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

[Well.

That makes him arch a brow.

....

..............]

Is it mocking us?

[Of course he would thinking negatively first—]

[Tifa watches them with care and confusion, snorting quietly at Eustace's deduction. Of course he would scrutinize them first—it's just like him that it makes her laugh rather than scold.

And she doesn't need an excuse to do it, but she wraps her arms around him a little tighter, and to test, she presses a kiss to his cheek...

... and watches.]

I don't think so.

[Lo and behold, while it isn't the same, the snowoman looks to the snowman and slides a little closer to him, leaning in and bumping her head against his.]

I think they're... copying us? What did you say happened with the snowballs?

Remember last year? The snowmen were quick to throw snowballs...

[He'll lower his guard a little at watching the snowcouple, but...are they really copying them?

Eustace tests again, bringing his other arm around Tifa to pull her into more of a hug. And lo, the snowman does the same—well, as best it can with its branchy arms, bringing it over to reach for the snowwoman.]

...But why are they doing this?

[Eyes wide with awe as the snowman wraps his branchy little arm around his girl, Tifa tips her head, resting it against Eustace's as she continues to dangle securely in his arms.]

I don't know. Learning from us, maybe? But... it's kind of cute.

[And who better to set an example, really?]

Think they'll follow us if we keep going?

...I hope not.

[Just a slight scowl.]

I don't need snowmen watching us the whole time.

[It may be cute, but he wants his privacy???

Oh, now the snowman is frowning a little and glaring at him. Oy. Oy.]

[Tifa looks to Eustace in a silent bid to place her back down as she slips her arms out from around him.]

Well, let's just keep walking and see what they do...

All right...

[And he'll let her down, though he's still looking at the snowman a little warily before placing his arm around her shoulders as they start to walk forward.]

[Tifa does give a little wave to the snowcouple, and the snowoman gives an equally small wave back, and it does warm her heart a little. She has no idea what's going on, but she does think it's a little cute that they are trying to show affection for each other... even if it can be a little hard with branchy arms like they have. She can't imagine what it would be like if she couldn't hug Eustace as tight without risking snapping her own...

But with his arm around her, she lets him guide her away, casting a subtle glance over her shoulder when they don't follow, but...]

Eustace, look.

[They try to mimic them anyway, turning around to walk the other way with the snowman's arm around her back.]

[He'll glance back, and while he's glad they aren't following...

...]

It's a complicated feeling...

[Well. She's just going to go right back to where she had been before she leapt up at him, both arms wrapped around his, listening carefully for the sound of the snowcouple following them as she turns her eyes forward, but...

...

It sounds like they might be heading the other way.]

Complicated how?

[He's so cute.]

Still don't like the idea of something copying our actions... But I will admit it's a little sweet.

However...they're snowmen...

[So... What does that mean?? Obviously, dream world. They've seen a lot of strange things. Are these a different type?? Are these actually living entities unlike the others that seemed more like strange constructs??

This is not what he wanted to think about while on their anniversary date—]

[He has this very funny tendency to think too much about things sometimes—]

Anything's possible in a dream?

[Because that's where they are, isn't it? And it's so easy to forget when strange and funny things happen so often in their day to day lives that strange has become normal.

Which is why Tifa just giggles it away and holds his arm a little tighter.]

Maybe they're off to have their own little winter date now, too.

[There's still that puzzled frown... But he knows he is thinking a little too much about this.]

Won't be as good as ours.

Of course not. Still hope they have a good time together.

[It's them. No one's date will be as good as theirs.

And she lets her head fall against his shoulder as they continue to walk, coming up to the venue site up ahead. Already, she can feel her heart racing with excitement—she's not even sure why, it's just a street with some lights and shops on one side and the river on the other, but the memories come rushing back all the same.]

Ah... here we are. Wasn't this where we set up the dancing?

Mm...

[A soft, fond memory as he recalls their first dance...

...

And then, on a stroke of whim, he steps out in front of her and turns to face her.]

There's no music, but...

[Shall they?]

[Tifa's brows shoot up in surprise. A stroke of a whim indeed, he hardly does this sort of thing, but...]

How could I say no?

[She lowers herself into a polite little curtsy before she extends her hand for him to take.]

I don't need music anyway.

Not when we could make it ourselves.

[Indeed, very much a surprising whim, but then again it comes more often when he's with her. And so he'll quietly start to hum as he leads her into their dance, each step they make leaving a trail of starflowers.]

[They had danced right here among all of their friends that night one year ago... is what Tifa thinks to herself, as he leads her into a dance, his soft humming only loud enough for her to hear as she rests her head against his shoulder, bringing herself in close until it's less of a dance and more of an intimate sway together in this bed of snow and starflowers.]

You know...

[She starts quietly after some time, her soft smile audible in her voice.]

I know there's still a lot to go and the night's not over, but... thank you, Eustace.

[Not minding the swaying motion at all, his own eyes close as he rests his chin on top of her head, holding her close as he continues to hum quietly, the moment so sweet and tender that he's certain he would treasure it along with all the wonderful memories Tifa has managed to give him.]

...Mm.

[A soft, quiet hum as a smile flits over his lips, that warmth around them growing.]

But I should be the one thanking you.

[He pulls back just enough so he can look down at her.]

Without you... I never would have had this.

Mm?

[When he pulls back, she makes a questioning sound and lifts her own head to look at him, and somehow—actually, no, it's not a mystery at all that he still manages to make her breath catch, but especially right now. With the way that the snow falls around him, snowflakes catching on his hair and his ears, how the streetlamps bathe him in their warmer glow against the vast whiteness of the world, it's quite a sight to see and be caught by that all she can do for a moment is stare up at him and take it all in.

As if this is the first time she's ever laid eyes upon him.

She smiles, warm. Even if it wasn't with her, she's sure that Eustace would have found love eventually. Not that she wants him to find it someplace else, of course, but the sentiment is there.]

I can't take all the credit, you know. There're two of us.

[But she gets it, and her expression softens as her eyes move to their hands, where she can feel her rings beneath her mitts.]

Me, too. Can hardly believe it's been a whole year.

[Just a light smile as she tries to include him, but he's fairly certain she had to do the heavy lifting for a bit, dealing with his shortcomings... Staying even after everything... Granted, he also had to do a bit of chasing himself. Hmm, maybe she's right, it is a bit of both.]

And longer.

[He leans in close, forehead tapping against hers.]

...And many more to come.

[It is true that if he hadn't chased her, she might not have been brave enough to pursue anything with him... but it all worked out in the end. He got her, she got him, and now here they are, a year and some later after their first "date" at that cafe... in a whole other world, too.

When his forehead bumps against hers, she tips her head just so, not seeking a kiss just yet, but she comes close.]

Many more.

[There's a sad note to those words, a bittersweetness that she tamps down with an easy laugh. She doesn't want to let the intricacies of this world get in the way of what already is and is bound to be a perfect night.]

So. Did you really bring me all the way out here for this dance?

[He knows what she's thinking, and before he might have felt the same. But he's going to remain steadfast and confident that they'll find a solution so that they will have those many more's.]

No... Didn't even have this planned.

[A small laugh as they slow to a stop.]

But I did want us to visit one more stop before we head onward.

[They didn't have to stop, and she pinches her brow just a little before she looks up at him, curiosity getting the better of her.]

Hm? Where's that?

[She doesn't seem so inclined to let him move away to lead her there just yet, though.]

[And he's just going to grin a little.]

I think you'll be able to guess, but... Just another surprise.

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