To greet a lovely morning, we
must leave the night behind.
(©Tarang Sinah)
◣▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ ⌘ ▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁◢
Your breath caught in your throat. What were you supposed to say? Your sister had never just up and vanished like this before, she was always good with communication. Sometimes she could go overboard with it; updating you or whoever when she arrived or left places. Even if it was too much at times, you appreciated her diligence of letting people know where she was whenever she could. The only time she didn't was when she was doing intern work for hero agencies which was understandable.
You could give him a million answers. The truth would be the best option for sure, but you didn't know if you should actually spit it out. What if Mizuki was just away for a day or two and would come back soon? That wouldn't make sense since she was adamant on sharing her location. You know it's wrong to lie. Guilt weighs heavy on your chest. You don't care too much about your parents, honestly. They obviously preferred your sister over you and even if they did it unintentionally—you became the black sheep.
You'd always have her back because you knew she'd do the same for you. If she killed someone, you'd help her hide the body and take the secret with you to the grave. You knew she'd do the same. You swallow and it catches in your throat but you don't show it.
"I don't know."
◤▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ⌘ ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔◥
Track 3; Afraid of the Dark
by TALK
The evening sun was warm over the park lying on the outskirts of a forest. The late spring breeze was thick and humid, though there were no clouds in the sky that foreshadowed any rain. There were a few children on the playground, playing a game of tag across the jungle gym and others seeing who could get the highest on the swings. They were wearing their school clothes, their overcoats slung over the fence lining the wood chipped play yard. The group appeared to be maybe 8-10 years old at most. It was the last day of school for them before summer break.
A girl split from the group, jogging over to one of the picnic tables nearby. Scattered across the seats and the table itself was a collection of backpacks. The girl had beautiful dark blue hair that curled to just below her shoulders, almost a perfect resemblance of the ocean waves. Her eyes were a brilliant white, targeting a tan satchel near the end of the table. Just as her hands reached for it, a younger girl ran by and snatched it as she passed.
The blue-haired girl stared at the table in bewilderment before her white irises focused on the (h/c) girl sprinting away. "Hey! That's my bag!" She cried out in anger, taking off after her. Her friends came to a stop with their game of tag, curious wide eyes watching as she ran away.
"Mizuki! Where are you going?!" One of her friends called out to her, but the bluenette didn't care.
Her heart was racing in her chest. Her parents had warned her about people who might try to steal her things, but she hadn't expected it from a girl around her age. She wasn't too concerned about the belongings in her backpack, as there wasn't anything too important inside. Her main concern was her house keys. Why was a girl stealing her backpack anyway?
White eyes flashed around the park, looking for a hero she could call to for help. When she didn't see one, she continued to follow the (h/c) girl. She didn't want to hurt her, but the thief was faster than her and Mizuki wasn't one that was willing to lose. The girl darted into the woods, and she wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. Not many children got quirk training at a young age, they were only taught how to maintain control during school. Most wouldn't even learn how to fight with them unless they went to a particular high school, followed by an even more particular university. Mizuki, on the other hand, was not one of those children and had been receiving training from an early age. She had a reputation to uphold with her family name. There was no way she would let a crooked little thief get away with her belongings.
She didn't have any source to build off of nearby which would make things difficult if she had to fight. She didn't have enough control over her quirk to pull the moisture from the air, either. Hopefully she'd be able to find a puddle nearby from last nights rainstorm, but the humidity more than likely forced it to evaporate. Mizuki's chances of winning were slim, but she was desperate to try anything she could.
Just before the (h/c) girl vanished into the shadows, the bluenette pulled the sleeve of her left arm back and covered her forearm in rushing water. It felt cold, but good on her skin. She focused it on her hand and let it form into a ball, reforming it into a lasso and throwing it with as much accuracy as she could manage while she was running. Somehow it looped around the thief's ankle and Mizuki snatched it back as fast as she could. The girl fell to the ground with an 'oof' and attempted to crawl into the bushes. Mizuki tied the water lasso to a tree branch nearby and grabbed her bag back as quickly as she could. She panted heavily and brushed her dark blue hair out of her face, staring down at the girl.
