isleofavalon | eighth shot ⊗ open november log

Entry tags:

eighth shot ⊗ open november log

🧙 WHO: Eustace and anyone
⚔️️ WHAT: various things
🕒 WHEN: throughout November
🗺️ WHERE: various
⚠️ WARNINGS: none except any potential violence against lettuce

⊗ a: task - flappy veg

[Guarding flying lettuce....is certainly something Eustace never would have found himself doing, yet here he was in one of the known locations where some have landed from their migration. Whether they're technically animals or not, Eustace couldn't understand them through animal magic regardless, but he's able to at least communicate that he's there to help and not harm. They seem a bit jittery with all the poaching around.

a. updrafts. The place they landed in is mostly a clearing, but there are a few "obstacles" scattered around in the form of tall rocks and small trees. While most of the Butterfly Lettuce remain on the ground vibing, some also choose to perch on the trees to prune their leaves. However, due to their physique and unreliable drafts at this time, they end up either flopping about or plummeting to the ground. Fortunately none are too bruised, but it's hard to just sit still when nothing much is happening.]

...Hold on, let me help.

[Either by picking them or using wind magic to create some wind to help the lettuce, Eustace can give them a boost up. It's still not perfect, but it works.

Some of the younger lettuce realize they have an on demand draft maker, and Eustace can also be found creating wind streams to help the smaller Butterfly Lettuce "flap" over a mini obstacle course as they play a game while also practicing their skills. It's good practice for him as well. For anyone who might there also guarding him, they can either assist or just watch out for any stray Butterfly Lettuce that flap in the wrong direction—or help catch any that might fall from their perches.

b. poachers. Of course not everything is peaceful. Eventually poachers will arrive. If Eustace is able to sense something amiss soon enough he could send out a warning shot before they enter into the area. If not, he's fully prepared to fight and bring on the thunder, er lightning. Help keep the lettuce out of the way or assisting Eustace in fighting the poachers!]

⊗ b: cure on cloud nine

[Having managed to avoid the basilisks and already wearing gloves, Eustace is prepared to help in retrieving the mysterious Nimbus flower deep within the Forest of the Felled. Having a lot of experience in infiltrating and dealing with traps, including those out in the wild, also helps. So while traversing through a particular are, his suddenly looks up and holds his arm to stop whoever he's with.]

Careful. The branches here have been cut and the ground looks it had once been cleared away. Better to go around.

[Although there are leaves and growth all over the ground, if one looks carefully there's a small patch that looks thinner compared to the rest, indicating that at some point it had been disturbed and recovered. Most likely a pit trap, but no need to try and find out.]

⊗ c: floor is lava

[Although he had (for some reason he still can't comprehend) been granted the both the knight and noble titles, he still hasn't accepted the new grant since it seems too much of a hassle and not really his thing. But he does go out to check on the new townships being built out of curiosity...and also because of the little prank that had occurred. This had to be the most ridiculous thing he's seen yet, though he feels he thinks that every month... After hearing about it and seeing it with his own eyes, Eustace just sighs as he first notes the affected buildings.]

...Rather than play this farce, wouldn't it be easier if I just transformed into a bird and fly directly to the circles to destroy them? Or shoot them down from a higher enough point.

[His hand is already on his holster. He just has to get up to a building and aim, and he has elemental magic on his side it should be easy right??? But will he be allowed is a different matter—

If anyone manages to convince him to do it properly, they better be prepared to join in and expect a riveting platform game where nothing is stable and teamwork is key!]

⊗ d: wildcard

[Although I only picked the cure part of the basilisk questline, I'm open to the other parts! If interested in anything else not included here, just hit me up on

laenavesse or discord and we can work something out!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[After a rather eventful night and easily one of the best sleeps she's had in as long as she can remember, Tifa is the first to wake, not long after the sun has come up and when the first rays filter into their room through the doors, casting them both in its pink and yellow hues. The fire in the hearth had long since gone out on its own, and although she remains warm under the sheets with herself still curled up at Eustace's side, the rest of the room has fallen cold. The chill from the night had finally found its way in, with the sun their only saviour from it, but she doesn't kick the sheets off just yet.

