Sadasa

Sadasa remembered the exact pitch of the crystal’s hum just before it shattered. The sound was nothing, a stray vibration from the monoliths spinning over The Crystal Highlands of Armaria, but it was enough. The pufferfish on their head instantly swelled with a panicked hiss, its spines rigid. Tamehiko didn't flinch. They never did. They simply stopped packing the bamboo rations and waited, their presence a quiet anchor in Sadasa's sudden storm. It used to be a source of deep shame, this hair-trigger defense against a world that wasn't always attacking. But with Tamehiko, it was just… a thing that happened. After a moment, the fish deflated with a soft sigh. Tamehiko gently tucked a stray map into Sadasa’s pack, their fingers brushing. The apology was in their eyes; the forgiveness was in Tamehiko's small smile.