seventh shot ⊗ open october log

[flamekthunder]

🧙 WHO: Eustace and anyone
⚔️️ WHAT: various quests
🕒 WHEN: throughout October
🗺️ WHERE: various
⚠️ WARNINGS: none except depictions of death for headless horseman task and any potential violence that might happen in the combat oriented prompts

⊗ a: task - pumpkin mayhem

[It's only by chance that Eustace narrowly dodges a pumpkin that just whizzes by his head, frowning as he stares at the flying gourd. At first he thought someone recklessly threw it, but then he sees it actually stop in mid-air and fling itself back towards him. Realizing it's moving on its own, he once again rolls out of the way, unholstering his gun as he does before quickly aiming and firing a bolt of lightning. It's a perfect shot, hitting it squarely in the center to cause it to explode into smaller pieces and fall to the ground below.]

...Was it cursed?

[Somehow he wouldn't be surprised if so, but hearing some shouts as more pumpkins roll and fly about disrupts his thoughts and he heads over to try and help take care of them. He doesn't necessarily want to shoot them given the mess they can make, but he sometimes doesn't have much of a choice. So hopefully no one gets too much pumpkin splatter on them.

BONUS: When not dealing with the pumpkins, if he is managed to get dragged into a patch he may be persuaded to decorate one (though he'll be wary and suspicious if he's learned that the pumpkins might come to life from there). But if he does decorate one, it'll be dog themed.]

⊗ b: task - don't lose your head

[Hearing about the Headless Horseman prompts Eustace to head back, a trip made easier thanks to having received the Celliwig totem earlier. Since it's difficult to track its movements, Eustace takes an area to help cover.

1. Helping...Paw? Although he could just stick to a perch and be ready to snipe, it leaves a bad taste in his mouth when he could also be helping. So when someone else is on guard, he drops down to do what he can, be it just clearing out rubble and debris or transporting the dead. That includes turning into a dog and try to help sniff out or dig out any remains. It's not the most pleasant work and it would be better if there weren't any, but he's fairly immune to the sad, grisly aspect of it.

2. Fighting the Horseman. When the Horseman does arrive, should he be at his perch he'll instantly fire a few shots of lightning down at it in attempts to deal damage as well as stun it, but he can't be too sure if his lightning will have that kind of effect. Regardless, he'll provide cover fire for anyone fighting on the ground.]

⊗ c: tdm - not quite puppy parade

[It's probably not too surprising to find Eustace making a small stop to look at the adoption fair. And as an animal mage, he figures he could help out if needed.

For now, he just looks over the pens with a curious eye when one he spots one of those hamsters toddling about. It doesn't take long for him to catch up to it and pick it up. But then there's another. ...And another one.

...

At some point, Eustace has an armful of hamsters including a few that managed to climb up on top of his head and shoulders.]

...Those wings won't save you if you fall, you know.

[Just a small sigh as he carefully makes his way through the crowd to try and bring them back. Anyone want to help???]

⊗ d: wildcard

[He'll also be hunting the forests to help bring in extra meat and other resources, so could have some run ins there! Considered the Forest of Fachan prompt line but might be better as dedicated with one or two people. Can do the other quests, and it's likely he might end up getting involved in the Suns out, Guns out task in the sense of trying to intervene any unnecessary violence, so that's another option. If interested in anything else not included here, just hit me up on laenavesse or discord and we can work something out!]

Comments

[starshower]

[His hand gripping hers is jarring. Tifa freezes, afraid in those initial moments that she'd done something wrong, or hurt him in some way with her magic, but... the look she sees in his eyes betrays all of that. The way his fingers graze against the palm of her hand, calloused and warm, spins another tale. What kind? She isn't sure or doesn't want to acknowledge that maybe she does know what it means. It had been a silly question in the first place—neither of them is "good" and Tifa was never blind to it but forming a string of words that wouldn't just make things worse between them proved difficult.

She stares at their hands, lips parted and eyes round with surprise. She's not sure what to say or do at this point, or how to feel besides shocked, and terrified. Not of him, but what this could mean, and that fear paralyzes her. No matter how much she wants to let her gaze click back to his so she can read his expression, she can't. She can still feel it bearing into her, striking her right down to her soul and knocking the air out of her lungs.

This feeling, this closeness—it's something she'd been searching for. It's something she'd wanted to reach out for, to pull her out of this pitch-black loneliness that's crippled her since she got to Camelot. It's that same loneliness that struck her in her early days in Midgar when she knew no one and struggled to get herself back on her feet. Now that she has it, it feels like too much, and she wants nothing more than to draw back and keep away.

This is so far from what she imagined it would be like when she finally did find it, and not at all with Eustace. Yet, here she is, still afraid but... drawn in too, wondering what it might be like to let herself go to that selfish desire of pushing that loneliness away.

But then it's there again: that fear that if she does, it will all go away in an instant, turning to dust between her fingers. So, why him? Why should she be so afraid of him leaving? Whatever this is, it's just as fleeting as the world itself—or so she'll make herself believe—and her stay in it. It's not a permanent fixture and yet, the thought of him disappearing because of her fills her chest with a sad heaviness that forces a breath out of her at last.]