She remains there a little while longer, head tucked comfortably against his shoulders while she watches him sleep, admiring the way his flattened hair scatters across his face, how his lashes curl, and how he looks so at peace. She notes the way his chest rises and falls with each breath, and she can't help the way she presses a light kiss against his cheek, hoping that it might not stir him awake.

She wishes so much that they didn't have to get up... that she didn't have to disturb this pace they've both finally found. If she had a choice, she would stay here forever, just like this. He had made a promise that he would be here in the morning, and he kept his word, and she fears that if she were to shift this moment in time at all, that it might ripple and fade away tomorrow. She knows that possibility is as real as this is, and she knows that nothing will ever last forever, but if only she could just freeze this single moment for even a little longer, then she would be happy with at least that much.

But there's something else that's doing the freezing instead. A cold wind bustles in through the doors, and Tifa groans sleepily into the pillow at the rude interruption, and it takes her a few moments to finally muster up the courage to pull the sheets back so that she can scurry across the room to close them, a shiver running over her skin as it tries to push inside. Despite that, she lingers for several minutes at the doors, staring out at the still-steaming pools, her memory drifting back to the night before...

How everything had changed between them there...]

Edited 2021-11-22 04:19 (UTC)

[It's rare for Eustace to sleep in, but like Tifa he was having the deepest, most comfortable sleep he's had in a while. He doesn't stir at the kiss, but he will start feeling the loss of warmth while she's lingering at the door. At first he doesn't think much of it, but when he shifts his arm and feels a a certain lack of someone, his eyes snap open and stares at the empty space next to him. Normally this wouldn't be a cause for alarm, but considering their talk and the thoughts he was having before falling asleep, a strange cold sense of panic seizes him, one that overshadows the cold air blowing through the open doors.

It's not... There's no way she could have...

He knows it's completely irrational and he's already trying to reason that Tifa likely had gotten up to use the bathroom or something, but the very idea that she could have suddenly left this world to return to hers continues to tear at him in a surprising way. It seems no matter how "prepared" he thought he was, the sudden sense of loss is still greater than he expects.

It's not until he quickly turns and sees her figure at the doors does he relax—though not before his breath catches in his throat. The sight of her bare, pale body illuminated by the sun's dawn rays, her long, black hair swaying from the gentle wind like a dark veil that does little to hide the dark red marks that stain her skin like petals. The serene, reflective gaze in her eyes as she stares outside, the dark red hues shining in the light to become more vibrant, more alive. He really isn't one to really care about one's physical appearances, but for the first time he's found someone whose curves make his eyes follow every inch and shadow, imprinting into memory as he can only think how beautiful she really is. And it's really not just her outer appearance, but her personality as well, that quiet serenity a sweet shadow over what he knows is someone who is cheerful, energetic, and kindhearted.

Yet even that is covering the sadness, pain, and loneliness that she carries, one that he might understand more than realizes.

Without thinking, he slowly and silently slips out of bed, draping a blanket over his shoulders before he silently walks over to come behind her. Whether she noticed or not he doesn't care—his arms around her, effectively wrapping them both in the blanket as he presses his lips against the back of her neck. Already he captures that sweet scent of hers that somehow drives him crazy, but right now it just makes him feel content.

At peace.]

Not thinking of running off again, are you?

[It's said in a low, slow drawl as he clearly teases her, but there is a bit of strength in his arms that wrap around her waist, as if ensuring she really isn't going anywhere. Perhaps it's because of his earlier "scare," but he really doesn't want to let her go right now.]

[Tifa can distantly hear him climbing out of bed, the sound of him shuffling being what pulls her out of her early morning reverie. Funny, how an image of something so simple can easily provoke memories and pull her back in... but the sound of his footsteps coming behind her keeps her chained to reality, grounding her feet again when his warmth finally drapes over her, pulling her content smile wider as she melts into it. Her hand comes up to comb through his hair, the other holding onto his arms for support. She watches the steam a little longer and considers for a fleeting moment dragging him back outside for an early morning splash. It would be fun...

An amused laugh echoes low from her chest.]

If I said I thought about it...?

