closed ⚡🌠 can we come back from this

[starshower]

Who: Eustace & Tifa
Which: Closed log
Where: Their treehouse, corgi tree, maybe some other places
What: After Eustace's Noctaere episode, he and Tifa try to put their relationship back together.
Warnings: Trauma, lots of sads, and then probably gross fluff after.


[It had been a struggle even getting home. After they and the others had arrived at Ori's home together, it was at Tifa's insistence that she and Eustace go back to theirs. For as grateful and appreciative as she was for all their help in saving the both of them, there are some things that Tifa would rather they be alone for, and this... whatever this is, is one of them. Never mind the guilt that she feels for having been the one to put them all through it—Eustace can argue with her all he likes, and they can all contend that they shouldn't feel that way, that none of it was her fault, but ever since she woke up from her weakened and frozen state, Tifa couldn't look any one of them in the eye.

Including Eustace.

Even as she walks with their arms slung around each other for support with Eria at their side, the journey home is silent. Only the stirrings of dawn can be heard—the birds that chirp in the canopies, the sound of dew dripping from the leaves, but nothing is quite so loud as their staggered footsteps, or her heart beating wildly in her chest, and her blood roaring in her ears.

Tifa tries to keep her anxiety to a minimum, tries to keep her thoughts straight, but all she can see are the claws of those lindworms as they came down to strike, and their scales that shimmered as they slithered around her. All she can hear are his desperate cries, and the sound of ice and electricity crackling as her vision darkened and her consciousness had begun to fade... She remembers the chill, the grips of death when it threatened to consume her, how cold his fingers were as they brushed against her face. The red in his eyes...

And then when she woke and saw the destruction he'd left behind. Saw her friends bruised and battered from battle. Saw him like that...

The thought is cut short by a sharp breath when they finally arrive at the foot of the stairs leading up to their home, her boot bumping against them when she hadn't been paying attention. The climb up is as dreadful as everything else had been, and she can feel the heat under her boots, the fires that try to claw their way out of the cage she tries to lock them in, to struggle against the trail of ice that forms in their wake. Even the tree's branches and leaves shudder as they walk through the front door, the flowers that decorate their tree that were once bright and vibrant freezing over and shriveling up, dying without a fighting chance.

It isn't until they're safely inside that Tifa so much as looks at him for the first time since they were at Ori's. Perhaps even before. Really looks at him. He's bruised and cut up, and he looks more tired than she's ever seen him.

Her hands fold together as she skirts her gaze away again, down to where she tries to stop her fingers from trembling when she bites back the urge to sob.

Tifa wants to say something, but... what is she even supposed to say? What can she say right now that would make this easier for both of them? She searches and searches her mind for an answer to the question that's been wracking her since they left the cliffside, but she's still coming up short of nothing.

Eria trots over and nudges Tifa with her nose, as if to encourage her to say something to break this tense silence before it all snaps. So, she blurts out the first thing that comes to mind in a voice so tiny that she's not even sure she's said anything at all, and it crackles, as if this is the first time she's ever spoken a word in her life. It certainly feels that way right now.]

... Do you want to get cleaned up first?

[First.

She kicks herself for it. Any other day and she would have suggested together, but her fear—not of him, but fear for them—is getting the better of her, and maybe that's for the best.]

Comments

[starshower]

Well...

[A shy giggle escapes her, and her thumb traces over the curve of his jaw.]

That's what you got me for, right?

[Once again, they strike that perfect balance, she realizes, as she watches his expression soften, and hers follows suit. And Tifa rises on her tiptoes and waits for him to meet her and offer his cheek up for a kiss.

Between both of them, she has no doubt that they can turn this into a very real thing. They're both resourceful in their own way, and where one lacks, the other could easily pick up, and honestly?

She bounces and rolls on the balls of her feet, embarrassed.]

Once the wedding's done, this might be a fun project...

[flamekthunder]

[He does as she hints and leans down so she can give him that cheek kiss, his heart feeling strangely warm by such a simple, sweet gesture. He then turns so he can wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her towards him after that little bounce her.]

Mm... I think it will be.

[Of course, their little sweet moment won't last long as the dogs bark at them. So he only lingers a few moments before he finally pulls away.]

Guess we should start cleaning up here. Could start bringing back some of their things, too.

[starshower]

[So much for them to think about in the future. First, expanding the tree for the dogs. And then... what to do with this place once they're all moved in. What to transform this into? Not to mention, it doesn't necessarily have to be the café that she was thinking of, but something completely different. They are two busybodies, so she doesn't foresee it being a problem... and as far as she sees it, she isn't about to complain about more time to spend with him.