Eustace...?

[The silence had stretched on for what felt like forever, and her voice feels so much louder than it actually is. It's as if it bounces off the cave walls and echoes through it, but in reality, it had been nothing more than a whisper.

No, she knows why she fears him leaving. She'd thought about it the whole way into the cave, while she cradled his tiny form in her arms. The tiny form that came because he had saved her once again and made her realize that maybe she's been looking in the wrong place this whole time.

It's that awareness that has her finally trying to tug her hand away from his...]

[flamekthunder]

[He should let her go, but instead his grip tightens as Eustace continues to stare at her. He can see her reactions, how she's trying to comprehend his actions and their meaning. Even he doesn't fully understand it, but he at least knows one thing: they can't keep running and hiding from each other like this. Maybe they will end up deciding it's better to not go any further, maybe this is ultimately a mistake, but...]

Trying to avoid me again?

[His voice is quiet, and while his gaze still has that unusual heat of something, his tone is a little softer so it sounds more like he's teasing her a little, referencing to what happened earlier after their little "date." Of course he knows he's also to blame for this so his expression sombers a little as he murmurs his next few words, just loud enough for her to hear.]

...Maybe it would be better if we did.

[He then looks at her again, the words that had been on his mind finally spilling out.]

I keep thinking it would be better if we kept some distance, that it would be better so that you wouldn't get hurt.

[Slowly his other hand reaches out to lightly touch her face, the slight waver of hesitation mirroring the hesitation he still feels right now. She's already cried so much for someone else, he doesn't want her to cry over him, too. And yet...]

...But no matter what I do, I can't seem to do that.

[He pulls her to him then, that light touch on her face now a firmly cupping her cheek as he stares down at her, his eyes a torrent of mixed emotions of want and fear, both wanting to keep her to him like this yet fearing what would come of it. Yet this same wavering is what's hurt her enough already. That what he's doing...isn't it no different than what Cloud did? He doesn't want to necessarily stay away from her completely, but this ambiguity, this uncertainty—it needs to end.

But which way will it end?

He can't seem to leave her alone.

From that tender touch around one of his most vulnerable weaknesses to the sound of her voice saying his name...he can't seem to let it go.

His face now near hers, he can only admit his current flux of emotions through a coarse whisper.]

It's driving me crazy...

[starshower]

[It's startling, having him so close, for any number of reasons. From here, he'll see the leftover streaks from her tears still staining her cheeks, and the redness that's already started to surface in them—or it's always been there and never really left. He might spot the shimmer of new tears starting to form when it all starts to overwhelm her again, or the glimmer of his eyes in the reflection of her own, where he might as well be staring right into her soul.

Because that's sure as hell what this feels like.

He's right. She'd been too scared to face him and had decided then to withdraw once again. She'd wanted to go back to her safe space, where taking leaps and risks was not an option. It was a place where she would be safe from the harm and hurt a world like this could bring, and from the world and life she missed so much back home, but pushing him away still ached just as much as him pulling her in. Just as much as wanting to be pulled in.

Tifa falls easily into place when he does, his hand slotting almost too well against her cheek, and her forehead to his. She wants nothing more than to slide away from him, and put that much-needed distance between them, but there's another force keeping her rooted there. Loneliness, and maybe a little bit of greed—it all has her lifting her hands to grab the sides of his face, and when she speaks, it's with a shuddering breath against his lips.]

Yeah. Me too...

[She can't lie to him. Not now.

Her skin is burning hot, her heart is beating a thousand times a minute, ready to break free from her chest, and her head is spinning at the thought of it. It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment when it all started to make her feel this way. Perhaps it was the first time they'd met, and he'd told her about his home. Or maybe it was when he slipped that rose into her hair, or left that kiss on her forehead when he'd tucked her in. Or when she woke up with him next to her, the first beams of morning sun lighting up his face when it peered through the curtains...

Whatever or whenever it was, it's all led up to now, and she would be lying to have said it wasn't driving her crazy, either.]

I don't want that...

[That distance.

She loses herself in the moment, whatever words she'd formed leaving her along with the air in her lungs, and without thinking, she tips her head just so, bringing her lips to his in a tentative, testing feather-light touch...]

[flamekthunder]

[This is all so crazy, and acting reckless and selfish is something he never does. He's always been cautious, wary, plan out every possibility to deal with the worst case scenario. Yet from the moment he feels her breath against his lips all of that is thrown out the window and instead just one thing remains on his mind. It takes every last bit of restraint to not act on it—until her lips touch his. It might have been a light, hesitant brush, but it was like the flame that ignited the already short fuse.

Not even a moment's breath passed before his lips take hers more firmly, roughly, his hand at her cheek now against the back of her head as he pulls her in closer. Even if there's some relief in finally acting out on this unfamiliar impulse of desire, his body is tense, still wound tight like a spring. He wants to hold back yet take more at the same time. Treat her gently yet end up rushing as instinct takes over, acting without any thought.

This growing heat, this sense of desperation and loss of control can be felt as each second passes. Should she try to part even just to catch her breath, he will be quick to capture her again, unable to feel satisfied.]

