songerein | closed ⚡🌠 you make my heart feel like it's summer

Entry tags:

closed ⚡🌠 you make my heart feel like it's summer

Who: Eustace & Tifa Lockhart.
Which: Closed log.
Where: Somewhere in the Wildlands.
What: Eustace and Tifa take some much-needed time away.
Warnings: The usual EusTifa warnings. They're gross. :)

[Hardly a week has gone by since their last stint in a dreamscape before they are finally seeing their plans to fruition. They'd briefly talked about it in the room the wolves had provided for them, and then again when they woke up from their dreams, and Tifa wasted no time in preparing for the few days that they promised to spend away from town. After everything that they had seen and been through—not just on the moon but everything that came before—they agreed that time for themselves would be good for both of them. Time away from the noise and chaos of the town, from the dogs, from responsibilities, from potential threats... Time to just exist together, to be, and breathe for a little while.

She spent the days leading up to their trip shopping and packing and making sure that she's found friends who could check in on both the corgis and flower dogs in their absence. It would only be two nights out in the Wildlands, but she wanted to be certain that they have everything they would need and covered all their bases for those few days. She's packed an assortment of meats, frozen for the trip, containers of fruits and vegetables, water, and some alcohol for the evenings—wine and a fine whiskey, perhaps a few others—anything that she thinks they might enjoy over a campfire. Of course, she can't forget the campfire snacks, either. She's never been out camping properly before, but she knows those are a must.

Meanwhile, Tifa left Eustace to worry about their gear. A tent most of all, but anything that they might equip it with as well. Blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, the works. Anything to make a fire that he thinks they'll need, tarps in the event that there's rain. She never quite knows what is and isn't necessary for a camping trip, especially in these parts, but it's best to be ready for any kind of weather with how finicky it can be sometimes, and she trusts that he'll know exactly what they'll need.

Thankfully, they've packed light and in such a way that it wouldn't be difficult to carry between the two of them, but of course, Eustace never goes unprepared, and when he goes all in on something, he tends to go above and beyond Tifa's expectations. When she wandered out of the house, she was surprised to find two horses waiting for them—one she recognized as the white mare from the night they rode to the flowery fields outside of Reverein, the blue flowers that were once smaller now grown and blooming large as they thread into her mane. The other, a large, magnificent black stallion with interesting markings over his body that she feels is almost too perfectly suited for Eustace. They beat their hooves gently on the ground in greeting, and Tifa reacquaints herself with the mare before they finally ride off on their backs towards the Wildlands.

They don't go far, sticking mostly to the northern forests closer to town, but it's far enough that they can no longer hear or even see Reverein through the thickness of the trees, and with the horses, the trek itself isn't very long. The lake isn't far either from where Eustace ends up leading her to, and she can hear the sound of water nearby—perhaps the river coming from the city? Although Eustace did mention knowing of some waterfalls, and the thought sends a warm thrill through her...

It's when they reach a light clearing surrounded by trees that she allows herself to stop, tugging on the mare's reins with a gasp so that she might take in the full sight of it. There are flowers everywhere, and the afternoon sun peers through the canopies of trees overhead to bask it in an almost magical glow. Through the bushes, there's a winding path that, judging from the trickling sounds, leads down a small hill to some manner of body of water.

It like it's straight out of a fairy tale picture book.]

... Is this it?

[It must be... It's the most stunning place she's ever seen, and she's a touch overwhelmed to come up with much more than that.]

It's beautiful.

[How did he even find this place? ... She's been asking that a lot with him, hasn't she? The field of flowers, the barn, and now this. He never ceases to surprise and amaze her and this time is no exception.

Consider Tifa completely blown away once again.]

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Mm.

[She finds it easier to talk about it when she can relate it easier to someone else, so her shoulders deflate and relax slightly when he gives his answer, but she isn't sure she expected anything different, especially with the line of work he was in...]

After all of those bombings, Shinra dropped the upper plate of the city onto the Sector Seven slums... It destroyed everything...

[Tifa tries to steady her voice again, and her hand squeezes his as she curls up a little tighter in his lap.]

The bar is gone, my home... and so many others... And they blamed it all on us. On Avalanche, but... I can't help but feel like we were the ones who did it. It was our fault that it happened...

