life goes on

🌊

you couldn't afford losing yourself to her again, not after what had happened. venturing off into the red sea to protect this ocean. for her. the ocean that was dead in your heart, now deemed precious because she loved it dearly so.

holding her so dearly as she cried, she made you promise that you weren't going anywhere. now that was a promise you could keep, so you stayed true to your word and told her there was no place you'd rather be than her. this only made her cry even more, but cry in a more happy sense.

seeing her cry made you cry too, although not as much as her. seeing her again in the flesh and blood and not in your thoughts and dreams anymore was so relieving. holding her in your arms, because she wasn't that tall still despite insisting that she grew taller, felt so comforting. she felt pretty soft, so it wasn't like you were going to let go anytime soon.

the full moon shining over you too also perfectly set the scene. the illuminating moonbeam that sank into the both of you made you feel so secure. as if the moon beams were a shield to protect you from further danger.

to protect you from sal.

but now that you two reunited, what would be next? you asked her that, and she shushed you gently and softly with her two, quasi plump fingers.

"we don't have to worry about that now," she softly whispered. "let's focus on the right now aspect."

wadanohara really had changed.

she grew up to be a wise witch, a wise and impressive witch. you just forever knew she always made her father proud, yet if he were to see her now, his pride and love for his daughter would be stronger. it just made you wonder how she got so powerful when you were away. it sucked not being able to see her mature into a beautiful sea witch.

you? you grew up to be more mature too, but through the means from enduring violence and horrible horrible things that wadanohara nor anyone else should see. those would linger on forever, as life goes on. you'd have to tell her someday about your adventure, once she gives you hers.

for now, you two stayed by the ocean. you guys didn't go home just yet, but you two stayed in that tree that you spent sitting together many millennia ago. the tree hasn't aged too much, it was still it's strong, old self.

sitting there made you feel like your young self again with her young self, only now they're in your memories. memories that you held onto and thought about often when you were away.

when you were all alone in the red sea, thinking about her and her cheery smile and her general altruism did brighten up your spirits then. now her presence is fully brightening your spirit.

wadanohara's hand and your hand intertwined tightly with one another. this was your first time actually intimately holding her hand like this. her hand now felt softer and plumper than the last time you held it.

"i don't think there was a day where you weren't on my mind, samekichi," she murmured softly.

"oh?" you quietly responded.

"yeah... it was hard, trying to go through the day without you... but i had to."

"and you did."

silence ensues for a while. "... what was it like in the red sea?" she asked moments later, breaking the silence.

you let out of a soft sigh. "i will tell you another day."

"okay."

🌊

that another day came sooner than you expected, and also unexpected. although, no one can predict when they'll have a nightmare.

you just happened to experience a nightmare only two days after returning home.