[starshower]

[She'd been hesitant, each and every one of her motions thorough and carefully thought out, afraid of pushing herself any further over the edge than she already has, but the moment their lips meet more firmly, his hand brushing through her hair to pull her in closer, she's lost.

Tifa has never kissed anyone before, but there's something so natural about this. The way her hands slide across his face so her fingers can comb through his hair, or how their noses brush against each other when she pulls away to catch her breath before he's capturing her again in another, or how her body fits comfortably against his when she allows herself to be pulled in...

Is this what it feels like to be so consumed by another person? She's forgotten where they are, what they were doing, why they were here... the only thing mattering right now is sating that deep-rooted desire that's been tearing at them for ages and breaching any amount of space left between them and keeping it that way.

Is it normal to feel overwhelmed by it all? The release of all of those feelings that had been wound up in her chest for so long, and the relief of being able to finally let it all go... to be able to pour it all into him without even having to speak a word... It's too much. So much that she can feel tears burning the corners of her eyes, and she fights them tooth and nail to keep them back.

It's a vain battle and they come anyway, hot against both their cheeks, so she separates from him, red lips parting as she tries to breathe what little air there is between them.]

Eustace, I...

[She isn't even sure what she wants to say, but she's withdrawing again, suddenly feeling shy about it. About all of this. Her forehead bumps against his, and she lets her hands slide down the sides of his face so they can support her on his shoulders instead.]

I've never...

[flamekthunder]

It's fine.

[His answer is immediate, a low whisper against her lips as his eyes open just enough so he can see her. The hand behind her head remains, fingers now threading through the long, black strands as the other wraps around her waist, not allowing her to pull back any farther than this.

He then moves so that his lips brush against her tears before lightly kissing the tops of her eyes.]

...It's the same for me.

[Perhaps it's surprising, perhaps not given his character, but Eustace has never had any interest in sharing any kind of intimate physical relationship with anyone. Hell has he even hugged anyone? Maybe a child if they needed comforting but not an adult.

For over twenty years his heart had no need, no desire, no room, for any of it. It was shut off from such feelings for so long that while he understood and was aware of such things, he personally could not really relate. It's only been recently that he's been able to feel anything more than hatred and deep rooted revenge, more than isolation and the need to stay alone. To focus solely on his mission. But now he can smile more freely, be more like his true self that's been frozen for so long. But it's still new for him to, discovering parts of himself he never realized.

And while there are a few key figures that helped chip away certain parts of him and helped thaw his once bitter heart, Tifa...

His face lowers so he can look into her red eyes, already drawn in by the emotions reflected through them. He tries to restrain himself, wanting to be gentle and considerate of her own feelings, but the temptation is too great and he lightly kisses her again before murmuring against her mouth, his words, low, deep murmur that carries the weight of his emotions and desires.]

...You're the first one who's ever made me feel this way.

[First one to make him feel such a burning desire to want more, to experience this strange thirst for another person. It's not even so much the physical pleasure of it, although it certainly plays a significant part. There's that deeper connection between them, that want to be near her just because he feels comfortable. A feeling that he misses whenever she's avoiding him. He's fine when they're separated, he's not that desperate or clingy, but if she runs away from him then it's a different matter entirely. It's hard for him to really explain, but it's something he hasn't quite felt with the others. He can be close to them, share some of his secrets with them and be comfortable as well, but with Tifa... There's a desire for more.

It's a selfish feeling, a greedy feeling.

One that continues to grow the more she lets him take.]

[starshower]

[And take it he may. She isn't innocent either, her eyes so engrossed on his lips that she feels that frantic urge rising with each word he breathes against hers.

It's a bit surprising that this would be his first. He'd taken charge of the situation so quickly, so naturally that she wouldn't have guessed if he hadn't said so. Perhaps it was the same for him—that some things just come more easily than others. He's so sure of himself, so confident in the way he wraps his hands around her waist, or brushes them through her hair, while Tifa is still so shy and nervous.

But then he says it—that she's the first who's ever made him feel this way—and it once again cracks that small bit of self-restraint she's been clinging onto. He hardly gets the chance to finish it before she's kissing him again, hands searching for more closeness before they settle behind his head, fingers curling against the back of his ears.

She only breaks free far enough to whisper back.]

You've been there, since day one...

[As if she needs to justify all of this. She doesn't, but she still needs to say it again. She needs him to know that this isn't something born out of her desire for someone else or for companionship to sate that innate loneliness of hers. Cloud means something to her—he always has and that will never, ever change—but Eustace means something else entirely. When no one else was there, he was. When she was in trouble or when she felt down, or when she wanted to spend time with someone, who was there? Eustace was. When she'd been in trouble, who was there? Or when Clover had needed that extra bit of companionship and help? He'd stayed.

He was the one who wiped those tears and didn't run away when she'd let her emotions boil and spill over.

He's someone she can trust with all of her being and even then, it's rooted itself so much deeper than that. So deep that not even she can fully come to understand.]

You made me feel... safe...

[Special. Like she means something to someone that isn't just a superficial friendship. Like she means something to him, the same way he does to her. It's hard enough putting this all into words on a normal day, but with her brain so scrambled, she can only hope that he understands what she means through words and her actions.]

Thank you...

