hanaban | Nimona ☆ White Tiger

[ Hanako mumbles something muffled before he's able to get himself free, rubbing at his cheek a little. He always used to be the cheek puller, not the pulled, it was his big brother privilege. ]

This time, but I'll get you back!

[ lays down on his back, arms spreadeagled. like this, the sky and ocean blend together almost seamlessly. ]

... Tama was teaching me how to swim. Did you ever end up learning?

[she sprawls out too, staring up at the sky.]

Was she? [she asks idly, with a little hum.] I can swim, yeah. Better when I'm not here, but I got Ace out of the lake fine before, so I can do it here too.

Why?

Huh?

[ The only time he actually saw Nimona in the water was at the execution where she went in after Saya, and both of them had to be fished out afterwards. ]

You already know how to swim? Then why am I learning??

[this is so funny she couldn't swim because she was heavily injured hanako!!!]

... Yeah? You thought I couldn't? [a beat.] Were you learning how to swim because you thought I couldn't?

[ he was too busy squeezing the life out of her to notice he was just making her injuries worse!!! ]

Am I the only one left who doesn't know how to swim?!

[she puts her hands over her mouth because she is trying SO hard not to laugh]

... Maybe? That depends on your definition of swimming! Are you saying you still can't?

[ sTOP ]

Shut up! I know the theory behind it! Like starfishing and stuff!

[she rolls over to peer at him, her tail waving back and forth.]

No. [she will not shut up] That's a good start. At least you don't sink to the bottom.

[ he's going hhhhhhhhhhh because he never had to worry about it before, ghosts don't sink ]

Floating and kicking, that's basically the same as swimming.

[her wing flops over to spread over him like a blanket.]

As long as you don't drown it's fine? [a beat.] You can still be a pirate and not be able to swim great, you know.

[not that he said he wants to be a pirate, but whatever]

[ thank you he wants nothing more than to hide in embarrassment rn ]

I know... I can handle a blade! And I bet I could learn astronavigation, easy.

[ he can be the navigator all the way up on the crow's nest, as far away from the water as possible ]

[he can hide under her wing that's fine]

You totally could. You'd be better at it than me. [she peeks at him.] You know, I could really use a navigator for my crew that I'm putting together.

[ maybe if the sky here had the correct stars, but he's sure he could learn even then ]

What were you going to do without a navigator? Set sail and just hope for the best?

... Yeah?

[ace compared her to luffy sometimes in his meta and he's not entirely wrong]

Gotta start somewhere.

And end up where?

[ he can't imagine drifting at sea for month or even years at a time. he's always been rooted to one spot; in a way, it feels safe. ]

[she thinks about that. like, really thinks about it.]

... I don't know. Anywhere but where I was. [...] It's a cliché but I'm more about the going. The journey.

... That sounds nice.

[ the going. the journey. all the sights and people along the way.

he looks a little wistful, in that stubbornly despondent way of his when he thinks about his lack of a future, about the fact that he's already at the end of his journey and all that's left to do now is to say goodbye. ]

[this makes me sad

she's quiet for a bit, and then:]

You know I'm always gonna ask you to come with me. [she knows he won't, he already told her, but.] Over and over.

I know.

[ and he rolls over and gives her a hug for saying that, because he loves that she would, just as much as he regrets not being able to. ]

[she returns the hug, tightly, just pressing her nose into his hair and probably a bit of his hat for a bit.]

... If I managed to figure out how to get where you were, would I even be able to see you? [she's more curious than anything.]

[ she can feel him shake his head, hair tickling her nose ]

When I get where I was... I had severed the connection between the living and the supernatural worlds. You won't see me unless you're dead. And I don't want you to die.

[she makes SUCH a face at this.]

... I don't think I want to be dead, either. [...] Maybe me and Nico could figure something out, though.

Nico's already trying to do the impossible for me.

[ it's less to do with his own situation, but it's something even more important to him. ]

Maybe he can do his séance thing and call for me, but it's not the same. I won't be able to hold you like this. And I won't be able to stay.

[she taps his hat.]

You don't know what I can figure out. [she says, stubbornly.] ... I'm not giving up on it. You can resist all you want but if I have to be dragged tooth and nail to a happy ending I'm sure as hell taking other people with me.

[ She is SO stubborn... but Hanako's stubborn too, and he knows this. maybe it's because he's dead, maybe it's because he's just a kid, but it's so hard to change his mind once it's set on something: the finality of death.

And here Nimona is staring the impossible in the face and saying she'll find a way. Living people... sure are amazing. ]

I hope you can.

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sharkgirl - 2023-11-03 06:00 (UTC) - Expand

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hanaban - 2023-11-03 06:09 (UTC) - Expand