Below her was a girl with tangled (h/c) hair and bright violet eyes. She was breathing heavily too, a look of anger across her face. It was obvious that she was upset about being caught. Mizuki threw her bag over her shoulder and crossed her arms over her chest, taking a step back to look the girl over some more. She was wearing a ripped grey t-shirt and tattered jeans. Her face was stained with dirt, too. It almost looked like she hadn't bathed in a few weeks. The thief seemed to know that she wasn't getting away anytime soon and stopped putting up a fight. This made Mizuki wonder if she knew how to use her quirk or if she had one at all.
"Why'd you take my bag?" Mizuki demanded.
The girl didn't answer, only staring at her for a moment before looking to the side.
"Answer me, or I'll get the police involved." The bluenette placed her hands on her hips. "I should call them anyway no matter what you say."
Violet eyes continued to burn into the distance. Why she didn't look up at Mizuki, she didn't know. The older girl couldn't tell if the thief was too stubborn or too scared to speak. She almost looked...homeless. Her cheekbones were slightly sunken in and she had dark bags under her eyes.
"Where are your parents?" Mizuki decided to ask softly.
The girl didn't answer this time. Instead, her stomach growled loudly. Her cheeks flushed with heat and she hid her face in her arms.
Mizuki tilted her head slightly and sighed before crouching down. "Are you hungry?"
The girl hesitated to look up, but eventually did. She seems nervous to make eye contact but nods anyway.
Mizuki undoes the zipper of her bag and reaches inside. She pulls out a small bento box with an oceanic design on the outside. "If you promise that you won't run away and will answer my questions, I'll let you have what's left of my lunch. If you run away I'll chase you down again and call the police, okay? Does that sound like a deal?"
She crouches down again so the girl doesn't strain her neck to look up. The (h/c) thief nods again, and slowly sits up on her knees when Mizuki allows the water tether to vanish. She still doesn't say anything, only resting her hands in her lap and lowering her violet eyes to the blue lunch box in her hands.
"I-I'm...sorry." The girl's voice is so quiet that the older child nearly doesn't hear it. Her voice sounds worn, like it hasn't been used in awhile.
Mizuki extends the bento box out to the girl after removing the top including a pair of chopsticks. "You only did it because you were hungry, right?"
The girl nods again, taking both gently and looking at the black chopsticks. She doesn't know how to use them but doesn't know how to say it. She places one in her off hand and uses the other to stab at the food, deciding she'll use her hand for the rice balls.
"Where are your parents?"
The girl shrugs, filling her mouth with the leftover teriyaki Mizuki hadn't finished at lunch. The bluenette's eyebrows furrow in dismay.
"How long have you been out here on your own?"
The girl stops chewing for a second before staring into the distance, like she's looking for the answer herself. Eventually, she shrugs again and continues to eat.
Mizuki can feel her heart start to sink. "How old are you?"
The (h/c) takes the chopsticks in one hand and shows five once, then two across her fingers. Seven. She's almost done with the leftovers, and it hasn't been much more than a few minutes. She must've been very hungry to eat that fast.
When she's done, Mizuki takes it again and puts the chopsticks inside before putting the lid back on. She returns it to her bag and puts it back on her shoulders before rising to her feet. She lets out a gentle laugh behind closed lips and holds her hand out to the young girl.
Wide, violet eyes stare up at her like a deer in headlights. She seems curious, yet scared more than anything else.
"Don't be afraid, I won't call the police on you." Mizuki says gently to reassure her. "But, I will be taking you home. Does that sound okay? My parents shouldn't mind you staying with us for a little while. My name is Mizuki."
The girl is apprehensive for good reason. She had just stolen Mizuki's backpack and should have the police called on her. Why was she being so nice all of a sudden and deciding to take her home? Inside the girl's chest she feels a desire to follow her. It's almost as if Mizuki is projecting a light, and she is just a moth traveling to its source.
"I'm...[Name]."
She reaches out and takes Mizuki's hand.
◣▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ ⌘ ▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁◢
Hokama Mizuki was your saving grace. The last thing you remember before she found you was your mother taking you to a park one sunny morning and disappearing when you went down one of the tunnel slides. Ever since that day you'd been on your own. You weren't sure how long you'd spent out there in the woods; you'd blocked it out due to the trauma and overlying fear.
There were lots of things to look at as she guided you back to her home. Cars of all colors lined the sidewalks, some pulling up against the curb to park and others pulling away to re-enter traffic. Multiple, if not hundreds of people passed by you and Mizuki. None of them looked at her, a clean-cut ten-year-old with a nicely pressed school uniform. All of them had eyes on you, a scraggly, dirty girl with ripped clothing covered in mud stains so dark they looked permanent. Their gazes were mixed: some looked out of surprise, some were shocked, some curious on why a disheveled child was roaming with a young student. A few even scrunch their noses at you in disgust, like you stunk. You probably do. You don't remember the last time you had a bath.
