[o] chase the sky into the ocean

Theea

one day, I'll be out of time
And I just wanna feel alive

I step further inside, the floor creaking under my bare feet. The first thing I notice is the broken window on the east side, a jagged gap letting in the salt-bright air. The place is small—smaller than I remembered—but the layout is open, the kitchen spilling right into the living room. The kitchen is what you walk into first, and my eyes snag on the old oven. Something stirs inside, shifting with a faint scrape.

I decide immediately I don’t want to know. Not yet.

Dust lies thick over everything, muting the colors, softening edges. It smells of old wood, damp salt, and the faint musk of creatures that have been in and out over the years. Scraps of shells, feathers, and what might be chewed rope are tucked into corners. Off the living room, three doors stand slightly ajar—two leading to small bedrooms, the third to a bathroom I can barely see into from here.

“It’s… rough,” I say, turning slowly to take it all in. Then I glance at Caly, a small smile tugging at my mouth. “But with some elbow grease, it could be what it used to be. Maybe even better.”

When she offers to help, my smile brightens into something full and warm.

“A housewarming party,” I echo, the thought making me laugh. “I hadn’t even thought about that. I think I actually know enough people for one.” The realization surprises me—pleasantly.

I glance around again, imagining the dust gone, the paint touched up, flowers back on the porch rails. “I’d be… incredibly grateful for the help. Not today,” I add quickly, grinning. “But maybe I’ll spread the word. See if I can gather people—let it ripple through word of mouth that I could use a few extra hands.”

I step further into the living room, brushing my fingertips over the back of an old chair, already seeing the place not as it is, but as it could be.

"Do you ever miss home? Back with Safrin?"

look mama, i can fly

suddenly i'm spinning like a ceiling fan, around and 'round we go

It reminds her of when Vesper and her siblings found the home they’re living in now - the way it had been left like a perfect prize nestled into Haulani proper. The garden that was overgrown and the layers of dust and salt and sand that had rested upon the shelves and furniture left behind. All cleaned up to make a prom and proper home for them all the second they’d set foot in the glittering sand of Torchline.

But the house had memories that weren’t her own, so she imagines that for Theea to be back here might be a sensation she’d never experience. At least, not unless she went back to the stars for some reason or another. So there’s little judgement as she glances around, already preparing thoughts on how to help her fix up the house so she doesn’t have to do it all by herself, when she turns back to the young accepted, her smile softening to mirror the same one shot her way. “We can make it perfect for ya.” It leaves her lips like a vow, her excitement palpable in proving that she’d help however she could.

Hearing her laugh at the idea of a housewarming party, though, Caly’s own chimes alongside her. “It’ll be a blast. I can even bring the drinks ’n punch ’n shit.” Rubbing her hands together as she contemplates what to bring, it’s a fleeting thought because there’s a lot of work to do before it gets to that point.

For the help, though, she beams and relaxes, her shoulders swooping with the motion as she steps in further, touching the corner of a cabinet that looks like its still in perfectly good shape, if not a bit dusty and maybe home to a crab or two. “Let me know, yeah? I’ll clear my plans.” At the drop of a hat, too, if she needed anything. Which is also a surprise for Caly, to have found someone she’s so willing to help so easily. But Theea, as far as Caly can tell, is good. She’s trying her best from a life hidden away and for that, Caly finds herself wanting to be a part of it, to see where she goes and how she grows.

As for herself, she turns back toward Theea with a smaller smile. “Yeah, I do sometimes.” She hums, glancing up toward the ceiling of the house before her gaze drops back down to her friend. “We’ve only been down here for a bit over a year.” Her and her siblings, that is. "So it's not like it's been that long. 'n at least I can see her sometimes." She just has to go to the shrine and ask, and luckily each time she has been able to see her mother.