[She kisses him again, still gentle, still a little hesitant and tearful, but her lips part ever so slightly in an invitation. A beckon for him to take.]

[flamekthunder]

[He's immediately kissing her back the first time, eagerly welcoming her and a bit disgruntled when she stops to speak. He's starting to find more reasons why he prefers peace and quiet—so he doesn't have talking disrupt things. But he's patient, if barely so, but that heated fervor cools a bit when he registers her words.

...He made her feel safe?

He can think of one time he'd like to refute that, but briefly thinking back, it is true that he's been there for her, protecting her where he can while letting her stand her ground when she wanted it as well. And perhaps it's probably because of that one time during their date, when she got hurt from that crazy woman, that a growing sense of want to be there and protect her developed. Before then it would have been just a neutral sense of helping an acquaintance, but after that...it was a more personal, intimate feeling. No, perhaps even a little before then.

And really, he wouldn't have cared about her thoughts on Cloud—he hasn't completely forgotten about it, but he's not really thinking of it, either. That's something that will come to mind later for him to ponder about. Right now in this moment, he's satisfied in that they both feel the same and that she's accepting him for whatever reason. Although it would be a lie to say that her implication that what she feels is more than just some little crush did not make him feel something. It scratches at his chest, an unfamiliar yet warm sensation that overflows and is almost overwhelming.

It's clear neither of them are really thinking what's happening right now thoroughly, their emotions and wants taking the lead instead. But rather than try to stop or shy away from it, he lets it happen. Regardless of the nuances and complications they'll have to address later, this, this moment is all he wants right now. Like a man finally rid of his shackles and tasting freedom, he doesn't want to let it slip by just yet.

So at first he responds in kind to her second kiss, his lip moving slowly and gently over hers. It's still true it's his first time kissing someone, so there's a bit of exploration as well. As if he's trying to memorize the feeling of how she feels and tastes, what feels natural and comfortable and what doesn't. When he feels her lips part, his pulse quickens for a moment, as if naturally understanding what it means. Well, it's not like he isn't aware, he's heard plenty whether he wanted to or not. And he already has a natural greed for more, a growing want to taste and feel more of her.

Slowly his teeth graze over her lower lip, a gentle drawn out pull as if to tease and part her lips further. It's only natural for his tongue to brush against them, and it doesn't take much more for him to fully accept and act on that invitation. Only after allowing her to take a breath does his tongue push between her lips, seeking out hers as that unusual, new want for more takes over.

Every essence of his usual calm, controlled demeanor is quickly unraveling—and he just lets it happen. And the longer it goes, the more heated things get.]

[starshower]

[Impulse and instinct have taken complete hold of the reins, leading her to what feels right while this wave of new sensations washes over her. It drives her closer, guiding her tongue over his, allowing her to explore and take in his taste, smell—him. All of him. That tightly wound coil of heat in the pit of her stomach stirs and unwinds, bursting in a tingling, fiery wave that spreads through her entire body that's almost agonizing, and with it comes a small, soft whine that passes over her lips and onto his, twisting her fingers into his hair and powers her forward into him, their closeness not enough to sate that appetite.

It's one that's been a long time coming, building up since that first flutter of affection. It's something she pushed down over and over again, ignoring it and hoping that it was nothing more than a stirring in the moment, and that it would go away. It would, but then it would return to grip and torment her, greater and fiercer than the last, and that cycle continued until it could finally break, the two of them crushing it with each torrid clash of their mouths.

Her gentle hands find their way down his neck, scooping up his hair for a moment before continuing downward where they slide beneath his cloak, her touch growing more starved when they glide across the plane of lean muscle over his exposed back, and it's only then, as her hands wander lower, lower, that something snaps inside her, wrenching her from her rapture and pulling her back to the world they're in. The cave, the crackling fire, the tide of rain coming down outside...

She pulls away, her lips red and her breaths hot and tattered. Heavy, half-lidded eyes gaze up into his, and there's something else there now. Mixed with all the intensity and passion and craving for more, there's fear and uncertainty, and embarrassment, and she withdraws, only slightly, but far enough that she can no longer feel his heartbeat against her own.

What had gotten into her just now? Moments ago, he held her while she turned into a crying mess, overtaken by her anger and misery, and next thing, she felt his skin burning under her hands.

She'd taken it too far, hadn't she?

If she hadn't stopped herself now, how much further would it have gone...]

God, I'm... sorry...

[Her gaze suddenly drops. She can barely stand to look him in the eye now, even after all that.]

[flamekthunder]

[He had been trying to keep his focus on just their mouths, taking in and savoring her taste; catching the hidden messages shared between their increasingly heated and fervent acts. He never would have imagined himself falling into this kind of indulgence, but he is and unrealized desires and wants continue to grow at a pace he can barely control. But the more she seeks of him, the more those restraints fall away, allowing him to start exploring more of her as well.

They're just natural touches, fingers sliding further through her hair and against the back of her head, descending down to her neck to feel the heat of her pulse. The arm around her waist also shifts and moves, the hold on her once more constraining so that she couldn't pull away now craving to feel more of her body. Yet there is a bit of slowness on his part as well, wanting to rush in yet not scare her as despite it all, there is still awareness that this is all new for the both of them. And really he doesn't mind taking his time. But feeling her hands on his back sends an odd, electric thrill down his spine, making him push more against her as his hands slide up while hers go down...

