satoushabon:
It had taken Samekichi some time to respond to her, and her light gray eyes didn’t leave him for a second of it. When he did finally manage to speak, it was in the form of a dismissal; his usual response to such a question, no doubt. Wadanohara hardly believed him after observing the way he sighed and fidgeted. Surely, the burden she had cast upon him was uncomfortable, painful, even, and she wanted to continue to push the issue in hopes of resolving it. But this had all been her fault, hadn’t it? She really didn’t have that right.
She sighed in defeat, looking away from the shark as a feeling of dread anchored in her chest. Her tiny hands balled up into tiny fists that clung to the delicate fabric of her pleated skirt, and she resisted the urge to say something. “Samekichi, I don’t believe you,” she wanted to say, looking at him with determination in her face. “Nothing will get better if we don’t talk about it!” But there were no words of denial that passed through her lips, nor was there a look of resolve. Instead, she stared at her knees and clutched tighter to the edge of her skirt.
She had no idea what to do.
Finally, through almost gritted teeth and lips that barely managed to part at all, she spoke. “I believe you,” she started, wincing at just how stark the contrast between her words and thoughts was, “If something ever happens, though, like if I upset you, please tell me. No matter how much it hurts me. I would hate for you to suffer, so…” she trailed off, eyes darting away from her companion. It was becoming increasingly difficult to look at him like this, but she knew she had to find some way to make it easier to breathe in this suffocating situation. Perhaps she could try changing the conversation again?
But to what?
“Ah…” she looked out to the horizon again before jolting with realization. Samekichi hadn’t heard her new song yet, had he? The ocarina that he had given her was hardly the same as her beloved piano, but she had gotten the hang of it after familiarizing herself with the placement of the notes and had learned a song. It was the first song she’d learned. Maybe seeing his treasured gift to her being put to use would make him feel better?
“I want you to listen to something!” she chirped, the upbeat pitch in her voice back in full swing as she dug around her satchel in search of the instrument. “I learned this and wanted you to hear! It’s probably not perfect, but…” she explained with a giggle, holding the ocarina in her hands. “Is it okay?”
✘ The awkward silences between the shark and witch never fails to throw him a bit off guard. Oh, how close they used to be! Always sharing their thoughts and displaying their affections towards each other; he misses it dearly, with each moment of the days that fly by. Nothing’s more defeating than knowing that it will never be the same, ever again.
He shifts in his place, huffing out a frustrated breath, hands dropping to his sides. The boy doesn’t understand - what exactly did he do to make the sea God hate him enough to bring down this curse upon them, to allow his own brother to do his sick, twisted things? What even fucked up Sal, anyway?
He finally looks at her once she removes the ocarina from her bag, dainty hands holding it delicately in her palms. The way she holds that instrument so dearly makes his face burn, just a tiny bit.
“Uh, yeah. Go ahead,” he smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “You know I . . . love hearing you play.” That isn’t a lie, no, not one bit - he loves how passionate Wadda is about that stupid gift he happened to give her. “What did you learn? Or is it a surprise,” Okay, he’s chuckling now, poking her just once shoulder playfully.
Act normal, Samekichi. Act normal. Too late for that.
