The Sky's Eternal Sunset

You Can't Drown Me

Lay me by the bay
Bathe me in the grey

Tear away my skin
See me from within
Waterborne
I'm rain, thunder, ocean-born

And you can't drown me
Heart held close to
The Moon and Neptune
Rivers course my blood
My breath is thunder

~Futuristik ft. Miyoki - Waterborne

(⁠๑⁠˙⁠❥⁠˙⁠๑⁠)(⁠๑⁠˙⁠❥⁠˙⁠๑⁠)(⁠๑⁠˙⁠❥⁠˙⁠๑⁠)(⁠๑⁠˙⁠❥⁠˙⁠๑⁠)(⁠๑⁠˙⁠❥⁠˙⁠๑⁠)

Time goes by faster these last weeks, and Sora finds himself rushing to get things done. All his samples are photographed and documented twice over to make sure nothing gets overlooked. Everything must be organized perfectly, and if he needs secondary samples, he gets them immediately. He doesn't need anyone telling him that his data is missing components. He'll fucking cry if that happens!

Sora still has several months to write his paper on Roxas, but he can't afford to take it easy since the subject of his studies will soon be out of reach.

All his notes need to be translated over from Hawaiian to Jamaican and then double-checked a hundred times for errors. Sure, he can submit his paper in Hawaiian, but the majority of the people reading over his paper are Jamaican speakers and he'd rather they didn't have to pop it into a translation program to read it. It'll lose all the nuances of his writing that way.

Despite all his running to and fro to get things done, he still manages to find time to visit with the mer. Not that they're at the bay much at the moment.

They're starting to prepare themselves for the trip back to Kyushu, which means lots of extra hunting and fishing to fatten up for the long trip. It'll be hard to get food while journeying so they'll have to rely on things they can catch with minimal rest on the go--quick snacks and using what they have stored in their bodies to keep them going.

What that means is that Sora hardly sees Roxas for days at a time. Thankfully, he's hunting with the Marakihaus again. Sora was worried for a while that he might not, but as long as he gets a few days to decompress from their loud presences, Roxas's willing to work with them. Sora guesses that right about now he's busy stuffing himself so that he won't go hungry or drag behind the others as they travel.

When he does see Roxas, it's around noon. He's usually lounging on his float sunning himself. Contently napping with a full stomach and his tail swaying lazily in the ocean. Occasionally, he flips his tail up and splashes himself with water, so he doesn't have to move to remoisturize his scales. If Roxas doesn't have to go anywhere, then he won't budge.

But there is one sure-fire way to get that lazy slug moving.

A loud whistle and Roxas perks up to look around. That sound means Sora is there, which means books and music and his friend. Once he spots Sora on the shore, he dives and makes his way to the beach. He climbs up the shallows, using his tail to push himself a little faster up the wet sand.

Roxas lays out on his stomach and pats the sand, telling Sora to hurry up. So slow. He'll wither away if Sora walks any slower. What's taking so long? Turning into a sea cucumber? Or maybe a snail? Move!

⛎Rude little shi--I brought you stuff, and this is how you repay me? With insults?⛎Sora frowns and kicks sand at him.

Roxas just flings it back with a grin before gesturing out what he wants first. Music. Ten songs.

⛎My lunch break is only half an hour, Roxas,⛎Sora tries to explain, but the words don't click. ⛎Five song. Maybe.⛎

Roxas tries for higher numbers yet again, and Sora gently bpops him on the nose with the book he brought. Roxas blinks in shock and rubs his nose with an unimpressed frown. Books aren't for hitting, he tells Sora.