And then she pulls back.

At first he just thinks she's trying to catch her breath, but when he sees her expression and hears that apology...

...

Rough, heated breaths break the heavy silence as Eustace stares at her, his gaze darkening a fraction. He can understand a little—this is a crazy situation they're in and if he were think of this rationally, they're rushing into something they have no idea how it will turn out. He can see she's uncertain, but of what? Of what they're doing? What they're feeling? Does she think he doesn't like this or that he'll somehow feel offended or insulted later?

Always pulling away whenever he's trying to get closer to her...]

Don't.

[The word comes out a little harsher than intended, but his voice also carries an uncharacteristic roughness. He then wraps his arm firmly around her waist and cradles her head before pushing her down onto the moss covered ground, his face now looming directly above hers. His usually calm, pale blue eyes are now glistening from not only the light of the fire, but also the heat that's been starting to burn with him.]

Try to run from me again... [His mouth lightly brushes against her lips before his teeth graze against them for a sharp nip, his voice low like a growl.] And I really won't let you go.

[He doesn't give her a chance to respond before he takes her mouth into an aggressive, rougher kiss compared to before, his tongue already pushing in to find and entangle with hers. And when they pull apart, his mouth will move to the corner of her jaw, kissing it first before trailing down her neck, teeth lightly grazing and pulling at her skin as he goes. Not strong enough to be painful or leave any lasting marks, but enough to tease that sensitive skin.

However, although he's leaning over her, he's not lying directly on top of her. And while his hands run over her sides and arms, he's not trapping her. If she really didn't want any of this, she could push him off and he would stop. But right now he's making his intentions clear—he wants her. Wants everything from her.

Now, would he really want it all right this second? ...Not necessarily. But at the very least he doesn't want her to think this is something wrong, something to apologize for. They're both consenting adults, in his opinion it's only natural.]

[starshower]

[Protest as she might, the moment Eustace's hands command her to the ground, Tifa follows, hair fanning out like a splash of night in the greenish glow. Swollen lips open to object, but he captures them before she can so much as get a single breath out, and her body falls to his mercy again, back scraping against the mossy floor as it arches up against him. That low, rough timbre of his voice sends vibrations shooting up her spine and she shivers, and her arms wrap around his back to anchor him to her.

The message is received loud and clear and yet, there's still that tiny voice ringing in the back of her mind that tries to scream that it's too much, too fast. That she has to push him away, to run... but with every breath of air he shares with her, the further it gets chased away. She's spiraling, and there's nothing she can do—No. When he frees her lips, Tifa gently turns her head so that she can finally get a word in.]

But this is...

[Her voice fades into a soft gasp when she feels those gentle nips on her neck, and the intense heat that ripples from where he teases, spreading through her. Her head rolling back is automatic, like her brain has shut off to everything else but the press of him on her, and her body is calling all the shots, granting him easier access for him to continue to take as he pleases. She would be lying if she said she didn't want this too—every time she tries to protest, her words turn into sharp breaths and quiet whines.

Somehow, she manages to drag herself out of it again after Gaia knows how long, but this time, she won't go far. She can't. This time, she lets her hands wander up so that they can clasp the sides of his face, forcing him to look at her.]

We shouldn't...

[Not here... in a mossy cave in the middle of nowhere.

But her own voice is edged with an intense ache that makes it crack, but she holds strong against his startingly blue eyes, using up whatever restraint she has that he hasn't already melted away under his touch. Even if she never imagined things would go this way, ever, this still isn't how she wants it to go.

And if this is how things are going to be, then he deserves better than this.]

[flamekthunder]

[He can feel her still struggling, yet hearing her strained voice, those small gasps and whines—feeling the heat from her stimulated skin, her pulse racing. It makes his hands roam, to slide up to feel her bare sides and midriff and slip beneath her top before backing down, tempting as it is. Even if his blood is boiling from want, he has at least some sense to know that rushing even faster than this would be too much. But it's difficult—ever inch his fingertips touch he wants to feel more, just like he wants to feel her hands on him.

His mouth had reached her collarbone by the time she pulls him up, and he doesn't resist. Instead he just stares down at her silently, taking in her flushed face and swollen lips, already wanting to take them again. Slowly he lowers, closing the distance between a little before he smirks a little.]

Shouldn't...do what? What were you expecting?

[Is he teasing her? Granted, he really shouldn't be one to talk since it's certainly crossed his mind, but as if trying to pull her out of that panic he just lightly kisses her.]

It might be part of my ancestral blood, but I'm not that much of a beast.

[starshower]

[That heat and confidence have ebbed, replaced now with her usual demure tendencies. Her eyes dart away from his, and if it's possible for her face to grow any redder, then it does. What had she been expecting? If they'd kept going, if she'd let his hand go any further beneath the band of her shirt, there was only one way this could have ended? Or was she wrong for thinking that?

But then she catches the smirk, and then his lips when he brushes them over hers, and she finally understands...

He's teasing her.

She spiraled again.

