Let's Try This Again, Shall we? (A SPM Swap AU)

This is Our Fate

~ Flashback ~

"BLUMIERE! COME BACK!" The girl yelled, chasing after the boy as he ran, her long white hair blowing behind her. She finally caught up to him and grabbed his arm, yanking him back so he couldn't keep running. "

"Blumiere, why do you avoid me?" She asked, a confused expression on her face.

"OW," He cried, lifting his free arm and covering the left side of his face so she couldn't see. "U-Unhand me!"

She frowned, hearing his desperate tone. She wasn't used to him acting quite like this. He trembled. It was almost like he was terrified. She paused, her gaze shifting to more compassionate, then reached forward and wiped some of his tears as he sobbed, trying to catch his breath.

Something had to be wrong.

"Blumiere... are you crying?" She questioned, voice much softer and gentler than before.

He just stood there and continued to tremble, covering part of his face with his free arm. She bit her lip, then gently reached for his hand and pulled it aside, revealing a large gash across the left side of his face, over his eye. She let out a horrified gasp as he winced and turned his head to the side so she wouldn't have to see.

He knew his eyes were one of her favorite parts about him, so he couldn't help but feel that he had let her down. "I-It's nothing. Don't worry about it. Just forget-"

"Who did this?!" She demanded, gently placing a hand under his chin and turning his head so he was facing her. Fresh tears spilled from his good eye, flowing down his face.

"Timpani-"

"Is your father behind this?!" She cried, eyes starting to water as well. "DID HE DO THIS TO YOU?!"

He paused, looking at her with a hopeless expression. "He...had to." He whimpered. "The tribe punishes us when we... we... don't act exactly as expected. My father was just following orders. He... he said that they were going to make him kill me, but he convinced them to let me go with a warning."

The poor boy's lip began to quiver as he looked down, feeling utterly defeated.

"Do you hate it?" He asked, sounding devastated. "I.. know how much you loved my eyes. D-Do you think you could find it in you to still.... to still love..."

The girl paused, a heartbroken expression on her face as the boy suddenly broke into sobs.

"Blumiere... Of course. I'll always still love you, no matter what you look like. I just can't believe he'd... he'd..."

"My father is cruel," Blumiere muttered, wiping some tears and looking up at her with his good eye. "He doesn't understand what love is. He'll NEVER understand what love is. But... I cannot keep disobeying him. He said... he said we must part."

"Blu, no-"

"This has to be goodbye. W-We don't have any other choice. What if he goes after you. What if the tribe kills you?! This... this is just our fate." He cried, turning away and running off.