[ open ]

[blue_wayfinder]

Characters: Aqua and whoever she runs into
Location: Special mention of the library, the super market, and the Outer Quarter, but feel free to catch her en route to any of these places or near Death City Heights!
Rating: PG
Time: February 19, all day
Description: Aqua's keeping busy.


Aqua's morning was spent running errands. The fridge needed restocking and other supplies that needed replacing. That she hadn't noticed until she was nearly all out said a great deal about her life recently. Sometime after that she'd parked her bike outside of the library intent on getting some reading done. What she ended up doing was falling asleep on a book for a few hours. Later in the evening she would be out and about in the Outer Quarter doing patrols.

Honestly, after everything that had happened, she felt exhausted, but what else can she do but try to keep going?

Comments

omg, I loved that song.

[blue_wayfinder]

[Being sung to like this wasn't something Aqua was used to. At least not since she arrived at the Land of Departure. There were snippets of her life before the Keyblade that she could still remember, but they were all disjointed images and hazy at best. A face with unrecognisable features. A hand on her head. A fluttering white dress. Someone telling her they loved her without being able to remember the cadence of the voice. All less clear than her memories growing up under the watchful eye of Master Eraqus but no less precious all the same.

She hadn't been dreaming when she fell asleep, as people who fall asleep due to exhaustion tend not to do. But as the sound of a song drifted to her, the empty blackness changed and she had her head on someone's lap as they brushed a hand through her hair and sang to her. She didn't realize it, but it was Haruka's voice she heard and not her mother's, but the feelings the memory brought with it were hers. Warm. Safe.

In the waking world, Aqua shifted, curling in a little more with a smile and a soft sigh.

Eventually, though, her eyes would flutter open, though it will be another moment before she'll be awake enough to really take in her surroundings.]

It's so pretty~!

[hoennmaihime]

[When she sees Aqua shift and smile, Haruka smiles in turn. It looked like she was having a good dream - maybe she should stop trying to wake her up? But on the bright side, if she were to wake up, she would almost certainly remember her dream, at least.

She lowers the volume of her song as Aqua slowly wakes up, gradually stopping completely. After a moment, she greets her softly to test her level of alertness. She'll save her explanation until Aqua's fully awake.]

Hey.

It is!

[blue_wayfinder]

[She blinked blearily.]

...Haruka?

[hoennmaihime]

[She nods.]

Mm-hm.

[A different thought suddenly occurs to her, momentarily distracting her from explanations.]

This is the first time we've met in person, isn't it? Nice to meet you.

[One can't give a proper bow while on crutches, so she settles for bowing her head respectfully instead.]

[blue_wayfinder]

...it's nice to meet you, too.

[It was about then that she looked around a little and remembered where she was. She groaned.]

I fell asleep, didn't I? [She's not sure if this was more, or less embarrassing than the singing...]

[hoennmaihime]

[Haruka nods.]

I guess your body must have needed the sleep. I only woke you up so you could go and sleep somewhere comfier! Because I figured if you stayed like that for too long, you'd wake up sore.

You're going to do that, right? Take another nap in a better place?

[She stares at Aqua with an earnest expression on her face - she wouldn't not not catch up on her sleep, right? Right?]

[blue_wayfinder]

[She hesitated.

She hadn't meant to fall asleep at all, really, and didn't plan to any time soon, but she wasn't sure how to say that when Haruka was looking at her like that...]

...maybe later.

[hoennmaihime]

[Haruka's expression turns to one of confusion.]

But... why? Do you have something that needs to be done right now?

[She has a brainwave, and perks up a bit.]

I could do it for you! I'm not busy!

[blue_wayfinder]

You don't need to do that. [Because there wasn't actually anything she needed to do.] Really, Haruka, I can take care of it myself.

[hoennmaihime]

[Oh no, had she offended her?]

I'm sorry!

...I can't help even a little?

[blue_wayfinder]

[Wait. Why was she apologizing?]

...you don't need to apologize. [She sighed. She was making a mess of this, wasn't she?]

There isn't actually anything for you to help with. I'm just trying to keep busy.

[hoennmaihime]

[Haruka's just... even more confused now.]

A... ah...?

[Eloquent.]

Well... sleeping would keep you busy!

[She can push the question of why Aqua wants to keep busy later.]

[blue_wayfinder]

[Except sleeping was exactly what she was trying to avoid.]

Haruka...[There was no way out of this, was there? She looked away.] Thank you, but I don't really want to sleep right now.

[hoennmaihime]

[The girl's expression turns to one of concern.]

...Have you been getting a lot of nightmares lately?

[blue_wayfinder]

[She was quiet for a moment.]

...is it that obvious? [She thought she'd been hiding it pretty well.]

[hoennmaihime]

[Oh no.]

Well... I can't think of many other reasons why somebody wouldn't want to sleep if they weren't busy.

Doesn't this world have animals that can eat nightmares?

[blue_wayfinder]

I think they only exist in legends.

[She'll take this change of topic, thank you very much.]

Was there something like that in the world you came from?