[Barret had to remind Tifa that it was Shinra that pressed that button, but even now, Tifa still feels partly to blame.]

... Guess that's why I was so scared of telling you.

[Shouldering the blame for hundreds of lives ruined, wondering what he might think of her when he heard it...]

[Hearing such a thing does surprise him, as he would never have imagined she would have gone through such a tragic situation. It's no wonder she didn't mention anything—who would? And it's no wonder she feels partly to blame as it's not as if she's unrelated to it all.

But the only thing he does at first is hug her close, providing her that warmth and security she desperately seeks.]

It's natural to feel that way. You were there, and it was the result of a chain of events you were a part of. And I know you've likely heard this, but it wasn't your fault. They could have taken any other action but that was the choice they made. It wasn't something you could have predicted, could you?

[When he pulls her in, her head falls against his shoulder, and it's his necklace that she grabs now, her own falling back against her chest so that she can feel the smooth glass of the little blue star between her fingers, watching for a moment in silence as it pulses with light as silent tears streak over her cheeks.]

We knew it was coming, and we tried to make it in time... But we were still too late to stop it. I was right there, but I didn't know how...

[Her fingers were on that keyboard, and maybe, if she had a little more time, she could have done something. If those Whispers hadn't come for her and knocked her off her feet, then she could have found a way to prevent it... She would still have the bar, a home, a place to go back to when all of this was over...

She sighs and shakes her head, swiping a hand over her face.

How long is it going to take before she finally stops beating herself up over this? Still, having his unwavering support regardless of what happened before helps... If Eustace can accept her then she knows that maybe, one day, she can stop blaming herself for it all.]

I'm sorry. This was supposed to be a happy moment...

[He presses his head close against hers and just shakes his head.]

It's fine.

[All he cares about is her well-being, and he does feel a bit bad having her being this up now. It certainly wasn't what be intended. But they've crossed the bridge and he's staying to help pick up the pieces and try to mend things.]

...It's all right.

[She wants to make the effort to reach out and open her heart up to him, but it's hard when she never has, and instead has kept this all bottled up for months now. She's never spoken with anyone about the events of that night before Eustace, nor has she had to relive those memories. It's been so long for her since it happened and yet, they're still fresh in her mind as if it were only yesterday that she felt the heat of the flames on her skin, and the rumble of the ground beneath her feet as a whole sector of Midgar fell, and she watched it...

Like yesterday since she stood in front of Seventh Heaven, or what was left of it...

With another strained noise—a cross between a sob and a dry, sad laugh, she lifts her hand to his face.]

It wasn't all bad, you know... There were some good moments in between...

[The memories that she'd rather cherish, and the ones that she does. She holds onto them like a lifeline, and Tifa doesn't want him to think that she sees her life as a series of struggles. She has gone through her fair share of them yes, but the most important pieces of it all are the ones that lifted her up when she fell.]

I met a lot of good people. I made friends... I wouldn't have made it this far without them.

You can tell me about them then.

[It's...what he really had intended for her to talk to him about after all.]

I know of Aerith and Nanaki...Cloud...and you mentioned someone else—a man and his daughter living at your bar?

[Tifa's expression lights up when he says their names.]

Barret and Marlene.

[There's so much warmth when she mentions them, and that cold dread that had found its way through the cracks in her heart is slowly chased away, making room for the care and love she has for her family waiting for her back on Gaia.]

There was Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge, too. When I went to Midgar, they were my first friends I made.

[Was. But even though it's hard to think back on it now, she wants to honour them by cherishing the good times that they had together, rather than the last.]

They'd come by the steamed bun stand all the time. To be honest? I think I was kind of jealous that they all seemed so close for a while...

Hmm... But you eventually joined them and now you have a group of friends of your own.

[The silver lining...

In between all the bad things that have happened, Tifa could look back on those days and say that yes, she had friends, and she gives a shy little nod of her head before she dips her face into his neck, her sad smile flickering with appreciation.]

Yeah... Guess I do.

[A hand comes up to swipe beneath her eyes again, wiping away whatever tears still linger, and she laughs.]

