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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[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?

It has been a while... Sounds good.

[Eyes closing, he starts to gently nuzzle the top of her hair, her scent sweet and inviting.]

[How long has it been since they've been on a proper date? Besides this, it had been their very first "real" one, hadn't it? They've gone out for coffees or lunches or dinners, but a full outing? Although could looking at empty lots and buildings for a potential bar be considered romantic? She'd like to think so... if it means expanding their lives here, building a future...]

We'll dress up nice for the occasion, okay?

[And she nuzzles back into him, allowing his heat to seep into her skin and her blood as her heart skips beats as she runs it all through in her head again. Even if it is just a fantasy and it never actually sees the light of day, it's nice to imagine. Though the longer she thinks about it, the more real it starts to become, and the more she believes that they might actually be able to do it.

Tifa watches the sunrise, content in silence for a little while as the two of them curl up with each other. She teases him with a strawberry but takes it for herself before offering him up his own, and it's as if all of those feelings from earlier have washed away. There's still so much about her that he doesn't know, she realizes, but maybe a time will come when she can share more of it. For now, she's happy to wash herself of those tears and savour the happiness that he's brought back.

After a few minutes, when the sun's rays are finally stretching over the flowers and hills in front of them, she speaks up again, slowly. Carefully.]

You know, I've been thinking... what do you think of making our family a little bigger...?

[How dare she tease him with that strawberry. When she finally gives him one, he's certain to also catch her fingertips in retaliation.

But aside from some light nuzzles, he is content in just holding her close, enjoying the peace and tranquility around them.

But at her question...his heart flutters for a moment as he slowly answers.]

...In what way?

[It could mean anything, but...it's only natural he would think that even if it's not actually possible...]

[Tifa realizes, belatedly, how it sounds, and that blush in her cheeks deepens in colour, and she brings that blanket up to hide it over her face. She'd been thinking so hard on what she meant that she hadn't paused to think about what he might think she was trying to say, but she's quick to correct herself.]

Oh—! I meant with a couple more pets...!

[But now she feels like her heart might leap right out of her throat with how fast it's beating, because now she's thinking about the other meaning behind it. It's brief, but it sinks right into her in a place where she can't quite shake it off. So, she'll just go on to explain and pretend that it isn't there.]

Got another one of those little baubles for the wishing well earlier, and it made me wonder... you think they'd work on animals, too?

[Although he still feels a little flustered, there's a strange mix of relief and...disappointment?? But he quickly brushes it aside as he finally registers what she's actually saying.]

Animals... Yes, I know Hans was able to obtain his horse from it, so it's possible. What are you thinking about?

What if...

[Pause for dramatic effect. Although really, she's feeling a little shy about the idea now.]

... we tried to bring Clover and Eria here?

[His eyes widen slightly. He...would sometimes wonder what his familiar was doing back in Avalon, but it never occurred to him to try and bring her here. ...Would she even like it? Would it be possible with a familiar compared to a normal animal like Clover? But even if he has those questions, he only has one answer to her own.]

Let's try it.

Really?

[Tifa shouldn't be surprised given how agreeable he's been lately, but alas, here she is, turning around with her eyes mirroring his.]

... When we get home, let's grab the baubles and give it a shot. I've only used the well once, but it isn't hard.

[Although it was for a letter, and not a cat and a magical wolf. But if Hans could do it and get a horse back, then why shouldn't it work for them?]

Think the dogs'll be okay with it?

I've never had a need to, so it'll be a first for me. But I think they'll be fine.

[A small pause as he laughs.]

Eria might be jealous...and angry I've taken so long.

She'll get over it. I'm sure she'll just be happy to see you again.

[Eria had been just as upset as Tifa was over Eustace's departure, so she's sure that the familiar will be glad to simply reunite and be with him. But yes, she might be upset for a little while...]

I'm excited... It'll be nice to have them around if those little baubles work.

[She's giddy all over again, and a giggle bubbles up in her chest as the sun hits the corners of their blanket, and the words spill out of her on a sigh.]

Eustace... I'm really glad we're here. I think... things are going to get better.

It'll certainly be a bit more chaotic.

[Clover will be a handful, but he still has no doubt Eria will cause some mischief. Will her powers work here, though? It'll be interesting to see...so he actually does hope it works.

But hearing her laugh only makes him smile and it really does feel as if they're stepping towards a better future. So he leans down and captures her lips with a soft, tender kiss before pulling away to gaze down lovingly at her.]

...I think so, too.

