he promised to not fall asleep, though pooh can understand the exhaust from being the biggest hero across the world. the weight above him is slightly uncomfortable, though pooh doesn't bare to move, allowing his best friend to snooze comfortably. with both paws continuing to hold the single gloved hand of the brunet, he too, closes his eyes to slumber. โ goodnight, sora. โ his voice matches a whisper. โ i hope you have the sweetest of dreams ... โ ๐ป๐ค
heโd come back to visit, as soon as he was able to. well โฆ as soon as he could, anyway.ย itโd taken some time โฆ with โ with everything thatโd happened, but he was back. and maybe โ maybe heโd taken a little too much time to come back and visit pooh, but โฆ heโd been a little scared. scared that heโd find himself missing on the cover of poohโs book again. scared that this time โ maybe he wouldnโt be able to get back. that his connection with pooh would be gone, not just growing fainter, and that he wouldnโt have even known it.
but that wasnโt true. sora knew that. every time he would worry, heโd close his eyes, hand on his chest, and heโd look deep inside his heart โฆ and still felt pooh there. that bond hadnโt been broken, hadnโt disappeared while he was gone. nothing so terrible had happened to him, he hadnโt changed so much that heโd lost his friend.
but he couldnโt shake the feeling that โฆ that it wouldnโt last forever. that one day, heโd have to leave, and he wouldnโt ever be able to come back.
but today hadnโt been that day. and sora โ- sora had been so glad. so happy heโd decided to visit merlin, and ask about pooh bear. falling into the book felt like falling back home, and even though there werenโt any islands or oceans or palm trees, his friends were still here. there were hunny bees and hunny pots and eeyore to keep company, rabbit to help garden, tigger to bounce with, roo and lumpy to stomp along, and pooh to sit with. 100 acre wood was just as much home as destiny islands were.
and so maybe in the face of that, in the relief and peace he found with the animals and their homey little world where finding pooh his hunny was the most concerning thing, he was a little hesitant to leave, but could you blame him? he was drawing his time out here as long as he could, and when he started getting sleepy he didnโt fight it as much as he should have, didnโt say his goodbyes to go back to his own world.
because pooh was one of his best friends. and maybe one day, heโd have to say goodbye, but as long as he could, heโd keep coming back here. and when he couldnโt anymore, heโd still have this place, have pooh, in his heart. not just a memory. a connection, just as deep and real even if he couldnโt visit in person anymore. pooh would always be with him where it mattered most.ย
so itโs easy to fall asleep, even when he promised he wouldnโt. the woods are quiet this time of night and heโs surrounded by near and dear friends. theyโll always be there for him, but this time itโs special. itโs comforting.
and itโs one of the best nights sleep sora ends up getting in a long, long time.