[But would he let her go is the question? With how tight he's holding onto her, she isn't sure that she could, even if she wanted to.

Before she closed her eyes the night before, Tifa wondered if this would be something she—they—would come to regret in the morning, but standing here with him now, looking out at the sun as it slowly rises over the peak of the mountains while it washes them in its warmth, all but confirms that this is something more special to her than she'd given it credit for until this very second. This, right here, she will commit to memory, and tuck it away someplace where she'll never forget. Into a place that transcends universes, and the erosion of time.

She realized this morning that she doesn't want to run, and she doesn't want him to let her go, and so Tifa urges him to hold on tighter, hugging his arms around her with a grip strong enough to match his.]

Only place I was going to run was to draw a hot bath. We left the doors open last night.

[Her voice is suggestive and inviting in tone, and she looks at him again with sleepy, imploring eyes as she rests her head back against his shoulder.]

[It's a good thing she's holding onto his arms because they would have certainly moved if she hadn't, her response, teasing as it is, only provoking him. So his lips continue to move and brush against the back of her nape and up her neck as he speaks.]

I would just remind you that you can't escape even if you tried.

[There's a bit of a harsh bite against her ear before he gently kisses it and then finally faces forward, his cheek pressed against the side of her head as he gazes out at the steaming tubs.

...Is it just him or do things look as if they were neatly arranged since the last he saw them last night? Those also look like fresh towels and baskets filled with new soaps and lotions...

...]

But a bath sounds good.

[And since he's not letting her go, there is the heavy implication that he caught her invitation and is full agreement that it's something that should be done together. Something that will be cemented when he finally removes one of his arms...

...To hook behind her knees and pick her up to carry her in his arms, princess style.]

[If they have been, then she hasn't noticed that everything had been cleaned up and rearranged, with their bathing suits hung up to dry on a nearby wooden chair...?

Not that she has much time to react, not with the loving nips and kisses he sprinkles across her cool skin, and then the way he scoops her up into his arms. A gasp falls past Tifa's lips that turns into a small yelp when she's forced to wrap her arms around his neck and dig her face into the crook of it, already feeling the flush that's rising in her cheeks as he carries her to the bathroom.

Somehow, being carried like this makes her feel almost like a princess... a very embarrassed princess, but one nonetheless, and something of a peal of giddy giggles brushes over his neck when she tightens her hold.

And of course, in there is the ever-wide array of soaps, oils, and bubbles that they were offered outside, if not more, laid out neatly across the counter for them to choose from, as well as a basket of red rose petals with a note that says "Sprinkle me :)" tied to the front wickers.

As much as she would like for him to not let go, Tifa pats him on the shoulder to let her down so that she can take a look at what she has to work with, as well as get the water running. There's a fluffy rug spread across the floor, so please be kind and set her feet down on there rather than the cold floor!

And when, or rather if, he does, she'll linger with a smile on him before turning the tap, the water immediately going hot and steaming as it slowly starts to fill the giant clawfoot tub. As for the additions, she doesn't want to go all out, so... some lavender bubbles, a small dollop of the vanilla oil, and the roses that have practically begged her to sprinkle into the water for that romantic touch.

She pauses in her discoveries to look at the same soap that she's pretty sure Eustace used on her the night before, in the springs, and her brows raise at the small fine print near the bottom of the bottle.

Huh.]

Is this... the soap you grabbed last night?

[He can't help but smile and chuckle a little at her reaction, the sound of her gasping yelp cute and her giggling like clear ringing bells in his ear. It only makes him want to hold her tighter and bring her back to bed, but he'll behave and instead kick the door closed gently with his foot before carrying her to the bathroom where the mostly prepared tub awaits them. Whether it was already like that last night or made this morning before they woke up no one can say.

And he will be kind to let her down on the rug to let her set everything up to her liking while he gets the towels and robes to have them closer for when they're finished. Once finished, he rejoins her at her side right as she holds up the bottle.

Hm...]

I think so. Why?

[To be honest he just kind of grabbed one and just read the label to make sure it was soap or body wash and then used it, his mind not exactly that focused on the bottle and more on who he was going to use it on.]