Their scrutiny makes you cower behind Mizuki. Her white irises glance over her left shoulder at you, and she gives you a comforting smile. Her pale hand reaches for yours and takes it, like she's noticed the people looking at you. She turns back to face forward. You don't notice it since you're walking slightly behind her, but the girl is now watching out for anyone who stares at you.
Suddenly, her cheery voice disrupts the turmoil in your overstimulated head. She's greeting people, commenting on the weather. The second she speaks, they look away from you and right at her. Sometimes they don't even manage to get a proper look at you before she's causing a distraction. Your heart flutters in your chest. Why was she being so nice to you?
The asphalt is hot beneath your shoes. The soles of your sneakers are so worn down that you can tell the sidewalk was hot enough to fry an egg. The humidity in Japan was horrendous, but you had adjusted to it through your childhood. That did not prevent the filthy clothing from sticking to your skin when you began to sweat. The second your armpits slick over you curl your nose. What's that smell?
Oh.
It's you.
You look at Mizuki. You know she can smell you, but she hasn't said anything. Her smile still hasn't fallen, and her facial expression hasn't changed, either. She looks at you again, and flashes you a bright smile.
"We're almost there. Not too much further, now."
You lower your gaze nervously. You don't know what to expect when you get to wherever she was guiding you. Would her parents be nice like her? Would they be mean and send you away? What would she do about it?
Slowly the main road turns into a neighborhood, and a nice one at that. There are a few cars on the road still but not as many as before. Less passerby as well. This gives you the confidence to walk beside her again and take in your surroundings with wide eyes. The houses are big and beautiful. Some are traditional homes, but a majority are modern. All of them have an array of beautiful, colorful flowers and nicely trimmed bushes and others with tall shiny fences that hide the front yard from your view. You don't think you've ever been in a place like this.
Mizuki stops at a house at the far end of the neighborhood. In the driveway are two vehicles, one silver and one black. The front yard has nicely tended chrysanthemums of warm colors, and a short solid wooden fence halfway back. She leads you to the gate and opens it, pulling you through by hand. After closing it behind you, she jogs to the front door and puts in a code. You can't help but stare at her pretty blue hair when it sways as she bounced up the front steps.
"I'm home!" Her voice is cheerful when she calls inside the house. She steps in and waits for a moment, stopping to look at you. She hasn't taken off her shoes yet. "Mother, we have a guest!"
You wait at the doorway. You don't want to step inside. The house, even the foyer in front of your filthy sneakers is spotless. You feel too disgusting to even be standing on the front porch, honestly. You feel tears brim the corners of your eyes. This is embarrassing.
Only a second goes by before a woman who looks like Mizuki comes down the hallway. Her blue hair is up in a half bun, the rest falling behind her shoulders. Instead of white eyes hers are light blue. She's tall and beautiful; it must be genetic.
"Welcome home, baby!"
She greets her daughter with a hug, kissing the top of her head. Her eyes drift to you, then back to her daughter. Then they pop open in realization of what she was looking at. You still haven't moved from the doorway. You cower and lower your gaze. She straightens and her face falls from surprise to one of calm.
"Mizuki, who is this?" Her voice is soft and you can't tell if it holds harm or not.
Your friend goes back to your side and takes your arm, forcing you into the house before closing the door behind you. It almost felt like she trapped you here. "This is my friend, [Name]! I met her at the park." She says happily when she looks back up at her mother.
Her mother doesn't know what to think. The child standing at her clean and spotless ten-year-olds side is covered from head to toe in dirt and mud. Your hair is tangled, as well. A lot of them look to be more like mats than anything else. She can feel her motherly instincts kicking into overdrive, but knows she should speak to her husband about what her brain is thinking before making any final decisions. Her light blue eyes close and her face explodes into a warm smile.
"Hi, sweetheart. I'm Kameyo. Let's get you cleaned up, shall we?"
Is she asking if you want to take a bath? You look at Mizuki for translation. You don't know if you want to speak right now, you're too nervous. It feels like you're naked on a stage and the water for your bath isn't even running yet. When your friend nods, you hesitantly copy her.