When I think about it, you and I aren't so different that way, huh...?

...In a strange way, no.

[And...also in a sad way, but he just gently brushes his hand through her hair, fingers threading through it as he continues to hold her close.]

It's probably why we're able to understand each other despite our different personalities.

Funny... how that worked out.

[Tifa sighs and leans her head back against his fingers as they work their way through her hair.

She's always thought of them as night and day, like a sunrise and a sunset. Almost complete opposites in many, many ways, when in reality, they are simply two sides of the same coin. They are different but complement one another. You cannot have one without the other, or else everything just feels incomplete.

And now that she's found the other side of her coin, she feels it. That sense of completeness that people spend so much of their lives looking for, and she wonders again—for the hundredth time since they arrived out here—how she got so lucky.]

I wish you could meet them. I think you'd like them all a lot. [She giggles.] Barret takes some getting used to, but once you get to know him, he's really just a big softie.

... I wish you could've seen the bar. My home. I'd make you the best drink you've ever had.

Hopefully one day. I'll have to leave a good impression when that time comes.

[A small lift at the corner of his lips as he gazes down at her. He has a strong feeling they would be a little protective of her, especially when some strange guy stole her away.]

But you could try creating a dreamscape of it. Could even try recreating it here.

Seventh Heaven...?

[Her eyes open wide in surprise, and she lifts her head from his shoulder to look at him.]

I mean, I could try a dreamscape of it, maybe... but... the whole bar? Here?

[Tifa had talked about rebuilding the bar when all of this was over, back in Midgar, but the thought of rebuilding Seventh Heaven here never crossed her mind. The idea of having something here had, and even back in Camelot, there was the spark of one, but it never made it past being a simple, passing thought.]

I'd need some help with that, for sure.

[A small shrug.]

Should be possible, there will be no shortage of those willing to help. Or you can change it a bit if you wanted, but if you really would like to remake your bar there's still plenty of open spaces available.

Hm...

[She pauses, her smile pressing together into a thoughtful line as her gaze moves from his face out to the horizon, where the pinks have turned to oranges and yellows, brighter and more vibrant, and she can see the sun peeking out over the edges of the world.]

... Oh, look!

[Tifa puts the thought on hold, pressing a kiss to his cheek before she wipes the remainder of her tears away and shifts in his lap until she's facing outward again with her back resting against his chest. And as she pulls the blanket back up and relaxes in his arms, she bites down on the smile that she feels pulling at her lips.]

I think... I think I'd want this one to be special. Not a complete copy, but a different kind of Seventh Heaven, you know? ... Our Seventh Heaven.

[Although he sees the sun rising and watches the soft colors mix in and brighten as it continues to rise, his gaze drifts down to the young woman in his arms resting against him. They don't manage to watch many sunrises together, but this one... Yes. This one and the one in the future will be ones he'll treasure. The first sunrise that's made him feel so warm. So complete. As if it really is signifying the start of something new—something beautiful.

With his arms holding her snugly to him, Eustace lightly rests his chin atop her head like he often does with a soft smile.]

How would you like to change it?

[She's so enamoured with the sunrise, and how the colours seem to swirl in the sky, and the warmth that he always seems to radiate when he holds her, that it takes her a moment to register his question, and even then, there's a happy silence that stretches on past that as she tries to imagine what a new Seventh Heaven might look like.]

I think it would be a little more rustic. Less industrial looking than the one back home.

[Tifa begins slowly, as the image of it starts to form in her mind, as if painting itself across the sky as she looks out to it. Have the sunrises here always been this beautiful?]

Maybe we build it around a really big tree. It would be bright and warm, with lots of sun... Natural sun. Seventh Heaven didn't have much of that, what with the plate and the lamps.

[Here it all comes.]

There'd be lots of places for people to sit. A fireplace somewhere, too! And... a jukebox. A dartboard. Maybe even a pool table. A really nice, polished wood bar... and a small kitchen next to it where I could cook.

[And of course...]

We can't forget about the dogs, too. They could help, and I think people would like having them around.

[His smile grows as he listens to the excitement in her voice, not needing to see her face to know how brightly her eyes are shining now.]

Something like the pet cafes only it's more like a bar?