Tifa breathes a shy laugh onto his skin.]

Wouldn't have guessed.

[Her thumbs trace small, fond lines over his jaw before they drop, arms moving to cross over her front, a guarded, embarrassed look on her face as she swallows past the lump in her throat.]

I just think... we should get some sleep, yeah? It'll be a long way back to the city.

[Way to kill the mood, she realizes. She doesn't want to... She doesn't want that feeling to go away completely. She doesn't want him to go away... So, she reaches a hand out to wrap her fingers around his wrist in case he thinks he needs to move.

Her voice comes out rough still, not quite having caught her breath.]

Stay.

[flamekthunder]

[It tempers the heat a fair bit, but in fairness it might have been necessary. It's clear his own restraints were quickly loosening and regardless of initial intents, the more Eustace felt and heard from her, the more that instinctual, carnal desire began to take over. He's a little surprised about his own actions and how strongly he felt, but rather than be alarmed he just accepts it as yet another change he's going through as he continues to open himself up and allow himself to grow closer to people. And in Tifa's case, it just proves how deeply he can still feel for someone. To actually want something—someone—to this extent. He's still aware of the larger issues, particularly the temporary nature of this world, but... For now he wants to be selfish.

So he just smiles a little, finding her "guarded" gesture and her little plea cute.]

...When you do and say things like that, it makes it harder for me to hold back.

[He reaches back and pulls off his cloak before he rolls onto his side so he can be beside her, spreading the fabric over them like a blanket before he pulls her close to him in a tight hug. His cloak is quite large so that it will cover them just enough when spread out like this and will help contain the warmth shared between them.]

[starshower]

[His warmth is almost too inviting when she lets herself be pulled, rolling and shuffling so that she's as close as she can possibly be. It's hard to fight that desire to fall back into it again, especially when he brings his cloak over them to capture the heat, so she fends it off with another feather-light brush of her lips on his collarbone before nuzzling her head against it and tucking herself into him.

She can hear his heartbeat from here, thundering along with her own. He'll be able to feel the tension still in her body, even as her legs slowly tangle with his, and the still quickened breaths as she tries to force herself to relax. They have a long day ahead of them in the morning—she said so herself—and yet, she's the one who can't seem to shake it all off, even when he seems to do so with such ease.

Maybe next time, he won't have to hold back, but she's thankful that he could now. With it all settling, it's all starting to hit her that whatever that was, it was... nice, but terrifying at the same time. Those feelings she'd felt—no, the ones she feels still, mean something. She was scared, but safe at the same time. That instinct to bring him closer, to not leave a single part of him untouched, was more than just some carnal appetite that needed to be filled. It was a need to show him just how much he'd grown to mean to her.

And the lengths to which that has gone is too much for her to understand right now, so maybe it's best that she allows herself this closeness for now, while she tries to tune out those words Aerith had said. She can sleep on it and think more about it tomorrow when she isn't wrapped in his arms.

Against his chest, her murmurs are small.]

Stop teasing me.

[flamekthunder]

[...Tifa you're torturing him, here. Feeling her lips against his collarbone makes him stiffen, a pulse of heat that trickles down from the spot to his lower abdomen. Aside from the slight quickening of his heart, she might not notice since the most movement he makes is just tightening his arms around her, but it really is a bit of a battle to not do more than that. He's also self-reprimanding because really, what has gotten into him? From not caring at all to being unable to control himself... He's better than this, dammit.

So after releasing a small, calming breath, he returns his focus on how she's willingly staying with him. He can tell there's still something that's uncertain, maybe scared of, and he can imagine general things—but he doesn't know what she's really thinking and that will be something he might need to try and talk with her. Really, there are a lot of things they'll have to discuss, but he's content to just postpone it for later.

Settling into a new sense of peace and comfort he never imagined he'd ever have, a light smile forms when he hears her words and he chuckles a little.]

You seemed to like it.

[Not that kind of teasing and he knows it. Instead he's, of course, teasing her a little more, his arms readjusting to be a little more comfortable as he lightly nuzzles the top of her head.]

[starshower]

[There's a tiny, weak nudge against his shoulder when Tifa brings up a fist to punch him for that, if one can even call it that. It's more a gentle, teasing bump back before she's burying her face further into his chest to hide it.

He's falling into this much easier than she is, funnily enough, and much to her surprise. When they'd met, he seemed hesitant to sit with her at all, let alone talk, and she'd pegged him as the silent, alone type. She'd been right, but this is a whole other side to Eustace that she never thought she'd see. This soft, careful side that protects her, and keeps her warm.

Knowing that, it makes her feel... special, again.

She likes this side of him. Granted, Tifa likes all sides of him, but this is different. This is for her.

Smiling to herself, she lets her eyes flutter shut.

... ]

Be quiet, and go to sleep.

[flamekthunder]

[There's a low, breathy sound from his throat that could taken as a laugh as he closes his eyes.]

Night, Tifa.

[To think they would be sleeping together again like this... This time without the awkward distancing, the uncertainty of where they stand. Neither of them trying to avoid the other...well, at least to a lesser degree. And this time when he wakes up with her in his arms, he won't be trying to fling himself off to hide what had been his true feelings all along. There are still a few things that linger in the back of his mind, but it's also a bit of a relief to not have to try and wrestle and hide away from it anymore.