[Tifa just lets him read the small print for himself, her own eyes going wide with the realization the moment that it dawns on her. This isn't just any soap—something about enhancing the senses for a more thrilling experience...? That would absolutely explain everything, and although she had only briefly questioned it at the time, she thought nothing more of it, simply being content to blame the atmosphere and how the hot water worked to completely relax her. It never occurred to her that it could have been something in the soap...

Seconds later, after reading that text a few more times over, Tifa slaps it back on the counter so fast that it topples over.]

Maybe not that one right now...

[She pretends she isn't turning completely red in the face as she turns back to the tub to shut the tap off before it can fill to the brim with water. And, grabbing him by the hand, she gives him a gentle tug for him to follow her in—as if he needs to be told at all—and she'll wait for him to lower first before she does so that she can settle in with her back facing him, her hair cascading like ink, and she can already feel her muscles starting to relax.]

... So. [She says eventually, pouring some of the water over shoulders, a glint in her eye as she looks over them at Eustace.] Did you sleep well?

[Reading the fine print....... Ah. Yep, yeah that would explain quite a bit... In a way it can't be too surprising given everything, but to think he didn't see the fine print... Well, as a bit awkward of a revelation as it is, he can't really complain given the end result.

Though really, after everything is she going to be so embarrassed? There's a small look of amusement before she tugs him to the tub, and he really needs no further prompting to step in and sink into it, moving all the way to the back to allow them as much room as possible. Though the tub is already more than sizable to accommodate them both.

When Tifa joins him, his arms automatically go to her waist to pull her back against him, a wry grin forming.]

You would have been in trouble if I didn't. But yes, I did. You?

[And fine not the "sensually stimulating soap." This time he will look carefully at the bottles and find one that at least doesn't mention anything extra on it and seems to be exactly as the label says: lavender lily scented body wash. Should be good for relaxing, right?]

[She relaxes against him, a content hum in response.]

Mm-hm. Pretty sure I fell asleep before you finished saying goodnight.

[Had they finished talking? Those last few waking moments are a bit of a blur—her mind had gone fuzzy, and she immediately fell into her dreams. What of? She can probably make a few guesses, but she had practically lost all consciousness the moment she shut her eyes.

But now that she's more awake, she can recall the things they'd said then, right before she let sleep overtake her, and even long before that, before they fell to the mercy of one another. Things she wants to ask about, and say to him.

And now that they're here...

Gently stealing the bottle of soap from his grasp, she pops it open, takes his hand, and spreads some of it over his palm. Her fingers massage the soap between his, her implications all too clear as she sits up and pulls her hair up, draping it forward over her shoulder for him, the look she casts back the same as the one she gave last night, although a touch softer this time.]

... I was thinking about some of the things you said last night.

[Woman, he's starting to think about a lot of things that are probably not even close to what she's thinking. And he's actually trying and intending for this time to be nice and relaxing for them both, but she is making it damn difficult for him. So there's a glimmer of dark heat in his eyes as he first locks eyes with hers before his gaze flicks down to her exposed nape and shoulders, down her back until the water obscures the view.

As his hands run over smooth skin—first from her shoulders, down her arms, and return to her back—he leans forward so that his mouth presses against the side of her neck near her ear, trying to restrain himself while also teasing her a little.]

I said a lot of things... You'll have to be a little more specific.

[She knows exactly what she's doing, and she's savouring every moment of it, and the way the goosebumps rise as she tosses her head to the side, giving his lips more skin to work with. But forward, her gaze casts down, watching as the soap slides down her arms and into the water, the playfulness of her smile relaxing.

He did say a lot of things, and Tifa remembers each and every word of it, but there was something that had stuck with her, even as she dozed off, and remained there when she woke up. She had smaller pieces of his past that she'd held onto, but nothing quite like what he'd said, and she wonders—how different would things be if they'd met just a little bit earlier? Would he really have not let her in the same way he has now? Or at all? Would they even be friends?

There's so much that Tifa doesn't know about him, and if they're to do this, maybe it's time to change that. Maybe it's time she found out why, when they first met, he'd still been so closed off. Perhaps there was a reason she was so drawn to that lone wolf at the bar.

