"You're hyperventilating. I want you to take three deep breaths. Can you do that for me?"
"Uh-huh."
"Breathe with me, little buddy, okay?"
"Uh-huh."
One deep breath.
In through the nose, hold, out through the mouth.
"Good job. Again."
Two. In through the nose, hold, out through the mouth.
By the third breath, she felt better. Breathing became a bit more controlled and she found herself relaxing a bit.
"Good," came the voice of Mister Akamu, "How are you feeling now?"
"Better," came her reply.
"Do you need space? Should I leave you be?"
"No." THe response was quick, quicker than she'd expected it to be, and she sounded like she were giving an actual order to him.
"Okay, okay," came his soft voice, "I'll stay right here."
A long moment of silence as she watched the ocean go by, so close that she might reach down and touch it had she felt like falling in. The salty ocean air tugged through her curls and tickled her cheeks.
"Mister Akamu?"
"Yes, little buddy?"
"If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?"
He hummed, thinking on that for a long time as his fingers moved to his chin. She found herself mirroring the action. Mister Akamu noticed and smiled down at her. She mirrored that too.
"If I could be anywhere in the world right now," he finally said, "I think I would be in a nice, big living room filled with bookshelves, reading to my wife and daughter."
"You have a daughter?" she asked, "Why aren't you at home with her and your wife?"
He'd ruffled her hair then.
"I've got a job, little buddy. Besides, working for your family's not so bad."
"Would you rather be at home?" she asked, her near nervous breakdown having been skillfully avoided by distraction and breath.
A hum. "I'd like to be," he admitted, "Remind me sometime, and I'll show you a picture of my family. Sound good?"
"Uh-huh."
"I mean this in the kindest, most loving way possible," Epel says quietly from beside Hina as Rook helps instruct the group of first years on how to properly lift a teacup, "but you look terrible."
Hina finds herself releasing a small laugh despite herself. "Oh right, because you sound so loving."
Epel sends her a stink eye, then manages a small smile himself behind his lifted teacup. "Rough night?"
Hina nods. Silently, she sips her tea, then sets the cup back down. "Do I look like I've been awake all night?"
Epel ponders that for a moment. After Rook calls a short break for him to brew more tea, Epel turns to her and lifts her chin to better examine her face. Squinted eyes hovering over her own a moment, he carefully brushes away a small clump of mascara that fell onto her lower eyelid.
He draws back then. "You look fine to me."
Hina nods, brushing off the little thrill she got from his closeness, his touch. She's just not used to being touched, that's all. "Thanks."
YOU ARE READING
A Garden of Blooming Coals: Twisted Wonderland OC
Fanfiction"From the top of the head, to the soles of the feet, and the four corners of the body." -Hawaiian healing proverb. Whispers of her have yet to leave her country. Whether she is a delicate flower or a force of destruction is a thorny topic. The worl...