[She's getting a little carried away, isn't she? Tifa curls up tight in his lap, and she pulls the blanket up halfway over her face when she feels that flush coming on. They've only just started talking about it and already, she has a full image in her head of what she wants it to be like... And she hasn't even gotten his take on it yet!]

Mm-hm, like that...! And if there were any other strays out there, we could take them in and try to find a new home for them. ... Just like that place in Celliwig.

[The place they went to the day they met, and her voice is laced with a warm nostalgia as she recalls it.]

We could give the dogs matching scarves. Us, too...

Matching scarves?

Mm. They could wear them around their necks... maybe something smaller that we could wear around our arms or something so that they're out of the way... I don't know...

[She gives a shy nod, and she wiggles a little between his arms.]

So that people would know that we're, you know, a... family...

[A unit working together to run this little imagined business of theirs.]

[There's a small rise of his brows as he looks down at the top of her head before a smile forms.]

Mm... That would be nice.

[Family.

A word that somehow coming from her lips sounds so lovely and wonderful.]

You think so?

[She tips her head back to look at him, and when she catches that smile, she feels the butterflies erupt in her stomach and chest. His approval means the world to her, and it's only the ever one that she searches and hopes for, so when she has it, she holds onto it like a cherished piece of treasure, delicate and warm...

Tifa smiles up at him before she turns her eyes back to the sunrise, and it's already starting to peek out from behind the horizon, creeping its way up into the sky, and she realizes just how special this one is to her. Not simply because of this new step they've taken together, but because talking about all of this? It feels like another new beginning for them. For her...

A ripple of happiness flows through her, and she giggles.]

You'll help me build it, won't you? Where would it even go?

[When their eyes meet, it's in that moment that several visions pass through his mind. Of them sharing a home, their life together. Of the dogs and their friends gathered happily together. Of...no he dares not think of anything more as he's long been aware it can't come to pass.

But it doesn't matter.

He once came from a large, bustling family and was tragically left alone. And he stayed alone all his life until one day a young boy extended his hand and helped make him see the colors around him he had been ignoring. Helped make them all realize they were better together than on their own. And so, slowly he joined a larger family and was content, not really wanting anything more.

But now... Now he's starting his own. Even if it's only with Tifa and the dogs, it's enough. He doesn't need a large family—he just doesn't need to be alone. A family he can claim to be made with his own hands instead of one he's joining. His new home. His future.

It's brief but it's such an overwhelming feeling that for a moment the warm wind kicks up to cause the nearby leaves and flower petals to dance around them, the light of dawn warmer and softer than before as he continues to gaze down at her even after she looks away.]

...Yeah.

[A soft, quiet answer. Yes he would help build it. Their family.

And if course her bar that he knows she's asking, but she might be able to tell that's not what his first answer is to.

Looking at the sunrise, he continues.]

...The plaza might be a good spot. Enough foot traffic, not too far from home, and close to the dog park. There are some vacant buildings over there still.

[She can hear that tenderness in his voice at his answer, and she knows.

She knows that it carries so much more weight than a simple yes to a bar, because Tifa had been thinking it, too. A family, and what that word means for them, and how it didn't matter as long as it was with Eustace. He was her family now. He and the dogs. And while she has the people she cares about back home, this one's different. This is something that they created together. Together, they had planted that seed and watched and helped it grow into something that they would continue to build and see flourish for as long as this world would let them, with their names etched into it from the very start. Sure, it had its rough spots and it lost a few leaves along the way, but it's only because of those patches that new, more beautiful leaves could grow.

And Tifa wouldn't trade it for anything.

Her hand comes up to nervously rub at the back of her neck, the heat from her chest rising up through it until it reaches the tips of her ears and her cheeks, but it falls comfortably back over his hands as he keeps them wrapped around her. A flower petal lands in her hair, its pink shade soft against the black, and she shakes it away.]

I like the plaza.

[Her voice carries a light tremble to it as the fluttering inside of her grows more forceful, the images of them inside this new bar of theirs so bright and vibrant in her mind's eyes that it almost feels like she's sitting in the middle of it all.]

Maybe we can go take a look at potential spots sometime. Make a date out of it?

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