Black gold

Hanako listened, her ears tipping forward in an obvious show of interest. She had always been a good listener and even without all of her training it just came naturally to her, like following the flow of a river. That wasn't to say that she was incapable of taking the incentive and leading conversations, but it always felt like she was fighting against a current, that if she made the wrong step she'd be swept away and her reputation torn to shreds. But as Nolan rambled on she smiled, her eyes narrowing into happy little squints. Whether he realised it or not, his excitable mood was awfully contagious. But more than that, it like a breath of fresh air to know that Hanako didn't have to worry about the weight of her words around him, that she could be as open and as free as she pleased.

She noticed him attempt to bite back on the urge to keep on rambling and Hanako was smushed by a warm, fuzzy sense of endearment. It was just so reassuring that she'd found someone who could appreciate pretty scenery in the same way she did, even if she was little more subdued about it.

"Mm I feel the same, I've travelled a lot too but never seen anything quite like this." She sighed wistfully, wondering what else she'd missed out on too. "Hmm, my favourite?"

She had to think about that. Having travelled so far for so long there were plenty of places that sprung to mind, but none of them really stuck out as her favourite. This beach was really close to the top, a leading contender but to claim it as her favourite now just seemed like a bit of a cop out, like she wasn't even trying. But she did want to try, if not for herself then for Noah.

"I don't think I've found it yet. But I think it'd be something like..." She then saw it in her minds eye and she began to babble on, just as Nolan had before. Her tail wagged, all fast and earnest. "A big pond,  or maybe a little lake with lots of trees. Hidden but not too much, just somewhere safe and quiet. Have you ever been somewhere like that?" She turned to him, a hopeful gleam shining in her eyes.