Day 5: Missing; Hina
Everyone has their own ways with coping with the inevitable.
Hina knelt carefully before the altar in her apartment. A small bowl of dried herbs and incense sat in the middle of it. Like she had a thousand times before, Hina set about lighting the incense and making whispered prayers. Prayers for safety, for swift travels, for peaceful rest.
Names and faces passed through her mind. Rosinante and his goofy smile, the man who had given her her first cigarette. Sengoku and his goat, the resigned look in his eyes. Tsuru and her hard smile but kind eyes. For Zephyr-sensei, who used to look at her like a daughter.
Hina sighed, thinking of all the soldiers she had lost, the men with silly grins and bets on who could get the courage to ask her on a date. For Jango and Fullbody, their devotion to her near religious in nature. She wished them peace and simple joy, hoped her offerings were good enough to ensure that.
For Garp, she wished for second chances, for comfort in the painful winter nights. He'd always had a soft spot for her too. His "goody two shoes". Kuzan with his amused little smirk as she followed Garp around HQ, a well behaved puppy scurrying after a madman.
For Tashigi, she wished for strength and for protection of her heart. She was always too soft, her best quality but with a price. Hina watched the candle light waver, reflecting off the side of the glazed bowl. The only light in her bedroom. Her feet ached from sitting on them for so long. But she was almost done.
The smell of candle smoke brought white hair and amber eyes to mind. For Smoker, Hina prayed for serenity. He deserved calm and quiet. Something to soften the stern lines between his eyebrows. He should laugh more, he had a great laugh. Drake had loved trying to get him to laugh. Those were the days.
The tension between her shoulder blades eased, her ritual of saying goodbye, even if they hadn't happened yet, complete. It made it easier when they did. In the darkness, her den den mushi rang and Hina got to her feet, toes tingling like fire.
"Hina speaking," she said, picking it up.
"Hina-san! Where are you? Smoker-san is getting annoyed waiting… he's scaring the doorman…" came Tashigi's voice. She could hear Smoker tapping his foot impatiently in the background. Hina smiled.
"Hina is coming, and tell him he better be wearing the tie Hina gave him," she said before hanging up. She looked at the altar one last time, then left the dark for the bright lights and warm laughter of the people she loved.
Notes:
Keep people at arms length by referring to yourself in third person, A+ strategy. Happy holidays to those who celebrate.