[She melts under the kiss, and when he pulls back, she swears that she can see the entire sunrise in his eyes. How the yellow streaks in the sky reflect in the blue the way they are over the horizon, and she's taken by the sight, until she can't help herself and steals another, deeper kiss from him in turn.

What's a little more chaos in their lives when they can have peace like this too? For all the madness that happens in this place and for all the disorder all the dogs can bring sometimes, it's these little moments in between that make it all worth it in the end. These small reminders that they're a family, and that's just how it is, and how much she treasures it all.

Tifa's arms fold around his neck and she holds him close, and the air around them flutters and buzzes as the sun creeps up towards them, its rays bright and warm against her skin. The two of them sit there for what feels like forever, the rest of the world seemingly stopped around them again—just Tifa, Eustace, and the most beautiful sunrise she's ever set her eyes on.

The rest of the trip is exactly as they imagined it would be. The day is spent hiking through the woods, Eustace giving her tips on how to hunt and forage, and at night after a satisfying dinner, they head back down the winding path to dip beneath the cascading waterfall again, just as Eustace had said. The flowers and vines are still there waiting for them, though they've bloomed bigger and glow brighter than the night before as they spread throughout the cave and spreading outward to the rocks lining the water. It's there, beneath the light of the moons that they reaffirm the same things they had the night before in ways that only the trees will ever know.

The third day is their last, and much of their morning is spent curled up together in the tent before it's time to rise—much to Tifa's dismay—and pack up to leave, with her reminding him again that they'll need to come back another time, perhaps a little longer. As much as she misses the dogs and their own bed, she's enjoyed having this time with him, where they can truly be alone with only each other. It's a tall order with twelve, soon to be thirteen, dogs and then a cat, but there's also no shortage of people who would be willing to step in while they were gone!

The trip to Reverein on horseback doesn't take very long, and even the horses seem more relaxed around one another, and Tifa notices that her mare keeps looking back at Eustace's stallion as she rides a step or two ahead of him, and all she can do is raise a brow and exchange a confused look with Eustace...

Picking up the baubles is simple enough—Tifa remains at the base of their tree with their horses while he climbs up to fetch them, and then it's back to the well, where they can drop the horses off at the stables on the way.

It's there that she pulls them free from her pocket and clutches them together in a fist.]

... I really hope this works.

[And that Clover and Eria don't end up being called halfway and then end up in some strange void??? Hopefully if it doesn't, they'll at least remain in Avalon where they belong.]

[Eustace, too, wishes they could have stayed longer. Just stayed out there until the end of time, soaking in each other's company and warmth. But they have their own lives to get back, and he's also curious to see if their baubles will work to bring their missing family members from Camelot into Songerein, even if it's just their dream selves.

Seeing the horses, however... He can only arch a brow and give a small shrug in return to Tifa's look. Does her horse dislike his...? Did something happen while they were roaming out on their own? It's a mystery, but his own stallion doesn't seem bothered and just continues to look ahead without really making much eye contact with the mare.

After returning into town, fetching the baubles, and returning the horses, he stands next to Tifa in front of the well with his own in hand.]

...Want me to go first?

[He just has to think about it and toss it in, right?]

[Tifa steps up to the well and leans over it. From the outside, it looks so inconspicuous that she might never know that it's a well that could bring them almost anything their hearts desire from home or another world. The letter was a simple wish, and it had come in the same state she remembers leaving it in when she last read it the night before she left Camelot...

But Clover and Eria...? She is feeling a little nervous now.

She offers Eustace a crooked smile over her shoulder.]

Sure. I'd say at the same time, but let's play it safe.

[He takes a breath, grips the bauble in his hand, and with the white wolf in mind, he throws it into the well.

At first there is nothing and he's starting to think it didn't work...whichbis a bit disappointing. But just as he's about to step closer, there's a sudden flurry of wind and snow before a white blur jumps out of the well. It slams hard into his chest knocking him to the ground—but he knows that white fur and the low growling and high pitched whines from anywhere, the soft head smashing against the underside of his chin.]

Hey—Eria—enough—off!!

[He struggles with the wolf, but there's a hint of laughter and joy as he tries to push the wolf off before he wraps his arms around her, stroking her head as he listens to her whines.]

Yes, yes... I'm sorry I'm late.

[He briefly glances at Tifa before his face is assaulted by Eria's tongue as she licks him.]

[Her hand finds a spot to rest on his back between his shoulders as he gives the bauble a toss into the well. She peers over its edges and down into the darkness below where she hears it drop, and there's a very anticlimactic pause where the two of them with bated breath in silence. Nothing happens, and Tifa feels the pit of her stomach sink with disappointment. She should have known not to get her hopes up, but she had let her excitement and happiness get the better of her, but—

There's a sudden wind that picks up, and snow and ice nip at her skin, and she pulls back to shield herself from it just in time as something white leaps out of the well and crashes into Eustace, sending him backwards to the ground.