Calypso

suddenly i will never be alone

Theea

one day, I'll be out of time
And I just wanna feel alive

I can feel it in my face—the way it softens, the way my smile lingers longer than I mean it to. Calypso’s promise settles deep in my chest, warm and steady in a way I’m not used to. I can’t help but wonder if this is what it feels like to make a genuine friend. Not just someone you talk to because they happen to be nearby, but someone you can actually trust to show up.

We’re so different—her with that sunlight confidence and easy grace, me with my hesitant starts and awkward pauses—but her kindness is almost overwhelming. It reminds me of the ocean on a hot day: cool and startling all at once, leaving you wide awake. It feels… strange, but in a good way. Like we’ve known each other longer than a single greeting and gift at a birthday party, longer than handing me one drink in a noisy, crowded bar.

I glance around the house again, my eyes catching on the faded blue trim of the window frames, the chipped paint curling at the edges. In my mind, the dust is gone, the light pours through clean panes, and voices carry from the porch. The thought of a housewarming makes something giddy spark in my chest, quick and bright—though it’s tangled with a quiet thread of nerves. "In the spirit of friendship, I should be honest with you—I've never even hosted a friend before." Or had one, I don't add. Parties are still out of my depth, no matter how much I’m trying to change that.

I look back at her, my smile pulling wider despite myself. “I’m glad you get to see her,” I say honestly, my voice warm. “Even if it’s just sometimes.”

The question has been sitting in the back of my mind since she first mentioned her mother, and my curiosity finally tips it forward. I tilt my head slightly, studying her face. “If you don’t mind me asking… what’s she like? Safrin, I mean. Did you get along with her well?”

It’s not the kind of thing you can just not wonder about, when the person in front of you was raised by the Herald of Vi.

look mama, i can fly

suddenly i'm spinning like a ceiling fan, around and 'round we go

She’s always found its easier to help someone relax when it came with actions of zero judgement. And from what she’d seen when she initially laid eyes on the young woman, was that she seemed out of her element. And the only way to get her into it was to offer all the kindness and help she can - not because she doesn’t want it to come off as fake, of course, her friendship and excitement over everything they’ve found so far was genuine. But because she wants Theea to relax and come into her own, just as Caly had herself when they’d landed.

Sure, she had her siblings still, but she was able to be her own person as much as she was able to be a portion of the triplets. And that had been far more eye opening than she’d expected.

So she flashes the dark haired woman a sunny smile, shrugging a slender shoulder. “Ain’t that bad, so don’t stress it.” She says when it comes to hosting. Gods knew Caly got quite good at it with the Hanged Man, at least.

And as for her mother? Her smile softens as she nods her head - because she’s also glad she gets to see her sometimes. “Yeah, me too.” If she couldn’t, well, she’d be lost. As would she imagines her siblings would be. But they don’t have to run down the rabbit holes of what ifs - especially when Theea’s asking what her mother’s like.

Turning toward her more fully, her smile widens as she nods her head. “Oh yeah. She’s real sweet ’n kind ’n cares a lot more than she leads on with. She made sure we had everythin’ we needed when we were up there and when we came down here.. I think it was hard for her, at first. Not bein’ able to make sure we could be safe. But I think we’re doin’ our best.” She could pour with more gratitude about her mother, but she doesn’t want to overwhelm the young woman, so instead she cocks her head and flashes her bright smile at her. “Have you met her?”

Calypso

suddenly i will never be alone

Theea

one day, I'll be out of time
And I just wanna feel alive

I listen closely, smiling as Calypso talks about Safrin. There’s something in her voice, the way her smile softens when she speaks about her mother, that makes me want to lean in and catch every word.

I think to myself—it must be like magic, having the Herald of Vi as your mother. To grow up in her orbit, cared for by someone so powerful it bends the stars around her. But then again, maybe it isn’t magic at all. Maybe it’s just… normal, for Caly.

And hearing her describe Safrin not as some untouchable goddess, but as a mother fretting for her children, wanting to keep them safe even when she couldn’t—it tugs something in me. It’s awfully human, and somehow that makes me like her more, even from a distance.