"Great! I'll go get the bath running. Mizuki, will you go grab her some of your old clothes and a towel from the closet, please?" She nods and darts up the stairs, while Kameyo turns to head to the bathroom. "Just stay here for a second, okay? She'll be right back to help you get out of those clothes and bring you to the bathroom."
You nod again, just like Mizuki had shown you just a few seconds ago. Shortly after, Kameyo disappears down the hallway again. Immediately you begin to look around. The walls are an off-white color, and a few family photos are strung about. There are a few shiny things further along the way but you can't tell what exactly they are. The floor of the foyer is made out of plain white tile. The step up and interior floors are dark wood, same for the stairs leading to the second floor. There's an opening closer to you that Kameyo had come out of before you arrived, and another where she went to a moment ago. Beyond that looks like the living room, perhaps and you can see a backyard through a window on the furthest wall.
A few minutes pass before Mizuki returns with a blue towel and an outfit from upstairs. She returns to your side and places the outfit on the foyer table before unfolding the towel and holding it out as a shield. She even does the decency of looking away. "Go ahead and take those clothes off. No one can see you through the front windows, they're frosted for privacy. Once that's off you can wrap this around you and I'll take you to the bathroom." She instructs you gently.
You check over your shoulder just for sanity's sake to make sure they were actually frosted. She wasn't lying to you. You let out a deep breath and stripped out of the mucky clothes you had lived in for god knows how long. It felt good to take them off. You'd tried to wash them in a small creek and have them dry while you were wearing them but that didn't work out like you thought it would. It actually just gave you a cold, but somehow you overcame that. When you're naked, you pull the towel out of her hands and wrap it around you, doing your best to not let any extra dirty part of you touch it besides your hands.
Mizuki smiles at you again and begins walking down the same hallway Kameyo went earlier. You hurry up the step and feel the cool wood floor underneath your bare feet. You look behind you to make sure that you aren't leaving any footprints behind; you aren't. You turn right when she does and then to a door. She opens it and inside is a bathroom already filled with steam. Kameyo is already gone. You step inside and she closes the door behind you.
"You should shower before you take a bath. I know your hair might be hard to get through right now so I'm here to help with that, okay?" Her voice is warm, just like the steam settling over you the longer you're in the bathroom. It's cozy here and you like it. You nod. "Just try to get all the dirt off of you for now."
She steps away from the shower area to let you in after turning it on for you. You step in and hang the towel up on the rack posted on the wall. Throughout your bathing process, you watched the dirt wash off of your skin in waves. It took awhile for it to run clear. You did your best to get through the knots in your hair with your fingers but it was practically pointless. The sting in your head with all the tugging was too much so you decided to stop. You didn't know what bottles were shampoo and conditioner so you just used the bar of soap you found to lather up your hair instead. It left it feeling dry but it was at least free of dirt.
Once out of the shower, you stepped out to find Mizuki waiting for you. She helped you into the bathtub and while you were enjoying the warm soak, she began to work through the mats in your hair with a brush and a comb. Despite having to tug on your head, she made sure to grip the hair above the mat to put more of the pressure on her hand rather than your scalp. She went through an entire bottle of detangler before she gave up. After you were dressed she took you back downstairs.
You were surprisingly warm with your wet hair and oversized long-sleeved shirt and pants. Your stomach growled when you caught the smell of something delicious over the distant sound of a gas stove. You followed your nose down the stairs, though Mizuki tugged you past the kitchen and into the dining room. You peaked through the opening towards the stove. A tall man with silver hair was sautéing something over a small flame. Upon entry of the dining room you found Kameyo pulling out a chair for you. There's a Shiba Inu laying by the doorway to the living room. Mizuki tells you his name is Adzuki.
"Since Mizuki wasn't able to get out all of the mats, would you allow me to give you a small haircut? I promise I'll make it cute and fashionable." She closes the hair-cutting scissors in her hand with a welcoming smile as if to show she's no harm.
"Mother always cuts my hair, so you're in safe hands."
Mizuki reassures you with a hand on your shoulder. You give her a nervous look, but nod hesitantly. They had given you no reason to not trust them so far. Kameyo was true to her word. With each snip your head began to feel lighter. She made sure to use a comb to ensure even lines and a smooth shape. Mizuki swept up the remnants of your hair on the floor.