Even if it is work, it's something they would both enjoy... and something they could do at each other's sides.

Tifa leans into him as his arms circle around her waist, and she lets herself take a moment to savour this feeling. She remembers Aerith's words... the things she said about looking forward. Looking towards the future that's still all a blank page, waiting to be written. The past is the past, and they can't go back and change it, but this is a good first step in healing, and getting back to building that life that they both want and seek here...

She takes a second longer to pull away as the dogs come bounding in around them, that feeling of relief a bit too overwhelming for her as she glances at him with a smile before she steps back to take a look around them.]

Mm... Their favourite toys are a must.

[Idris barks in agreement and runs off, returning seconds later with a ball in his mouth with eyes that say "look mom!"

And as she glances about the room, taking measure of the amount of work that needs to be done, she rests her hands on her hips and peers over her shoulder to Eustace.]

How are you thinking of expanding the house anyway?

[Just some chatter while she starts to gather some cleaning supplies.]

[flamekthunder]

Hmmm.

[As he ruffles the ears of Aerona who runs around him before moving over to where some boxes and containers are stored, he contemplates.]

I haven't thought too much just yet... While it would be nice if the tree was hollowed out so we could have interior stairs, we can still use the outside to access if we can't get that done. I'm not even sure how to go about it, anyway... Ask the tree?

[A small, wry grin before he continues.]

But I imagine... A wooden exterior built around the tree, following the curve of the stairs. Even if it's primarily for the dogs... Should anyone need to stay over, it wouldn't be bad to have a place.

[Not that he's chomping at the bit to bave guests, but the situation back when they were all at Oriphi's came to mind. If anyone they knew was hurt or needed help, or even if they needed someone to watch the house and dogs while they go away, it wouldn't be so bad to have that separate section accessible to someone else.]

Perhaps another small kitchen, just to make it easier to prepare their food... But not necessary. So at least one extra bedroom with a large bathroom, and then the rest is just an open area...

An open bathing area for the dogs would also be useful to help keep things a little cleaner.

I've also considered building a small shed to serve as a stable for the horses. We live close enough to an open field it could work.

[A small glance.]

You could expand your garden, too...

["Didn't think much" his ass. In fairness these thoughts had idly come to him from time to time and not all at once. But once he started talking about it and recalled each piece... He really had thought a fair bit, even if superficially.]

[starshower]

["I haven't thought too much just yet..."

Tifa's smile to herself only grows as she takes a broom in her hands and begins to gently sweep at the dusty floors around him while she listens... and just when she thinks he's finished thinking those thoughts out loud, he comes back with more. And more. And more... until he's done and there are little stars twinkling around Tifa's head.]

Yeah. [She pauses and fixes him with a fond grin from across the room.] Definitely haven't thought too much about it yet.

[Just calling him out a little bit, but she's beaming so bright that it almost looks like the sun is shimmering behind her as it filters in through the windows.]

I actually really love the sound of all of this. A cute little kitchen, and they could have their own room! You'll definitely have your work cut out for you, though. [... A pause, and her eyes go wide.] Oh, and don't forget about someplace for the snowberries, too.

[flamekthunder]

[He just gives a small roll of his eyes in return—but yes, he realizes how much he ended up saying. Much more than he really expected.]

It may be better if I request for help... But the snowberries.

[A small furrow of his brows as he pauses in tossing in one of the corgi's toys into the bin in his hands.]

We were thinking of some kind of...winterhouse? [As opposed to a greenhouse. Though with dreamotion, it probably would be possible to have both sections...]

[starshower]

[Oh, please. It's cute! No need to roll his eyes, and if anything, it only makes her smile that much wider.]

I think... something like that.

[A tiny laugh, and she sets the broom down on the floor as she thinks back.]

Maybe even just a little mini winterhouse... like a little terrarium... [And now there's a flush to her face.] With your dreamotion in it to keep it cold for the berries.

[flamekthunder]

So a mix...

[He considers it seriously for a moment before he puts in the last toy and closes the lid, idly throwing a ball for Idris who had stopped by to investigate what he was doing.]

It might be possible. A mix of cores, dreamotion and other technology...

And then a glance over at her with a grin.]

Could use yours to keep other areas warm.

[starshower]

Yeah. I was thinking that... An icehouse and a greenhouse.

[And that's part of why she's blushing, and she gets back to sweeping up some of the dust on the kitchen floor into a dustpan.]

I'm sure there are plenty of people we could ask about that... about all this stuff. Bet there'd be a few who'd be happy to step up.

[He mentioned something about asking for help anyway, so why not expand it a little further past the expansion of the house?]

