[ oh, damn it— how was he supposed to say “calm down” down here? as relieved as ko was to finally feel something human latch back onto his underwater probing, overwhelming ease began to twist into a grand panic. he’s trying to swim back up regardless, free some of his limbs from the vice gripe, just enough to get them both closer to ascending.
but it takes a horrid amount of effort to feel like he moved an inch out of place, and that if he did. ko’s chest burned for air, and he could only blow bubbles out in protest. if he died down here, would he come back with enough air to bring them up—? by the time he desperately thought that (which was a stupid idea, he’d just keep drowning until he hardened into a crystal), ko was frightened to the brim when his brain forced him to inhale—
he was waiting for the same painful ache amongst this agonizing splashing around, but what he gets is clean oxygen. he doesn’t inhale water, but the particles of air within it much like a fish. how, is asking the wrong person. being simple-minded has its perks. for one, even amidst the surprise and frenzy, he thinks, stupidly:
(1/2)
but it takes a horrid amount of effort to feel like he moved an inch out of place, and that if he did. ko’s chest burned for air, and he could only blow bubbles out in protest. if he died down here, would he come back with enough air to bring them up—? by the time he desperately thought that (which was a stupid idea, he’d just keep drowning until he hardened into a crystal), ko was frightened to the brim when his brain forced him to inhale—
he was waiting for the same painful ache amongst this agonizing splashing around, but what he gets is clean oxygen. he doesn’t inhale water, but the particles of air within it much like a fish. how, is asking the wrong person. being simple-minded has its perks. for one, even amidst the surprise and frenzy, he thinks, stupidly:
”i can do CNN!” ]