After her mother was done she sat down across the table from you. Kameyo sat next to her, leaving both heads of the table open as well as the seat on your left. Her father, who you soon learned to be Tomio, sits down to the right of his wife. This leaves the only open seat to be between you and him. Tomio also created a bountiful dinner for you to fill your belly with as well. He made sautéed pork strips with white rice and edamame as a side. You cleared your plate and even licked it clean afterwards, the food was so good. When you put the plate down you found everyone staring at you. You shrunk back in your chair with a hot face and apologized under your breath. They chuckled it off and Kameyo said it was no bother, you must have been hungry. All you could do was nod shyly.
Needless to say, that was the first time you'd slept in a bed in a long time.
The next morning, the Hokamas did their best to locate your mother after they figured out your last name. To their disappointment, they found her in prison facing drug trafficking charges. That meant that you would end up in the orphanage. Tomio and Kameyo were willing to give you over to the government, but Mizuki was adamant that you stayed with her. She wanted them to adopt you. You didn't realize this until you were old enough to understand, but the Hokamas worked for a corporate company which belonged to the Hero Association. That meant that they weren't struggling at all with a lifestyle and their home was proof enough of that.
You started off as a foster child with them, to test the waters and see if you were a good fit. As long as Mizuki was around, you were a good child. They immediately enrolled you in classes to help you maintain your education. Due to the age gap, you were placed in separate classes than Mizuki. When she wasn't around you were shy and barely spoke up in class. Instead of focusing on lectures you were busy staring out the window. This made the Hokamas hire a psychiatrist for you. They deemed you to have PTSD from being abandoned by your biological mother but other than that you seemed like a normal child. You began to go to therapy which also involved conditioning your quirk to not react to your emotions.
You were officially adopted at the age of nine. The Hokamas fought for you in court against your drug addict mother. They were granted full parental rights when your mother let it slip that she tried to swap you for drugs as a toddler anyway. They told you that your real name was (Y/N) (L/N) and that you could keep it if you wanted. You were young and didn't truly know what they meant, but Mizuki said that if you wanted to, you could be a Hokama. You decided that you wanted that, instead.
Hokama Nereza had a nice ring to it, anyway. Mizuki explained that Tomio's father was an Italian man and wanted to honor him in her name. She searched up a list of italian baby names online and let you scroll through. You wrote some down and ran them by Kameyo and Tomio. You all came to an agreement on Nereza, so from then on Mizuki always called you 'Nere' for short. You were thankful because it happened to be your favorite, which was 'darkness'. You felt it fitting for your quirk.
Once you were caught up with your education, you were dropped into quirk training courses. They were private, just you and the trainer. You don't remember his name cause he never told you, only insisting on being called Sensei. If you didn't listen, he'd attack you. You were forced to learn quickly, but thankfully he called you a natural. You only began to spar with Mizuki when you were 13, her 16. She wiped the floor with your ass every single time. Her water could break right through your shadows. Each time afterwards she helped you up and explained that it wasn't your fault, and she was right.
You hadn't been training your quirk ever since it showed up. More often than not you couldn't control it at all, so this training helped immensely. Eventually you overcame your PTSD. Occasionally you'd discover a sudden trigger but otherwise you had the skills to handle it quickly.
Throughout the years your life really didn't change much. Besides Mizuki the only person in the family you spent quality time with was Adzuki. He followed you and your sister everywhere. When he passed when you were 15, the both of you took it hard. It happened the summer before Mizuki went off to U.A., as well.
You were on your best behavior when she was gone from your school. You'd done it before when she went to junior high before you and then high school after. It only lasted maybe eight months into the school year after she graduated. Ever since it started you'd been bullied by some of your peers. Most of them called you a villain or made fun of the fact you couldn't use your quirk in the daytime. You finally snapped when they cornered you one day and destroyed the vase you made in your art class. You wanted to give it to your sister. You blacked out, and when you snapped back you found yourself standing over your unconscious, bloody classmate.
You were expelled. The Hokamas wiped it from your record and homeschooled you instead—they lost all respect for you. Except Mizuki, she laughed it off.. This was your life for the next two and a half years until you 'graduated'; Tomio and Kameyo put in your application to U.A. against your will, hoping it would help you return to being a "proper civilized being". Your entry exam was separate from the other recommended students and you made it in with flying colors. What benefited you was being able to set up your surroundings to your liking before even stepping inside the room.
You were dreading returning to public school, but it was better than being stuck at home all by yourself.
