Her feet hurt, It feels like they’ve been walking forever and the ground is a little to unstable for a child of her age even with the tight grasp her father has on her hand, The skin is a bit rough and discolored from a few burns. As long as she remembers it had always been like that, Both hands had been, but the one she held suffered worse. It takes another quiet urging of ‘papa’ before the man is lifted out of his thoughts.
He looks down at her quietly with brown eyes so dark they are almost black and a small smile that holds decades of sadness, But he picks her up and settles her on his chest as he continues walking. She stares up at him with those bright gold eyes, He remembers when she was first handed over to him, They’d been a odd muddy brown then but had lightened quite a bit since then. He’s sure she’s just quietly studying his face, She’d always been a quiet observer, There was wonder at what interested her so much. Was it the scruffy beard?, the tired face? was it something else he couldn’t see? He didn’t know and he’s not sure he ever would. Not with the reason they were here today, He needs to remember that, yet he holds her closer as he carries them both over the dusty red stone that was vaguely warm through his shoes.
he reaches the house he’s looking for, It’s large, At least two stories but wide and open. It screams a certain traditional feel he hasn’t seen in a while except in pictures, he knocks and the door is opened by two familiar faces, Both are darker then he and Okalani both. Both of their hair is long though one of them has a few distinct pieces that are going just faintly grey at the roots.
“Welina Konani a Okalani.”
‘Iolana a Nalani Mahalo iā 'oe.’
He’s sure he sounds rusty, It has been some time and he’s so used to the speech of johto that it feels odd on the tongue, He gently encourages Okalani to say hello even as they step into the house. It’s out of habit that he takes off his shoes (and Okalani’s before entering-).
it’s such a quiet greeting that he’s not sure they heard it but that’s okay, he settles to go and sit down on their couch, soft and plush. The house smells faintly of cinnamon and he let Okalani sit on his lap, Pulling the papers he’d brought for the two ladies to sign, He wanted to get this over with. Before she realized what was really happening, So he handed them over and patiently awaited for them to read it over and eventually sign the papers, It seemed like it happened so fast. Though not fast enough for Okalani since she’d fall asleep in his lap...perfect, He hands her over to Iolana and while she stirs. She doesn’t wake up.
He’s sure his eyes would water later and takes one more chance to brush a hand through her hair before he’s gone, Leaving quickly to get away before he even dares try to change his mind.
she’ll be happier with them.