...And then... I could take care of decorating once it's all done.

[flamekthunder]

Do you have anything in mind?

[starshower]

For decorations?

[Now there's something that she hasn't thought about, but... she looks around the corgi's tree, trying to imagine in her mind's eye what this might look like at the bottom of theirs instead, and what it might have inside it.]

Well... maybe we could get some pawprint rugs for starters. That'd be important for winter, I think. And... [She starts to wander towards him, a whimsical look in her eyes when they land on Eustace.] What about little holes in the wall for them to sleep? Like little paw-shaped cubbies carved into it. With lots of pillows and blankets.

[A shy giggle bubbles up in her chest, and she withdraws a bit, wondering if maybe this last part is a bit much? Or maybe it all is... This was his idea after all, and here she is steamrolling him with more ideas of her own.]

... Little hangers on the wall with their names on them where we could hang up some cute sweaters for them when it's cold?

[flamekthunder]

[...Hoh. As he listens, he can't help but smile.]

Did you only think of all this just now or have you been thinking about it?

[A light little tease to get back at her from before.]

[starshower]

[Her fingers curl tight around the broom before she tucks it beneath an arm and leans it against herself, and she can feel the colour and the heat in her face deepening. Yeah, she knows what he's doing...

And it's working.

Aerona, who's been nudging herself between them this whole time, whines in confusion as she stares between the two of them, wondering what they might be talking about... and why mom has suddenly stopped sweeping!?]

A little bit of both...

[Maybe not the decorations, but...]

Been waiting for winter to come around again to see if they'd like some jackets, or sweaters. [She brings her hands up in front of her and waves them like little paws making a begging motion. Why did she do that? In all her embarrassment, she doesn't know.] And I thought the personalized hangers would be cute...

[flamekthunder]

[...

....

What is she doing and why is it adorable? No, the effect is too great, Eustace practically drops the box he was setting down before he manages to catch it. ...Even worse was the great and sudden impulse to just take her hand and drag her upstairs.......................................

Eria is right, I really do have a problem.

Awkwardly glancing away as he tries to repress the sudden urges (repeating various exercise drills from old Society training days helps a little), he then clears his throat. Awkwardly.]

That... I think all of that is nice.

[starshower]

[She doesn't even catch on what it is that has him acting so flustered himself, her head tipping to one side with her hands still up while she tries to grab his gaze again, but he looks away from her before she can. Odd... She's just going to lean the broom against the nearest wall with a crooked smile so that she can move on to wiping down the tables and counters.]

Yeah, I think so too. Maybe we can find a woodworker who'd be willing to make them.

[And maybe help him with the rest of the house, too.

Speaking of—]

I'm not much of a handywoman myself but I can help with a bit. Not like I've never held a hammer before. And you could teach me what you know.

[flamekthunder]

[It took about ten fast speed repetitions, but he's finally able to clear his head and finally face her properly.]

Mm... We'll figure it out. It'll be nice to have something with our own work, too.

[starshower]

Yeah. Yeah, it will be.

[All of her features soften, and she paises in scrubbing down the counters to let that feeling sink in. It's a bit... strange to think about. The idea of having all of this to work towards in the future... It isn't somethint she likes to think about often because it's difficult to fight against remembering the nature of this place, but she reminds herself each time that living with that fear will only cripple any happiness she might find...

But this feels different than all of those other times.

Maybe it's because she knows that a wedding... their wedding is on the horizon, but thinking about a future past that isn't a thought that crosses her mind often. Standing here talking about it with him and surrounded by all the dogs really makes it all sink in...

She is marrying him. They have a home together. A family. A future that they can work toward and look forward to... that they built together. Something that neither of them ever imagined they would find.

The urge to rush across the room and kiss him right now runs deep, but there is a small corgi at her ankles with a ball in his mouth that he drops, and barks to remind them both that they promised a picnic... and as a result, a long game of fetch with Idris' favourite ball!!!]

Alright! Let us finish up here first and then we'll go, okay?

[She looks to Eustace for help when Idris picks up his ball and trots over to him instead.]

Someone's eager for the picnic... We can make this quick, yeah?

[flamekthunder]

[He can't help but continue to look over at her fondly before he now has to deal with Idris. With a light grin he throws the ball to the other side.]

I'll go upstairs. There are some notebooks and their information I should take back with us.

[starshower]

I'll take care of what's left down here, then.

[Of course, between the two of them, they make quick, efficient work of the cleaning and gathering of the corgis' things into boxes, which they'll leave just outside to pick up after they're finished with their little planned picnic lunch. They don't go very far—the area around the tree has plenty of nice green space of grass where they can sit and enjoy the afternoon on a blanket, and so once they've done all they could and Tifa's stomach has started to grumble for some food, she packs some healthy treats for the dogs, and they make their way out of the tree.

