songerein | closed 🌠 safe and sound, alive under the stars

[A laugh as he does indeed catch her, holding her close as he steals a nuzzle, breathing in her scent and taking in her warmth.]

Hmm, carrying you over the threshold like this.

[A look up at the tree before he opens the door.]

Seems fitting for our anniversary.

I thought so. We did get married here, after all.

[She holds on tight, kicking the door with her feet just a little to open it further to allow them through. The house itself is cooler, but the warmth seeps in fairly quickly. And with a single wave of her hand, the hearth lights up with a fire, burning bright and hot already as he carries her inside.

... And as she kisses him again before whispering against his lips.]

So. What's this next surprise you've got for me? ... Or do you wanna see yours first?

[A quiet laugh against her lips as he keeps his hold on her.]

Better if I show you mine first or we may never get to it.

[And with her still in his arms he walks up towards the stairs.]

Mm. You're right. Wouldn't wanna spoil it.

[She really does have half a mind to just ignore all the surprises, the anticipation of the entire night leading them here all abuzz as it follows them up the stairs. And he really is going to carry her all the way up in his arms, is he?

She holds on, her face buried into the crook of his neck, and as they arrive on the landing of the top floor, she slips off her heels and kicks her feet, giggling quietly with excitement.

She really has no idea what it could be, but there's a heat that settles and twists in her belly as they near the room. Their room that they had made for themselves here when they spent more time at this tree.]

[...Except they won't enter the door that still remains closed. Instead he walls past it down the narrow hall towards the back of the tree where another door is. It's one she likely has never been to before given there had never been a need nor enough time spent here for her to. Not to mention it looks like a closet door.

But when he sets her down in front of it before he opens to reveal another set of stairs that spiral upwards. As he steps inside and presses his hand against a square sigil in the side of the tree wall to activate the dim lights inside, he looks at her.]

It's a bit narrow, but follow me.

[She does lament a little when he takes her away from the bedroom, and then again when he sets her down on her feet, and maybe she should have kept her shoes on for this, as she glances back to where they had clattered to the floor down the hall.

She follows him, curious as to where this door might lead. It's true, she's never been through here before—never had a reason to. And she wouldn't have known about the sigil even if she had opened this door, so when he leads her through, she has to stop a moment to stare, the lights twinkling in her big eyes as she looks up, around, and then at him, head canting with a silent question before she walks after him.]

... I had no idea this was here.

[Fortunately the steps are smooth, so it won't be too rough her. And the steps are uneven and steep in some places, so it's probably better she was barefoot.]

The magic in this tree has it so even if you see the door, anyone not a guardian will ignore it. That's because...

[When they reach a landing, with more stairs still continuing up, there is a small, shuttered window that he opens for her to see out.]

This is like a sentry tower to help keep watch.

[Tifa is careful and light on her feet as she ascends with him, making sure not to trip on any of the uneven steps as they go, and it's only once they reach the top and he opens the window does she remember—]

This was where you were... That time I found you here, isn't it?

[She moves to the window, looking down, and then out, seeing the snowcouple still sliding along the ice holding their little twig hands together, and once again, she finds herself wondering what it is he could even have planned for this because surely that wasn't the surprise, was it? Especially given how that meeting had started...]

Mm.

[Just a quiet hum as he continues to gaze out before he closes the window, the tree automatically sealing it shut before he continues upward.]

The guardian is supposed to protect the tree and its wards... And this is where they keep watch.

[And for Eustace, be able to snipe from above while remaining hidden and obscured by tree's large branches. Even though it happened what feels like forever ago, he can still remember it so clearly...

But he continues up, higher and higher.]

[She also remembers that day well, and although the memory itself is a bit sour, they wouldn't be where they are today if it weren't for it. This family that they have created together would not exist if it he hadn't found this tree, lost his memories, and maybe even not if she hadn't found him her.

So strange to think how so many of those roads leads to here...

She stares at him first—wait, there's more?—before padding after him.]

... And the dogs wanted you to be the ward. Their new guardian.

[Her voice is soft. Fond. Though, a little sad.]

[A few steps in silence.]

...Mm. But it could have been because I was the first to find them with Alice, and the first one who stepped through the door. It could have been anyone else...

[... Does that upset him, she wonders? Tifa watches him in the silence, and when he speaks, her hand finds his back.]

But it wasn't anyone else. It was you.

[Yes, it very well could have been whoever stumbled upon it first, but she likes to think that there was a reason for all of this.

She hopes that he can at least hear the pride in her voice.]

And honestly? Can't exactly imagine anyone else more fit for the job. Or someone who'd love them more than you do.

[He feels her touch and hears it in her voice, and he can only smile a little before he reaches back so he can take her hand to help her up the last few steps as they finally near the top landing where...there is no visible door.]

I like to think the same.