◤▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ⌘ ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔◥
Ambiance; Primrose Paradise by
Lu acl & Disruptive LoFi
"What do you mean you don't know?" Tomio's voice was vaguely threatening.
You swallow hard. "She wasn't at school today and she hasn't been answering her phone."
He stares you down, white eyes piercing into your soul. It's like he can read you from the inside out. "Where'd you get the dog?"
You feel your shoulders lighten. "Togata gave it to me. She's supposed to be an early birthday present for Mizuki."
Tomio looks back towards the living room and then sighs. "Your mother and I will give her a call. Make sure that puppy doesn't make a mess."
"I will." You reply plainly.
Once he vanishes into his office, you remove your shoes and drop your school bag at the bottom of the stairs. You can feel the tension leaving your bones the further he gets away from you. You wondered if they'd be offended or relieved if you applied for dorm housing instead of staying home. The thought didn't cross your mind a second time when you opened the bag Mirio had given you for the puppy.
You weren't sure the last time she had eaten so decided to feed her now rather than later. It was nearing 18:30 and you figured that was a decent time to establish dinner for the animal. You wandered into the living room to gather the puppy up to take her to your room. When you stepped through the opening, you found her on the couch getting belly scratches from Kameyo.
Her blue eyes lift from the Corgi to you when she notices your presence. "Does this little friend have a name?"
You shake your head. Conversing with her has always been easier than talking with Tomio. "No. Togata gave it to me for Mizuki as an early birthday present."
"Ah." She hums in understanding. "Where is Mizuki, anyway?"
Your shoulders tense against your will. "I'm not sure. She wasn't at school today and hasn't been answering her phone."
Kameyo's smile falls into a soft frown. Her eyebrows furrow into a worried expression. "I'll give her a call in a few minutes. Will you take care of the puppy for the time being? I'll take over tomorrow when you head off to school. It shouldn't be too hard to find a dog walker, for when we're not home, either."
The last half of the conversation was more towards herself than you so you silently gathered the dog into your arms and grabbed the supply bag before jogging up the stairs. The puppy licked at your chin as you carried her, not complaining at all for being put in air jail.
"We should call you something other than 'puppy' or 'dog." You said to the small thing as you opened your bedroom door.
The little nub she had for a tail wiggled in response. You closed the door behind you and set her down onto the floor. Immediately, she began to investigate your belongings. She starts with your black desk, sniffing along the chair legs and up the drawers. As she continues to explore her surroundings, you begin to unload the backpack onto said desk. Togata had packed this thing up with as many things as he could. Toys, bowls, a blue mat, food, a clicker for training, treats, a little blue rain jacket with booties which you thought was adorable, potty pads—he even crammed a small fluffy dog bed in there. At the bottom is a blue collar with waves that match the harness and leash.
You shake your head. He should really just propose to your sister at this point.
You check the back of the puppy food bag. You find the amount she needs for her weight and fetch a measuring cup from the kitchen with your shadow. Neither of your parents bat an eye at the dark mass roaming through the house. Either they were too distracted to notice like usual, or they were so used to it by now that they didn't care. Once it was in your hands you dumped it into one bowl and filled the other one with water from the bathroom sink.
The puppy was at your feet when you stepped back. You set the blue mat down in front of the drawers of your desk and placed the bowls down on top of it. You were thankful that your floors were hardwood in case the Corgi made a mess. She excitedly got to work on her food but accidentally made herself choke. She coughed and gagged but didn't spit anything up. You let out a small sigh of relief when she continues to eat at a slower pace.
You didn't want to name her instead of Mizuki, but you refused to call her by her species. Knowing your sister she'd probably pick a name relating to water. You begin to rack your brain. Ocean was too cliche and Sea was a stupid name. Same with splash, river, and reef. If your sister wanted to rename her when she returned home, so be it. For now, you figured it would be fine.
"Marina is cute." You murmured under your breath.
It seems the small companion heard you as she licked her lips in satisfaction after her dinner. She tilted her head cutely and gave a small bark before rushing to you as fast as she could. Her small paws scrambled on the hardwood until she found traction on the rug you had in the center of your floor. You couldn't help but giggle at her actions. She was too cute to fight it. You missed having an animal companion.
If your sister never came home, at least you had Marina.
◣▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ ⌘ ▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁◢
words; 5954
sorry it took me so long to update,
life gets out of hand sometimes.
thanks for reading!
~evixtus