The mere thought pulls in her chest, opening up a hole that aches for his presence, even though he's right here with her. The idea of not having him in her life is not one she wants to humour at all. He may leave tomorrow, or even sooner, but him not being there at all is so much worse than that.

The sound of the water echoes when she shifts, stretching across her front to grab one of his hands the moment it comes into reach, so that she can thread her fingers through his, tight.]

You said something about your past. How you wanted peace and solace from it...

[... A beat, and she relaxes her grip.]

You don't have to talk about all of it, but... you can with me, if you want.

Edited 2021-11-24 01:54 (UTC)

[As she relaxes and contemplates what she wants to say, Eustace is focusing more on slowly running his hands over her. He's already had more than his fill since last night, but he's finding that he can't seem to get enough of how the warmth of her skin feels against his fingertips, wanting to trace her figure over and over. He still refrains from doing anything more than just lightly massaging the soap against her, but it would be a lie to say he wasn't tempted at all. The warm water, the light steam, their scents intermingling and catching his own still imprinted on her, it's hard for him to resist kissing her lightly, hands drifting from being "chaste" to a little more suggesting. Down her back, her sides, her hip, to around her stomach and then up towards her chest...

...Until she grabs his hand and starts threading her fingers through his, her grip surprisingly tight. He looks down with half-lidded eyes, chin resting against her shoulder until he hears her words. Drawn out from his previous state of mind, his attention sharpens and he doesn't answer immediately.

When he does, it's just a low, contemplative hum, the once teasing hand now changing so that his arm rests loosely around her waist as he leans back against the tub.]

...I suppose that is something I should tell you about, along with other things about myself.

You don't have to, but...

[She follows him, leaning back into his chest again and settling herself in, getting comfortable as she sinks a little further into the water.]

After you said that, I realized that I don't know a whole lot about you. [Besides that he loves dogs.] And... if we're going to do this, I'd like to. It doesn't have to be that, I know it can be hard sometimes to talk about it... just something. Your favourite foods, what you liked to do as a kid, the kind of place you grew up in...

[Tifa knows well the scars that the past can leave behind, so she won't push him to talk to her about it. One day, she'd like to know, but it didn't need to be today. But those words he'd uttered to her last night was what stuck out to her the most. The fact that he'd suffered so much loss that he had thought closing himself off to others was the right thing to do is very telling, but Tifa isn't one to start making assumptions.]

[She can't see it, but there's a soft smile as he looks down at her.]

I don't mind. If anything it's only fair since it would be unfair to you to not know about the guy you're dating.

[A light, wry grin. "Dating." They've had one fake date, but saying it again like this still sounds weird...yet also gives a strange feeling of warmth stirring in his chest.]

There are some things I might not be able to tell you...but I don't want to keep secrets from you, either. So go ahead—ask whatever you'd like.

[He figures it would be better if she picked a starting point rather than him trying to recount everything. Especially since they are in the tub and there are some topics that might be more...depressing to talk about here right now.]

[Dating.

Not even she could put a name to it yet. How bold of him, but it makes Tifa smile too. She wasn't sure if they would take that step so soon to say that, but it would be silly not to, wouldn't it? They aren't teenagers, and they've both made it quite clear to one another that this isn't just some stupid crush. It makes no sense to keep dancing around it—not after what they've been through.

Tifa is careful with her next words, though. There are some things that she doesn't think would make a great topic right now. Maybe over lunch, or after they've gone back to Camelot and could find somewhere quiet. So, there's a very deliberate silence that follows, with the only sound being the water shifting when she grabs him and wraps his arms tighter around her.]

Let's start with something easy. [Well, hopefully.] What did you do before you got whisked away to a new place?

[Clearly a soldier of some kind, but that's about all she knows.]

[If anyone is going to lead in this relationship and make things clear, it might as well be him. Even if he had been very hesitant, now that it's settled there's no point in ambiguity.

But her question... Where in the world would he even begin... Well no matter how he does this, Tifa is going to have a lot of questions so he's just going to be kind of. A troll a bit and just answer her question as directly as possible.]

Fought against an organization from the moon to prevent from destroying the Sky Realm, my world.

[Yep. That's what he said.]

