heartbreak on your face
XII; Let Go – Imogen Heap
–
"Tell me, pirate, where are you going?"
"I'm off to yonder hills. I have to find the island."
"What island?"
"My island."
"So what's on that island?"
"Treasure galore. Rum and yore."
"… rhyming for fun, now, are you?"
"You bet! Now, Izuru, continue?"
"Um… where was I… is there a house you'd call home?" And he's lost it, the momentum of the speech that they'd use to practise every day. Actually, it's a miracle he's remembered this much.
"Oh, you ruined it." She wrinkles her nose and sits back, leaning on her favourite tree. She's had a lot of good memories here. "And we had such a good pace too…"
"You're the one who rhymed, Momo." Kira Izuru mutters, lightly chastising her. "Completely made me break character, little miss actress."
"Clearly, you're not one for improvisation!" Boots clicking, they fold over each other, nestled perfectly, just like she used to do every time they sat here and talked. Momo pulls a face, one that generates a laugh.
"Maybe. I'm just glad your acting phase has passed." He lifts his hands, gesturing his surrender.
"Yeah, well, it fun while it lasted."
–
The story goes like this: there is a pirate who is looking for his island. An island that has lots of treasure, and he will claim it as his. Eventually, he finds that island; but he cannot find his place to call home. He builds a house, but that's not home. He makes a fortune, but that's not home either.
So the pirate wanders, until he finds home with naught but a penny in his pocket.
Momo likes that story, loves that pirate.
And she knows that the story isn't hers.
–
"Why did you go?" He asks her, staring at the sun that's filtered by green foliage.
"It felt like the thing to do – I had a great opportunity, and I took it. It was something… new." It's strange, but she thinks that's the right answer. "It's… what I've always done. Reinventing myself again and again, because I don't think I can stop."
"But… you can. What you're doing—that can't last forever. The past isn't something you can escape from so easily as that. You carry those burdens all your life, and if you're lucky, you can lighten the load."
"Izuru…" She looks at him, but he won't spare her a glance. If she touches him, he'd only flinch. And his anger scares her, not fearful of her life, but how he's changed – less of pushover, and firmer in what he thinks. When he has to, he speaks his beliefs. And all this time, she's been trying to change her skin.
"I just," he exhales deeply, frustrated. "I just want you to be yourself."
"…"
"I just want you to be Momo."