word count: 640
written so long ago; published on an old account and deleted. hope you enjoy!
"They say," Renton guides the Nirvash with gentle ease, "that if you place a Compac drive nearby and have a lot of fun, sky fish will come."
Eureka, who sits idly in his lap, laughs, and it's like a wind-chime caressed by a soft breeze.
"I think Holland once told me that," she leans her head against him, her lilac eyes gazing over the view. "Though, I doubt he's seen them himself."
Renton emits a small laughter. "You sure got that right, Eureka. But, you know, maybe we should take the kids with us sometime too."
He steers the Nirvash to the right, spotting a few sky fish in the abyss below but not daring to say his discovery out loud to the unknowing Eureka. Eureka nods in agreement, though the smile on her face means not anytime soon.
"We're almost there." Eureka nods again, Renton smiles.
The last few minutes they spend in awe-struck silence, amazed at the height of the afternoon sun and the cloudless sky and the intensity of the blue. There's a wind outside, though not very strong, but they already expected that with the arrival of summer.
Renton makes one final turn, where he hears the Nirvash telling him to come to a gentle stop. Towards the edge of the cliff, the two get off, and Renton begins setting up their picnic with the Compac drive in tow.
He doesn't mention the few more sky fish he spots.
"Renton," Eureka calls out. "How long until they come, do you know?"
"Is soon a good answer?"
"I think so."
"Okay then, very soon."
Renton finishes setting up the Compac drive and plops down on the blanket, already searching for the food packed in the basket. Eureka doesn't protest but instead chuckles at the sight of a hungry Renton. Renton raises an eyebrow at her.
"'S somefing a maffer?" He asks, cheeks stuffed full with food.
Eureka laughs even harder.
"Y-your face!" Eureka clutches the sides of her stomach and doubles over, her laughing fit too much for her to handle. Before Renton even realizes what's going on, the sight of Eureka laughing makes him want to laugh and, still chewing, laughs along with her.
One-by-one, sky fish emerge from the abyss. Blue, red, yellow, green. Renton is the first to notice and at the sudden awe that leaves his lips, Eureka's laugh dies down until she sees what Renton sees. Her reaction is the same as his.
"Pretty," Eureka's face lights at the sight. Renton glances between the sky fish hovering around and Eureka, and, even though he doesn't know when he does, he feels his cheeks hurting from smiling too hard.
"They are, aren't they?"
Renton stares at her.
"Yes, they are."
Eureka turns to him, the look on her face mesmerizing and beautiful. Whether it's from excitement or smiling, his cheeks turn red. He looks away. Eureka laughs.
A yellow sky fish flies around and in-between the two kids before landing on Eureka's head. A blue sky fish lands on Renton's knee. A dozen more fly around. Renton calls it compulsion because a second later, he's up and playing with the sky fish.
Eureka follows him.
The hours pass by like the speed of light and, before they know it, the sky fish are already returning to their abyss. Eureka and Renton decide to call it a day after using up all their energy. Exhausted and worn, they pack up and head to the Nirvash.
Inside, Eureka falls asleep almost immediately and Renton sighs at the silence. His eyes occasionally drift down to the sleeping girl, where he realizes a permanent smile is locked on his face.
"Today was nice, wasn't it?"
The silence echoes no response but he lets himself believe he hears a yes.
"Yeah, I had fun, too."
.
.
owari