Plus this just feels good, almost natural.

So with a small, contented sigh, he settles...and won't sleep right away because he wants to listen to her fall asleep first while also wanting to keep watch for a bit.]

[starshower]

[It will still take Tifa a while to fall asleep, but at least she has his larger frame to hide herself in. There's a lot to think about and a lot on her mind, and all of it keeps her awake for much longer than she hoped.

The things that ran through her head while she walked in silence through the fog, that tiny, tired puppy cradled safe in her arms. It had all been about how he'd risked himself to get them out of trouble, and how she, without realizing it, had placed her implicit, unwavering trust in him not just tonight, but long before. That was harder to pinpoint, but she wonders if it had been that time after the restaurant, when she'd asked him to stay with her, at least until she fell asleep. She hadn't been afraid, but she was shaken up, and she felt safer knowing that he would be there.

Like he always has been. Why, though?

She still wonders that, even now, as she lays between his arms.

There's a small sob that lodges in her throat, and she bites it back when she thinks about everything else that had made her emotions boil over and brought her to tears. Cloud... How much it hurt when she thought about him, and how much she missed him. How badly she just wanted to return back to her own world just so she could be by his side again. Beside the Cloud that she knew, not the one that this world knew. Her Cloud, or as close as it could get. Wherever he was here, she hoped that he was doing okay. He always did need someone to watch over him, and she can only pray that he's found that.

No matter where he is, or where she is, Tifa would always have a place in her heart for him... But there'd been someone else who had made himself at home there, too. Eustace was the one who wiped those tears from Cloud away, and who had surged her tired body and mind to life again with the mere touch of a finger.

It's difficult to place what it is about him that she feels so drawn to, but then again, is she just chasing something that needs or has no explanation? With Cloud, it had always been the same thing. Any time she asked herself why, the only answer she could come up with was "just because", but Eustace isn't Cloud. Maybe that's why she's searching so hard when she really shouldn't be? Is it really as simple as just because again?

Everything. The answer is everything. She should know that.

And then there's that next wave of guilt. The one that has haunted her from the start that this is all just some scheme her emotions are toying with to fill that void. Tifa could always stand on her own, but her life had been a hard and lonely one getting to where she is now that the idea of companionship in any form is a welcome one for her, and that's not what she wants this to be. Besides being filled with doubt that this was really the best thing for either of them, she wanted to be sure that it was more than just that, and the more that she listens to his breathing, the more sure she's becoming.

But it will take some time still.

That guilt may never go away, but she can at least get to the point where she can snatch that little bit of happiness out of the sky for herself. Just this once...?

Just this once, Tifa finally relaxes, the flood of weariness finally settling into her muscles and bones, starting from her shoulders right down to her feet. After a long time, she's fallen asleep, her quick breaths turned steady, and the arm she had draped over him unraveling and curling up at her chest.

And despite the rocky ground and the cold rain outside, it'll be one of the best nights of sleep she'll have had in a long, long time...]

[flamekthunder]

[It's impossible for him to not notice her taking a while to sleep, and he can only imagine the kinds of thoughts running through her mind. A lot has happened...more for her than for him. He hasn't forgotten her breakdown earlier or the cause of it, and when she finally relaxes and begins to sleep her slowly moves his hand to lightly circle around her back. Of course he can't pretend to know everything she's thinking about, and he has his own thoughts to think over as well.

His main concern being not wanting her to experience that sense of loss again but knowing it will happen one day. It would be better if she could return to her world before him...he'd hate it, but he's more or less prepared for it. Not just for her, but anyone here. But at least for now...she seems to find comfort in him, and he's found some kind of peace and comfort with her. Despite how much he had tried to avoid it, he's starting to think that maybe it's not such a bad idea to just take what they can after all.

Especially now that he's had a taste of it...he's not sure if he can let it go so easily. How surprisingly possessive he is...but he's always been quite the loyal one when it came to people he cares about and trusts.

But it will depend on what Tifa wants to do, and all he can do is just continue to be there—and chase after her whenever she tries to run.

Eventually he'll fall asleep, the sound of her breathing and her warmth a soothing lullaby. It's a restful one, similar to the last time he slept with her in his arms, but perhaps because he's still attuned to the fact that they're outdoors, the first sounds of birds chirping outside wakes him. The fire had long gone out, and while there's a brisk chill in the air, it doesn't feel too cold. His cloak and their shared body heat had done its job.

This time Eustace recognizes the smaller body still in his arms, her scent filling his nose before he slowly opens his eyes to stare down at her. She's still asleep and it is rather early, so he doesn't want to wake her. Instead he just lies there in silence, content in just watching her and thinking about how this kind of sight really isn't such a bad thing. Is this how it was for her back at her apartment when she woke first? Or had she been more surprised?

...Come to think of it, she didn't push him back at the time, did she? He had woken up by her voice, but she could have easily screamed and shoved him away instead—and be completely justified in doing so. He had been too distracted by his own conflicted at the time that he didn't notice, but...had she already been feeling this way towards him? Or had she just been considerate? Well, it doesn't matter much now. Should they continue this relationship, they'll have plenty more moments like these.

