the name she had started. She hoped Riiya didn’t notice and didn’t want to turn to find out.
“It’s okay to cry,” Riiya finally spoke out, catching Kiyoko completely off-guard. Kiyoko turned to Riiya, eyes widened, to see Riiya with her eyes closed, facing upwards towards the moon. Kiyoko quickly turned away so that Riiya wouldn’t catch the surprised look she wore. Her heartbeat was so fast, she didn’t know what to do or even think. She didn’t know how to respond – she didn’t know anything at that moment. She became afraid.
“Hahah, why do you say this, sis?” Kiyoko chuckled as she tried hard to keep her cool, “I’m strong, remember, Rii? I don’t need to cry because – ”
Kiyoko abruptly stopped speaking, feeling Riiya’s hand laid atop her own. She looked up at Riiya to see Riiya staring straight back at her. Sympathy and warmth radiated from her look and it became hard for Kiyoko to breathe.
“I know you miss him,” Riiya continued, making perfect eye contact with Kiyoko, “I know you miss him so much and that your big, loving heart is breaking to pieces, no matter how tough and weathered it is.”
Riiya gripped Kiyoko’s hand a little tighter, emphasizing her presence.
“I just want you to know that I’m here for you, sis, so it’s okay to cry now.”
Kiyoko’s chest tightened to the point where she found it nearly impossible to breathe. Trying to keep on the tough act, Kiyoko attempted a chuckle to signal that she was all right, but couldn’t make the sound she wanted to. She looked from the hand that rested on her own to the eyes that were able to see right through her.
“I…,” Kiyoko tried so hard to smile, but her smile faltered and finally broke as her true state showed all over her face. An expression of complete distraught. A look of absolute and total pain, “R-R-Riiya!”
There and then, Kiyoko fell apart. She crumbled to pieces and it was as if she would never be repaired ever again. The pieces were vast and the pain was unbearable. Kiyoko slammed her hands over her mouth, covering it so that she muffled her cries. The salty sand made its way from her hands to her mouth as she cried, but she didn’t care. Nothing mattered anymore. Riiya’s heart broke just seeing her close friend in such a state of pain. Turning to her, Riiya rested her hands on Kiyoko’s shoulders and brought Kiyoko into her chest so that her friend, her sister, would know that she had someone she could still lean on. Kiyoko, having lost all her will to stay strong, rushed into Riiya’s arms and cried hard against her chest. She wasn’t quiet at all, but Riiya didn’t mind. Instead, Riiya listened carefully, stroked Kiyoko’s messy, dark brown hair, and shed a few tears, feeling a fraction of the pain that her companion was going through. The only words that could enter her mind were words of apologies and coos of soothing.
“A wise bear once told me,” Riiya began, speaking softly into Kiyoko’s ear as she continued to stroke her hair. “‘If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together… There is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.’”
She paused for just a moment.
“‘But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart’,” Riiya lightly kissed the top of Kiyoko’s head, sharing her warmth with a girl she was proud to call ‘sister’. She gave a small smile as one more tear trickled down her cheek and onto Kiyoko.
“‘I’ll always be with you.’”
Let me tell you something about the creator of the girl named Riiya (the girl in red), for all of you who don't know who she is or don't understand the kind of person she is.
Riiya's creator, known as aragorn1014 on this site, is a girl. Not just any girl. A sweet, compassionate, gentle, loving, caring, devoted lady. She may very well be the most pure-hearted human being I've ever known in all my life. She is nothing short of an angel, and I'm being very literal. She could see straight through your facade if you're pretending to be happy when you're actually feeling sad, angry, brokenhearted, all of that, and STILL do all in her power to bring a smile to your face again. She's GENUINE. Genuine. I'm still astonished, to this day, that I was able to find a friend in my childhood, someone I can actually call my sister, that is so loving and warm, always there even when she's far away. Every time I think back to when she's been there for me or checked up on me to see if I was okay, I smile and cry and just feel so happy to know that she's THERE. Even so far away, she's always there. Here. Anywhere I am. And let me tell you, nothing is more comforting, especially during a rough time, then knowing someone who cares for you so much is right there, ready to make you smile again. This girl, Sayura: I love her so incredibly much, I WISH we were related by blood. That's where Riiya (her OC) and Kiyoko (my OC) come in. Even though we can't be silly siblings, our OCs can. Riiya is much more of the big sister type over Kiyoko, so Kiyoko always seems to be the one hurting for some reason or another (like I always am) and Riiya is always doting on her (like Sayu always does to me). Sayu is a girl like none other and I appreciate her much, much more than I say or show.
aragorn1014 has a love for Winnie the Pooh and that love grew on me some time during the last two years hahah. Now, I'm absolutely obsessed with Winnie the Pooh, thuuuussss: I've decided to start these "A Lesson From Pooh" series, using references or quotes from Winnie the Pooh - who is pretty damn inspirational and I never even realized! This pic is not finished, as I didn't shade it at all, but I did try a new coloring style that I LOOOVE. I'm enjoying the lack of thick, black lineart hahah. ALSO, the BG is not mine (since my Photoshop was being a BUTT and wouldn't open, so I couldn't make my starry night sky </3)
Riiya Kawazoe (c) aragorn1014
Art and Kiyoko Valentine (c) fire-freak/FiammaJoule on dA
