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

[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.

[She is caught between wanting to stare at the lights and at him, and while subtle, her eyes flit all across his face, searching, as if she is trying to absorb as much of this moment as possible before it ends... because she is. This delicate, precious memory that she can store away with all the others, locked up so that it's kept safe, away from time, away from distance, away from anything that might weather it so that it stays clear.

Pristine.

Just the way it should be.

Before finally, they land on his lips, and Tifa immediately rises on her tiptoes, stretching out and hoping that he will meet her halfway for that kiss she so clearly seeks. That star-shattering one that she has been waiting for since the day begun. The one she knew would come, but not when because the moment would matter.

And this feels right.]

[It doesn't take much at all. The moment her eyes finally land on him, he instinctively knows, and will indeed move in to meet her. As his lips takes hers, his arms will wrap strongly around her, pulling her closer as he gives her that deep kiss of longing and love, of a joy that can only be felt between them. It's deep, and even if they have to part for just a breath, he immediately closes it again. And again. And again.

Until she's rendered utterly breathless.]

[And she is... but she doesn't mind, nor does it stop her from pursuing more from him. More, more, more, a greed taking over as she chases him, pulls him to her with that same shyness that she always does. Those pauses before she presses her lips to his again, caring little for the air that they need.

Every time she opens her eyes, the lights shimmer a little more, glow a little brighter, and the starflowers have begun to shift in colour, from a beautiful, pure white to slightly pink tips.

How long they remain that way, she doesn't know, but she could stand here and kiss him forever... until he'd stolen her very last breath...

But eventually, she remembers that she had one last thing for him.

...]

Your turn...

[He wouldn't mind staying out here with her, either. This beautiful moment filled with their enduring love.]

...Mm.

[A low hum against her lips before he lightly tugs and sucks on the lower one, a wry smile forming.]

...Your own surprise, was it?

[And then his lips move to her jaw to her neck.]

Here or inside?

[...

She stops to consider it a moment. She had planned for it inside, but...

With all the lights and the snow and the flowers, she doesn't want to leave this place just yet. So, with a small, quick glance around to make sure that they will have some room—not that they will need much of it—she chews on her lip with a smile.]

Here sounds nice.

[But her voice rises like an unasked question, wondering if he wants the same thing.]

Then you better hurry up.

[A low voice against her skin, punctuated by the sharp nip at her neck.]

[She inhales, sharp, with a gasp when she feels his teeth at her neck, and she lets her head fall back, weak to him. How does he expect her to do anything like this?]

... I might need a little bit of help.

[The zipper and all. Not to mention, she's not so inclined to remove her arms from around him just yet.]

[A low hum as he gets the hint, his hand running up the length of her spin before he grabs that zipper and slowly, very slowly pulls it down the full length.]

[The way that he tugs that zipper is so agonizingly slow that she whines gently into his hair, the warmth of his hands so close yet not close enough.

But as soon as it's undone, she starts to slide away her dress, taking a step back to free herself from him to give him a better view of her. A better view of her pale, flushed skin and cheeks as she slips the sleeves away first, and then down, down... the lights casting a shadow over her that only highlights her curves and her muscles underneath the black lace that she wears underneath. With the blue accents to match her dress, the thin lace shimmers as she moves, hugging every inch of her that they touch, as she lets her dress drop to the floor, the hairs that had fallen loose cascading over her shoulders as she watches it go.

She still has her stockings on, and she fingers at the hem of them against one thigh, looking at him in silent question of whether she should leave them on, or if he'd rather them off.]

[While he would have rather she stay by him, knowing where this will lead he allows her to step back so he can watch.

And watch he does, his eyes not so subtly following the descent of her dress and taking in every inch that is revealed. He always did like her in that lace—just as much as he enjoyed working (or tearing) it off her. But for now he just takes in the sight, both at the alluring sight, but also just...

Her natural beauty, those soft lights helping to accentuate every curve, dip, and muscle. He knows every single inch of her, yet it almost feel practically new like this.

And when her hand stops at those stockings, there's a moment before he reaches out to take her hand, stopping her as he pulls her a step closer to him.]

Leave it on.

closed 🌠 safe and sound, alive under the stars

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⚡🎀🌠 fin.