[As unfortunate and harrowing as it had all been, he's glad he had the opportunity to have his little corgi family. A family that has since grown.]

I know it's the case.

[She gives his hand a reassuring, confident squeeze before she's peering around at the empty wall behind him.]

... Another magic, secret door?

Hm.

[A amused hum as he looks at her for a moment before he looks up. Again nothing so obvious, until his hand touches the wall and a secret hatch door opens and a ladder made of vines and wooden slats appear. It dangles loosely for a moment before the bottom slat hits the ground, and then it suddenly stiffens, as if solidifying.

Placing his hand on the ladder, he looks at her.]

Just a little further.

[And up he goes.]

You are just full of surprises tonight.

[She's in complete awe of everything that's just unfolded in front of them, and she needs another moment before she starts to climb the ladder. Yeah, definitely better that she left her shoes behind, or else she would have had to get rid of them here instead.]

Makes mine feel pretty mediocre in comparison.

[As she hops up onto the landing.]

I think I'll enjoy it all the same.

[A low voice at her ear as he catches her when she hops up. And for good reason.

That top landing is a relatively small platform amidst the top branches for the tree. There was enough around that she wouldn't have fallen, but better to be safe.

More importantly, there are large starflowers blooming around them in these top branches, their petals glowing dimly so that they can still see the stars in the large sky above them.]

[Once again, as she is helped up onto the tiny landing, Tifa is at a complete loss for words for the dozenth time tonight, it feels like.

The starflowers, the stars, and the way the glow casts upon him make this all feel dreamy and magical... almost like this place isn't real. But no, it very much is, and she is standing in the middle of it with him at her side, and Tifa forgets how to breathe for a spell.

And when she finally does, she also remembers how to speak, her voice breathy but no less brimming with joy.]

How long has this been like this? And you never told me!?

[She spins one way, then the other.]

This is beautiful.

[A quiet laugh as he watches her take it all in.]

I didn't know either until not that long ago. I didn't used to be like this, but I think it changed after the wedding.

[There's a light shine in his eyes as he looks at her.]

...Now, are you ready?

[That would make sense, and she just nods in agreement, still looking up at all the starflowers shimmering dimly over their heads, and the stars behind them. Had it been like this since then? A whole year of it being unused and it had just stayed this way? Maybe all the emotion from the wedding?

At any rate... she doesn't have long to ponder on it, because he asks her that, and she blushes, her anticipation mounting and crawling into the colour in her cheeks, and all of the starflowers on the branches pulse with colour.]

I don't know what I'm getting ready for, but...

[She moves in and wraps one arm around his waist, gazing up at him now.]

... Ready as I'll ever be.

[It looks as if he's about to do something, but then he has an idea and grins playfully.]

Close your eyes.

[...?

She's definitely going to narrow her eyes at him suspiciously for a split second—]

You better not be trying any funny business.

[—before she closes them, and she'll be good and even bury her face into his chest so that she can't peek!]

[She'll feel the quiet, low rumble of his laugh from his chest as an arm goes around her.]

You'll see.

[And then he looks around and the starflowers dim lower and lower until they barely glow, darkness starting to settle around them. And then...]

...Okay, you can open your eyes.

[And when she does, he'll let her look around first before gesturing to look up, and up in the night sky she'll see the recreation of the northern lights, ripples of color dancing over them, like a curtain that hangs down almost low enough to reach.]

[From where she's buried her face, she can't see anything—not even the dimming in the light is obvious to her until he tells her to open her eyes. She hesitates a moment, bouncing a little on her feet, before she lifts her head first, eyes still shut.]

You're sure?

[But she doesn't even wait for him to answer before she lets them flutter open slowly, and she has to readjust to the change, confused at first, before she finally looks up to see it.

And when she does, a gasp leaves parted, astounded lips.

He's shown her the lights before. She remembers the show he had put on at the wedding to end the night, and how they had flown off in the balloon through them, so close that she could reach out and touch them then, too. But now, she stands among them, right beneath, and they are even closer than they had been. She lifts a hand, touches, and the lights swirl gently before slowly stopping, and her eyes go even wider as she stares up at them for just a little bit longer.

Them, the starflowers, and the stars...

...

Before she turns her gaze to him, the beginnings of tears shining in her eyes as memories of their wedding night come flooding back.]

This is better than any surprise I could have imagined.

[He watches her, his eyes softening with every moment as her eyes takes it all in, knowing she's remembering the wedding night. He also thinks the same... But what he'll always remember most is that night when they were in this very tree and perhaps his dreamotion had created the lights. That night when they had those shared dreams, their emotions so overwhelming that they ended up losing themselves in each other for the first time. That was a big turning point for him.

But now, there is no confusion. No question of what is right or what they want. Now, it's very clear, and he just smiles softly.]

I'm glad.

closed 🌠 safe and sound, alive under the stars

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