Hawai'i Talks Story [Countryhumans and Statehumans Oneshots]

Nihon's Fish Guts (And Snail Bits)

A/N: Due to this being mostly written from Japanese Empire's perspective, despite being in the third person, she will be referred to as Nihon unless by Wai herself. This is an endonym (a name from within a nation that they call themselves), along with Nippon. I am all for endonyms.

Also, for fun, and because this is sort of reminiscent of an inner monologue, Beikoku will be used for America (a formal Japanese term for the country) and Hawai for Hawaiʻi (you know, if Sakura isn't being used).

The title very much so is an inside joke.

-----1932-----

Hawai used to love to talk.

About everything, about nothing. She spoke to fill the space around her with her thoughts, or to say things out loud so that she could think better. She spoke of people she loved, of things she learned, and of the things she thought about in the days between her visits.

She also loved to always smile. Her smile was infectious

And for that, was the reason that Nihon named her Sakura.

She had so affectionately granted this nickname to Hawai because it was the name of a favourite flower that bloomed often within the spring months, which came from 咲,meaning to bloom. Another common use for this word is to smile or laugh. And was Sakura not a little laugh, a smile, a happiness?

From the moment Hawai had first dragged Nihon to see the harbor that night, that first giggle that came from her when the rain poured down and she apologised for not having any clothing in Nihon's size... There was just a warmth that came from it all.

The giggles and the way she treated Nihon like a friend and not someone to use for trade; the way she used to take Nihon's hands in her own and pull on them; the way she laughed about things that didn't seem silly at all.

The way Nihon found herself enjoying every moment and not worrying about what she was getting out of it all, the way Nihon found that she didn't care that Sakura had messed up her perfect folds and precise pleats in the clothing she wore, the way she found herself stifling a laugh as well at something she'd otherwise find rather simple or stupid.

Sakura was more than a friend, more than a valuable asset, and more than a stepping stone in the Pacific between Nihon and Beikoku. She was a feeling—a warm, fuzzy, friendly, smiling feeling.

And there was something almost childish, not quite adult, about her smile. Not naïve, no. Just pure and smiling just to smile, not for any other motives.

But now, Hawai sat there, no smile on her face, no laugh bubbling from her chest, no erratic waving of her hands while she spoke to emphasise her point. She instead was quietly humming to herself, some song Nihon didn't recognise, quietly, a frown marring her face.

Nihon prided herself in not using vulgarities that often. But she could indulge herself a little when it came to Beikoku.

Ever since that... that bastard had stolen Sakura and her little smile away; she spoke less, stared into space more often. She clasped Nihon's hands less, apologised for getting overly excited less, because she never got over excited, not anymore.

And here she was, fiddling with a blade of grass with her gloves, no smile to be found. She was folding it, over and over and over, until it was a scrunchy little mess. Sakura never spoke to Nihon, not anymore, only Hawai's tiredness and lack of self care.

"Sakura, what's on your mind?" Nihon asked, not liking that she needed to be the one who had to break the silence. Her tone was quiet, collected, a low hum in a rather quiet landscape.