[Easy is a bit of a stretch there, given his answer.

Tifa arches a brow, turning only slightly to look at him before she nods. It really isn't all that strange, all things considered. Most people have the same reaction when she tells them about Midgar and mako... It's not like she doesn't get it—it was just a bit surprising.

Although what kinds of people live on the moon?]

Military, then?

Something like that. The organization I work for, Society, is more of a secretive group in the sense that while we have a public face our missions are classified and deal with higher threats such as the Primal Beasts, powerful entities that some may consider to have god-like powers, and another organization called the Foe, a group who deliberately incite violence to cause conflict. We do not work for any government and our greater purpose is protecting the safety of the skies...

...Or so it was supposed to be.

[His voice lowers a bit as he thinks of all the recent revelations and conflicts, topics that would be far too complicated to bring up here in full unless Tifa really wanted a giant history lesson.]

[Tifa sits forward again, idly running her hands over her arms and her shoulders, bringing with them the soap and vanilla and lavender scented bubbles over her skin while she listens. So, more like military spies or something is the impression that she's getting from his explanation. Whatever they were, she understands. Sort of like SOLDIER, in some ways. Higher ranked individuals—first class—would deal with the more classified and dangerous missions that threatened Gaia...

And just like SOLDIER, who were supposed to be used to protect the people of the Planet, they weren't without ill intent or failure, either...

She tries to bite back the sharp sigh that escapes her, her brow furrowing uncomfortably at the similarities. Again, it strikes her how he and Cloud aren't so different after all, and it's an unsettling feeling that she wants to shake...

She peers behind her again, and that feeling is immediately eased away when she sees him, and how somber he looks as he finishes his explanation, and she looks forward again. A touchy subject?]

That organization... Foe? Were they the ones who attacked your home?

...

[He's silent for a moment as he recalls what he told her that night about his history, of how his home had been destroyed. He had left out specifics because it's...just a lot, but now he just nods.]

...Yes. They were the group that had splintered from Society and started doing their own things undetected until recently.

And those were the ones you trained to fight against...

[Tifa nods too, and she picks up a rose petal to turn it over between her fingers, thinking back to what he'd told her.

How he had joined that group when he was only nine years old, after his home had been destroyed in some sort of strange societal experiment... It was messed up and reminded her too much of the demise of her own home that the thought once again lodges a breath in her chest.]

You said you were able to get them back for what they did before coming here, I remember. How'd that go?

It was...

[There's a small sound like a bitter laugh as he thinks about everything that led up to it.]

Complicated.

[He leans forward, forehead pressed against the back of her shoulder as his arms wrap around her. He didn't necessarily need that sense of comfort, but this is the first time he's telling someone about that moment, about what he was thinking and feeling at that time.]

The way I figured it out... [His grip tightens for a moment.] I wanted to kill him the moment I put the pieces together.

[She's taken by surprise when she feels his forehead bump against her shoulder, and there's the breath of a gasp when his arms find their place around her, but Tifa can only lean into it, leaning her head to the side of his, her expression muted, yet patient.]

What do you mean, the way you figured it out?

[What happened? What did he do? How did it end? Her question encompasses all of that, and he can answer as much or as little as he's comfortable with, her voice making that clear, and how she threads her fingers through his.]

[He's silent for a few moments before he answers, his position unchanging.]

...Remember how I told you how about the organization I work for... That it had the splintered factions with one going rogue to do their own thing? They were the Foe. The very ones we were fighting against were right under our noses...

Once we figured it out and who the leader was, I was assigned to find and capture him. This was on top of the impending Moon attack... [A small sigh.] Anyway, I managed to track him down and confront him, but it wasn't until he showed me a device they had developed that I realized he was the one who led the operation that led to my home's destruction.

And he didn't realize who I was until then, either.

[She doesn't want him to move.

Tifa swallows past the growing lump in her throat—the one that reminds her, always in the back of her mind, of Avalanche and what they stood for, and the measures they took to get to where they are, and for a fleeting moment, she feels... afraid, and her own grip on his hands tighten while she holds onto him.]

... You didn't know who he was until you found him, did you? That he was the one?

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suggestive themes ahead 👀

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