I glance down at my hands, brushing the dust from the chair I’d touched, before I answer.

“No. I’ve never met her. Or any of the gods.” I look back up at Calypso, my smile small but honest. “I guess I’ve always been a little too nervous to call on them. Like… what if I don’t say the right thing and get cursed? Or what if they ask me to do something I can’t do? I don’t want to get on any of their bad sides.”

Or the worst of it all: What if they tell me I'm insignificant?

I shrug, trying to make light of it, but there’s a quiet truth in my words. “I’ve only ever known them through stories.”

look mama, i can fly

suddenly i'm spinning like a ceiling fan, around and 'round we go

She should know that people don’t go and visit the gods as often as it seemed they did when she was watching from the stars. Of course, there were the few that were chosen, would be answered more often than not who had built up some rapport with her mother. But to have never been? Caly’s smile remains gentle when she catches the honest smile from the younger woman, though her eyes widen a fraction in surprise.

“Obviously I’m gonna be biased, but.. I think just havin’ those worries and being respectful can get you a lot of places. They’re gonna know the things you don’t say.. That’s just part of bein’ a god, right?” She steps forward to reach for her friends hand, to take it into both of her own and squeeze gently, companionably.

And after another heartbeat of a second, she tilts her head as her smile widens a bit. “My mom’s real nice. You’d have to really upset her for her to curse ya. And if ya can't do somethin', it's better to be honest than say you will but then don't, y'know? But if you’re worried I’d gladly go with ya to meet her!” And maybe with the door opened just a fraction Theea would find it easier to be able to indulge her curiosity and face her fears on her own. But for the first time, at least she’d have a steadying hand.

Calypso

suddenly i will never be alone

Theea

one day, I'll be out of time
And I just wanna feel alive

“The one time I ever asked a god for something, it was Frey,” I tell her. “I asked them to make me an adult—like I know they’ve done for others.”

My eyes flick toward the floor, tracing the worn boards, the way the dust shifts under our feet. “I didn’t exactly meet them, but they answered. Obviously.” A small, wry smile tugs at my mouth. “It was… strange. But good. Like something I’d been holding my breath for finally let go.”

When Caly squeezes my hand, I look up, and I can’t help but smile back. There’s something grounding in it—her warmth, her steadiness. When she says she’d go with me, my eyes widen just a little in surprise, then soften, grateful.

“Maybe sometime soon,” I say, nodding. “If I work up the nerve.”

I glance toward the broken window, out to the bright line of the horizon where sea meets sky. “I just want to do something with my life, you know? Offer the world something real. Make a difference to people.”

My voice is steady, not heavy—just honest.

“I don’t even know what I’d ask for. But maybe a god would know better than I do. What I need. Where I’m supposed to go.”

And I believe that, a little. ”If I could just stand in front of any god and ask, maybe they’d see something in me I haven’t found yet. Something worth shaping. Something worth giving.”

look mama, i can fly

suddenly i'm spinning like a ceiling fan, around and 'round we go

Nodding with a sunny smile, Caly understands what Theea means. She hadn’t exactly had a childhood, up in the stars. She’d grown at a rapid pace, learning and absorbing and watching Torchline from above until she’d come down from the stars as a fresh, full bodied 21 year old. But as she learned, time worked differently in the gods realms, not that she would ever complain.

It had taken some getting used to. No longer having the ability to simply just project her thoughts to her siblings as they grew and instead had to speak them. “Yeah, totally.” Caly hums softly, stepping away from where she’s settled in the room to step closer to her friend and peer out the same broken window. “Well, I find it helps figurin’ out the things you like to do an’ grow your ideas off of those.” She pauses, shifting her weight to her other hip as she thinks.