There's a shady area behind it that the dogs help pick out, guiding them there and making themselves comfortable in the grass, and once the blanket and their food is all laid out, she can finally settle in and relax and eat.]

... We should try to do this a few more times before the weather starts getting cold again.

[flamekthunder]

[While he's up there, Eustace straightens up the bedroom as well. It needs some dusting... One day he'll be able to use wind to just wave his hand and blow it away. For now he only removes the bedsheets and replaces them with new ones, adding the old ones to take home to wash. He also checks to see if there any clothes or things they've left behind that they should take back for now. They always leave a few spare changes so he won't take everything, but just anything older or could use a wash he dumps into the sheets to be later used as a sack. If it's too much he can always come back to pick it up, but might as well bundle it all up now.

As for the books and notebooks, he neatly piles them in a stack in the box he had picked out to carry them in...and pockets the real item he had come in for. Though not before taking a moment to gently finger and inspect them. Only after he feels he's done enough does he come down where he sets aside everything.

...Yeah, maybe two trips. Or he could pull out the old corgi sled...

But for now it's off to the picnic, and once they're all settled, he just lets out a breath and flops back onto his back, arms crossed behind his head.]

Mmm... Though even if it were colder, we could warm it up by ourselves easy enough.

[Not that he'd mind the cold, either. Probably would prefer the cooler autumn air...]

[starshower]

[She's tempted to lie back on the blanket with him, but instead, she settles at his side where it's easier to lean over him and press a little kiss to the tip of his nose. The dogs have, for the most part, gone off to do their own thing by now, some of them playing with one another while others find a nice spot in the shade to nap for a while, and Aerona and Idris have found a tree to dig at, which leaves the two of them on the picnic blanket with Eria curled up on the grass beside them, her eyes watching the dogs as they roam around.]

Autumn picnics are fine, too.

[Actually, she wouldn't mind the cooler weather at all either. Her face does turn pink as she lifts herself up off him to sit up again, curling her legs up to her chest.]

We could bring some warm drinks with us and cozy up with a fire somewhere outside of town with the dogs, yeah?

[flamekthunder]

Mm...

[He just lays there, content to have Tifa partially on him and catching her scent among the wind and grass near them. Slowly he opens his eyes and looks up at her.]

I know we'll have some for ourselves, but... What if we did a trip with the others? ...Something as a thank you...

[Here he mumbles a little. Inviting others to do anything......is not really his thing, but he has been wanting to make it up to them somehow.]

[starshower]

[She peers down at him with arched brows. Even she's surprised by his offer. Pleasantly so... and it draws her back until she's leaning over him again, that softness of his like a magnet to her. She brushes back his hair, smiling a little to herself at the way he mumbles it under his breath as if it were the most embarrassing thing in the world for him...

Cute...]

I think... that'd be fun! And they'd like that a lot. I know I would.

[A trip out with friends? Tifa can't say she's ever done something like that before.]

You should ask them.

[flamekthunder]

[It's not embarrassing!! Just...he's not used to it...

And then there's a small pause. This... It's a stupid thought, and he already knows the answer and what she'll say. But it's still a little tiny thorn that pricks at him at the most unwanted times, like now.]

Do you think they'd really want to...?

[Not just on the idea in general just...will they be ready to join together again.

IT'S DUMB AND HE KNOWS IT'S DUMB but it's so strange having strained his relationships—friendships—like this and actually care about it; as opposed to not caring whatsoever if he hurt someone or not like he used to in the past. Whether or not someone got over it or forgave him he used to not care. Now... He hasn't swung the complete opposite direction, but the needle is closer to the middle.]

[starshower]

[She knows why he's asking that question... She can see the way it pricks at him behind his eyes, and she heard it in the pause. She understands. If she were in his position, she would be wondering the same—whether or not her friends were ready to see her and be around her in that capacity. Hell, she feels it a little too, now that he's said it, but allowing it to sink any further than a fleeting thought will do neither of them any good.

Tifa's smile turns soft, less teasing and more patient, reassuring, and she nods.]

I do.

[Everything that Aerith had said when she came to visit sits in the back of her mind... and she uses it to remind herself of it every now and then at times like this.]

I think everyone's just looking for ways to move past it. [Her fingers comb back his hair, and she presses a light kiss to his forehead.] I think it'll be good for everyone to spend some time together... have a little bit of fun.

... I think it'll help them, too... to know that you want to.

[And that's why she thinks it's important that he would be the one to ask them.]