Even Tifa would know the sound of those whines, and as the mini snowstorm dies down, she lowers her gaze to find the large white wolf over him—]

It worked!

[—and Eustace looking at her helplessly before he's attacked by those wet wolf kisses.

She folds her arms over her chest and watches, her heart fluttering in her chest, all of that dread being chased away by the warmth that fills her at the sight. How long has Eria waited to see him again, she wonders? Has it only been a few days for her, or several months like it's been for him? Either way, Tifa was right to think that she'd be happier to see him than upset that he took so long to bring her back.

Leaning against the well, she laughs.]

You're on your own with that one.

Tifa—dammit, Eria!

[He may be cursing but he's still laughing before he finally manages to at least sit up. Eria continues to shove her face against his, her tail thumping the ground.]

Still acting like the same spoiled princess—ow!

[Eria headbutts him—rightly so—and Eustace just rubs his chin before looking back at Tifa.]

Go ahead and get Clover.

[Already more chaotic and they don't even have Clover yet. Just wait until they get back home—

Tifa watches the wolf's displays of affection for a moment longer, her smile warm and appreciative of Eria when those memories rush back to her. The days right after Eustace's departure, they had spent some time together before Eria had finally disappeared, gone back to wherever she had been before he came to Camelot. If it weren't for her, Tifa might have fallen too far into the pits of despair to pull herself back up out of them far enough that she could keep on living her life for both of them...

Or try to, anyway.

But without a word and only a growing smile, Tifa turns to the well and closes her eyes, thinking of that little black kitten as she drops it in. And, moments later...

Mreoooow!

There's a cry, and a scratching from inside the well, and when Tifa looks down...]

Eustace!

[There she is—or her bright yellow eyes that stare back up at her, the slits so slim with panic as she tries to claw her way up the walls. Tifa stretches her arms down to grab her, but she's just out of reach.]

... Help.

[Eustace had been in the middle of soothing Eria who had remained firmly planted in his lap when he hears Tifa calling to him and sees her at the well. Frowning he finally manages to get Eria off him, who has also seemed to sense something amiss from the loud mewling cries. Rushing over, he looks down and is surprised by what he sees.]

Hold on, I got her.

[And with one hand gripping the edge of the well, he stretches down his other to try and reach her. Thanks to his height and long arms, he's able to just reach the kitten.]

Come on, Clover...

[What long arms and big hands for him to reach her with—

Tifa's holding onto him as he reaches in, and Clover takes the opportunity to grab onto his arm with her claws, and she manages to climb up him before Tifa reaches in to scoop her up. Immediately, the two of them are met with loud cries and head bumps as she rubs her face over Tifa's hands and Eustace's.

Already, she can feel her heart swelling with love, and tears misting her eyes over.]

I guess not all of us can jump as high as Eria, huh?

[Clover paws at Eustace's sleeve, her claw catching it to pull him in for pets.]

She's just as small as I remember her being...

[Just a small wince when she grabs him with her claws, and once she's up he straightens, Eria sitting by his feet and looking up at Clover with her usual disappointed gaze.]

Her claws are definitely the same.

[But he of course smiles ruefully and pets the kitten, scratching behind her ears.]

I wonder what they've been up to...

[It's Tifa's turn to give Eria a pet, and she kneels down next to the wolf to give her a loving scratch behind the ears.]

You look nice.

[She whispers it to her, remembering what she had looked like in the last days they spent in Avalon, where her fur was matted and dulled, the shine in it gone as she shed it in tufts. Now, it's brilliant and as bold and snowy white as she remembers it being on their best days.]

I think she's trying to tell us.

[Clover is mewling loudly at him in the same way she spoke to him back in Camelot. She's trying to tell him all the things she got up to while they were gone, and giving them both a hard time for leaving!!! Why aren't you acknowledging her!!!]

[Eria stretches up her neck as if saying of course she's beautiful! ...Even if it had taken a bit for her to recover herself. But at Clover's mewling, Eustace can only sigh with a bit of remorse as he gently scratches her chin.]

...Sorry, Clover. I don't have that ability anymore... But I'm working to gain it back so I hope you can understand this for now.

[Although he's somehow managed to have the dogs and his horse understand his words, he still can't understand them in return. It's also only been towards animals he's grown close with or have a bond, so hopefully Clover can understand. At the very least, his emotions will carry through.]

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✨ timeskip ✨

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