“Like if ya like helpin’ people, maybe you can get a cool shield kinda thing. Or somethin’ that heals so you can help ‘em when they need it most.” Just spouting off ideas, she glances sidelong toward Theea with a softer edge to her smile. “I like gettin’ to know people, so I took over the Hanged Man from Flora ’n I’m also bouncin’ around ideas of what to do next.” All that to say that it doesn’t end at just the one. That you aren’t stuck with the thing you’ve picked forever if you made a mistake. And nobody would judge you for it.

Calypso

suddenly i will never be alone

Theea

one day, I'll be out of time
And I just wanna feel alive

I can’t help but grin at Calypso’s ideas, my mind already running with them. Healing, a shield, something useful—I can practically see it.

I wander further into the little house, brushing my fingers along a dusty table as I go. “Maybe something subtle,” I muse. “Like a necklace or a ring. Or—oh! What if it was a sword that healed too? That would be cool.”

I laugh, shaking my head at the image of swinging a glowing blade around, then snap my fingers as another thought hits me. “Or a cloak. One you could lay over someone and it heals them.” The idea makes me frown almost immediately. “Though… that would only help one person at a time. I’d want to be able to help more than that. Whole groups, if I could.” There’s determination behind the words, even if I don’t mean to let it show quite so much.

I glance back at her, smiling again. “I need to come by the Hanged Man again soon. Maybe I can stop in one night when one of your siblings is covering, and we can go out.” The thought makes me feel lighter, easier—like maybe I’m not building this new life all alone.

look mama, i can fly

suddenly i'm spinning like a ceiling fan, around and 'round we go

“Ooh yeah!” Caly chimes, trailing after Theea with a bright grin. “See? There’s tons of options.” Already daydreaming about her own things she could ask her mother for, it’s broken up briefly with the thought of the healing cloak. The cloak that might end up becoming a healing blanket of sorts if Theea did decide to go that route. “Never hurts to ask, y’know?” Looking back over Theea’s house, Caly’s smile softens and warmth fills her like the rays of the sun.

She catches her glance when she looks back at her, nodding at the mention of dropping by the Hanged Man to see if she’s available and it has her brightening all over again. “I’ll let ‘em know to hang around just in case. I’m really lookin’ forward to it, Theea.” She doesn’t make friends as easily as Nova does, so to call Theea her friend is something that she silently clings to.

"I should prolly get goin' before V comes 'n finds me." She sighs in a playfully exasperated tone, her drama getting the best of her before she cuts it short with a bright grin (as if it wasn't any kind of threat at all). "I can't wait to hang out soon, though."

Calypso

suddenly i will never be alone

Theea

one day, I'll be out of time
And I just wanna feel alive

Here’s Theea’s closing reply, first person, present tense, closed POV — warm with newfound friendship, touched by Caly’s kindness, and looking forward to more, while closing the scene without leaning into cheese:

I can’t stop the grin that tugs at my mouth, the kind that makes my cheeks ache a little. It’s not just the house that feels brighter now—it’s Calypso too. I like her. Really like her. There’s a spark of something steady and fun about her, the kind of person I can already imagine myself laughing with again, and again.

“I’ll definitely stop by the Hanged Man,” I nod eagerly, almost too quickly. “That way you won’t have an excuse to bail on me.” My tone’s teasing, but it’s wrapped in honest excitement. The idea of sitting with her there, of heading out into Torchline together—it makes this whole place feel a little less overwhelming.

It takes me a second to realize who she means by V, but when it clicks, my smile softens. “Vesper,” I echo, rolling the name with recognition. “I’ll walk with you back up to the city, then. Before I head back to my apartment.”

I cast one last look over the little house, the pale yellow walls glowing faintly in the low light. For the first time in a long while, hope stirs in me—not just for the gods, but for myself. For the people I’m meeting. For the friend at my side.

Then I step toward the door, tugging my father’s jacket a little closer against the breeze, and fall in beside Calypso, the sand soft beneath our feet as we make our way back toward Haulani.

FIN

look mama, i can fly