Unable to resist, he lightly brushes his lips against the top of her head, a hand gently stroking her back and arm in part to help keep her warm as well as sating that bit of craving to touch her. Had he really fallen that easily into this...? Shouldn't he be more wary?

Maybe, but...for now, it just feels right to him, so he'll just accept it as is and help her with her own problems.]

[starshower]

[Tifa isn't a heavy sleeper by any means, so it's the light brush on her forehead, along with the sound of birds outside, that stirs her.

The night before had felt like nothing more than a dream. She had been convinced that it was in the moment she tries to blink her sleepy eyes open, and that she would wake up in her bed confused about it, wondering why in the world her mind would dare go to a place like that, but... then she feels his hand on her back, and her face nuzzling against his neck, and she realizes...

None of it was a dream. It really did happen.

In spite of that sudden early-morning epiphany and surprise, she doesn't shoot up or push him away. Her eyes finally blink open, and she moves herself just enough that she can peer up at him to catch him looking down at her, and it makes her breath catch in her throat. Him, being the first thing that she sees when she wakes up... Why is it twisting her stomach in knots?

She can't bring herself to move much further, and simply lays her head back down on his shoulder, a shy smile appearing before it disappears behind the hairs that fall over her face. Her body curls, hiding herself from him.]

... Morning.

[flamekthunder]

[...Ah.

It had just been a simple glance up at him followed by a shy morning greeting. And yet somehow it made his heart flip flop in a strange way he's never felt before. It makes him stare down at her blankly before he has to quickly look away, feeling a small heat rise up the back of his neck as he resists the urge to do more than just tighten his arms around her.]

...Morning.

[There's his own quiet, somewhat embarrassed mutter of his own as he tries to calm the unusual pounding feeling, the image of her peering up at him fixed in his mind. He can't explain it, it just...it was if he had been struck by a lightning bolt of emotions mixed with exhilaration, joy, and contentment. A warm, bubbly feeling that makes him feel so not himself that it actually frightens him a bit. It's just a simple thing and yet it had such a profound impact he's not sure what to do with himself.

But in the end...he likes this feeling and thinks he could get used to it. A small spark of light in his once monotonous days. Things had become more colorful recently, but only now has it felt strangely vibrant.

To think everything was still calm and quiet before she woke up and now suddenly it's as if one look had thrown it all into disarray. This is something he should hate, and yet he can't. He couldn't have become this smitten with her, could he!? No, it's just because this is a new feeling and it's a good feeling, that's all—]

...Were you able to sleep well?

[He's just going to avoid his weird emotional growth and swing things to her instead.]

[starshower]

[She can hear it in the way he mumbles quietly into the top of her head, and the way his heartbeat quickens in her ears, and the urge to stretch up and kiss his embarrassment away hits her in a single blow, but her own heart skipping beats and her stomach doing flips is what stops her. Instead, she buries her face in his chest for a moment, her arms snaking around him and pulling him in tighter, closer.]

Yeah...

[Best sleep she's had in a long time, since coming to Camelot, if she's being honest, and her voice carries that in its soft pitch. He kept her surprisingly warm for the night, and she can't recall ever stirring once since she dozed off, whenever that had been. Although it took her a while, but she figures he knows that. She noticed he hadn't fallen asleep so quickly, either.

Raising her head finally, there's a smile that spreads across her face, her eyes still heavy with sleep and her cheeks still flushed with colour. There's something astute about the way she looks at him, and her head tilts so that it rests more on his chest.]

Something wrong?

[It's less concerned and a little more with a tease, and her hand slides out from between them to tap him on the chin.

He looks really cute right now, she can't help it. And this may be a small payback for last night...]

[flamekthunder]

[He scowls a bit at her gesture, knowing full well she's noticed his own bit of embarrassment and is teasing him. But he's not really annoyed. He just turns his head away slightly as if to trying to play it off.]

Nothing.

[There's a beat and then—]

Just thinking how cute you look in the morning.

[Returning the favor. It's one thing to think it, but how will she handle having it actually heard from his own voice?




Though he's still a little embarrassed. If his ears were a human's, the tips likely would be a little red.]

[starshower]

[Tifa's eyes go wide, and just when she thought her face couldn't get any hotter, it finds a way. Self-conscious, her fingers snap up to comb them through her hair, setting straight (or trying and failing) any stray hairs that might have been disturbed overnight.

Is he trying to tango with her?

Well, whatever he's trying to do, he succeeded in returning the favour. Shy giggles bubble up in her and she pitches forward in her movements, wanting to bury her face into his chest again... But instead, she uses it as an excuse to readjust herself so that she's almost—almost—on top of him, with her elbows propped up on either side of his face.

...

There's a brief moment when their eyes meet that makes her breath catch in her throat, but she must resist... because...

She grabs the corners of his ears and runs her fingers over them in gentle, feathery pets.]

So are you.

[She's teasing him, yes, but she means it, if the way her gaze flicks from his ears, to his eyes, then to his lips is any indication... Or how her motions slow almost to a crawl as the tension in her stomach starts to rise again...]