The Sky's Eternal Sunset

Inside A Saltwater Room

Can you believe that the crew has gone

And they wouldn't let me sign on?

All my islands have sunk in the deep

And I can hardly relax

Or even oversleep

But I feel warm with your hand in mine

When we walk along the shoreline

Saltwater room - Owl City

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Breakfast for Roxas is a couple of snappers and a single squid. Lunch is an entire bucket full of prawns. Dinner is several more snappers with a couple of tasty clams. Sora likes keeping it varied, and admits that he goes for the stuff that's a little on sale either because of its size or because it's less than pristine. Roxas doesn't mind and eats it all without complaint.

Roxas told him only three days, but on the fourth day Sora still brings him something to eat, though not nearly as much. Axel explains Sora's logic via translation.

Doing it this way gives Roxas a chance to get back out to the ocean to do some hunting but alleviates the pressure of having to overextend himself. That way, if he doesn't manage to catch as much as usual because of his injuries, he can still get a full meal in. At least, until he can work his way back up to fully feeding himself again. Roxas supposes that makes sense, so he doesn't give Sora too much guff for it. Just eats the market fish and does some light swimming in the bay, digging in the sand for small crabs and such to snack on.

Sora doesn't bother him too much after the seventh day of his recuperation. His attention is stolen in the form of doing work for the facility. He assists in several checkups with the other humans on the beach. The Marakihaus and Rusalka that will allow it anyway. Axel, of course, is among them.

Roxas can see, Sora is popular with the mer, even the ever-cautious Rusalkas. He tries talking to them in his butchered Aquan and gets a number of strange looks initially. The Marakihaus laugh and laugh. They ask him to repeat himself and when he does it the same they laugh some more, clutching their guts as they roll in the shallows. But they eventually correct him so he can get it right for next time.

While Sora works, Roxas stays in the shallows to rest. He's found in the past that staying in the sun heals his injuries quicker, so that's what he does. Plus, he'll need another two weeks of calm swimming before he's at full strength again.

While Sora does spend a great deal of time helping the other humans with their endeavors, he never neglects to come down to the beach to check on Roxas. He inquires about his back, asks to check the injuries, and takes notes on the rate at which Roxas is healing. But after that's all said and done, Sora always dips his hand into his bag and tosses Roxas a new children's book to browse to alleviate his boredom for the rest of the day. Roxas takes care not to damage them or get them wet as he doesn't want Sora to stop bringing him new things. Then, at the end of the day, Sora picks them back up before returning home.

Sometimes, once Sora is finished with all his work, he comes by with a bag of that jerky. Doesn't matter if Roxas is there or not. He plops down into the sand and chews on it while looking at the ocean. It's the only time he doesn't seem to talk. He just watches the sun disappear into the horizon, his thoughts far away.

Roxas doesn't care for the look in his eyes when he does this. Somber and serious doesn't suit the ever smiling human, but he's not certain there's anything he can do about it. So he does what he prefers others to do with him; he gives Sora his space to be alone with his thoughts.