flamekthunder | { songerein: inbox }

[A quirk of his brow as he continue to slowly sip his drink, eying her for a moment as he draws it out before he finally lowers the glass, the ice clinking softly as it rests on the counter.]

Why?

[He crosses his arms over the counter as his eyes remain on hers.]

Think there's another reason? Or... [A grin as he leans in a little to close more of that distance.] Are you hoping for one?

[She maintains eye contact even through her blushing when he leans in... except for when they flit down to stare briefly at his lips, and the urge to kiss him only grows.]

I don't know...

[Tifa bats her lashes.]

Nothing you heard about the bartender?

Hmmm....

[A low, long drawn out hum as he leans back, hand raising to lean his chin against as he stares at her, head canted at a slight angle.]

Word has it that she's a young, beautiful, talented woman who has attracted a number of admirers. Yet she rebuffs all of them...and not hesitant to use force if necessary. She may have a gentle, friendly disposition, but her fists are not to be taken lightly.

[She is a little disappointed when he moves away from her, and his ears might pick up the little noise she makes in the back of her throat, but she follows suit, straightening up so that she can bounce on the balls of her feet and tap her fingers against the counter.]

And...? Does she live up to the rumours?

[The colour in her cheeks darkens, and her hands slide across the bar a little closer to him.]

[He does, but that only makes him drag this out further.]

...Maybe.

[Smile.]

It's hard to say as I haven't really been here for long to really judge.

[Tifa's eyes narrow subtly at him, and she looks like she's trying to bite back the spread of her smile.]

Really? True, you haven't been here long, but I think I already know plenty about you.

[And because she knows he's going to ask and draw this out even more, she goes on to explain before he can say a word.]

You waited until it was late because you like the quiet, and don't like crowded places. Your choice of drink tells me that you're... mature. Maybe a soldier of some kind? [She starts to lean over the counter again, inching her hands closer, closer.] You're not into elaborate things... You like them simple. Clean. But... you won't turn down a bit of a treat every now and then.

[A pause, and she finally meets his gaze with round, doe eyes.]

Am I on the right track?

[....Hoh. So she's going for that, is she? A light quirk of his lips as he listens, his expression otherwise not changing even when she leans in, her hands clearly trying to reach his or even when she gives him those big doe eyes of hers.]

Hm...

[Another low hum...as he subtly pulls his hands back to cross his arms over his chest and lean back. Yes he's doing this on purpose—]

You are...but now it makes me curious. You seem rather interested in me.

[She gives him a look when he moves his hands away. They had been so close...

But she can hardly suppress her giggle, and this time, she doesn't pull back but remains where she is over the counter.]

You seem like an interesting guy. Not every day I get someone coming all the way here for a drink when there are plenty of other good places around.

[Not to mention—and they had talked about it already, hadn't they?—if they had met in her bar, he might have been someone she took an interest in anyway. Or perhaps that's her very obvious bias speaking for her.]

A person's choice in drink says a lot about them, you know.

However I can't be the first to have come in after hours to get a drink, with or without ulterior motives.

You assume I let anyone else inside my bar after hours. With or without ulterior motives.

[She was pretty strict about her closing time, after all. She would let people finish up what they had, at least, but anyone new would have to wait until she opened up shop the next day.

So...

She rolls her shoulders in a small shrug.]

Guess I really am interested. But... you admit to having ulterior motives, then?

No.

[A grin as he lifts his glass.]

I just wanted a drink. That's all.

[Of course there's a little gleam in his eye, silently laughing as he continues to tease her.]

Disappointed?

A little.

[She pouts only for a wink.]

But if my drinks really are that good that you'd rather come all the way here, then... guess I have nothing to worry about.

[Tifa begins to turn, but lets her gaze linger on his for a second longer before her back is to him, and she very obviously sways her hips as she wanders away from the counter. She gives a wave of her hand as she pretends to clean up the glasses and bottles.]

You can leave the glass there after you finish up.

[He sees her swaying this hips. Trying to provoke him, eh? He'll just eye her, glass slowly reaching his lips as he continues to nurse his drink.]

I won't take much longer.

[And he'll still only remain where he is, otherwise unchanging as he continues exactly as he says and just sits there and drink. He can hold out. Let's see how long it takes Tifa.]

[She bites down on her lip, and her shoulders shake ever so slightly with the smallest laugh. He really is saying to her that two can tango without really saying it, isn't he? Well, alright.

Tifa hums along to the jazzy music from the jukebox as she wipes down the back counter and readjusts the already very tidy bottles. Then, with a single coy glance at him, she comes out from behind the counter and gets to work wiping down the rest of the tables that look like they have already been cleaned... and she sets what's left of the chairs up over them.

All while he nurses his drink in that obvious way he's doing.

But when she's finished and he still hasn't broken—and boy, is she efficient at cleaning—she stares at the back of his head. How badly she wants to hold him right now... It's only been, what, less than twenty minutes since they walked into the dream, and already, it feels too long in his presence to not be near him.

Her boots beat against the wooden floors as she crosses to the jukebox. There's a click, a whirr, and the song switches to something a little softer and slower.

He probably can hear her coming before she even reaches him, but moments later, her arms slip around him and she bumps her head against the back of his shoulder.]

Alright, you win.

[Although he is having fun teasing her, he is actually enjoying the quiet atmosphere they have here. He's been to many different bars and taverns, some rowdy, some upscale, and everything inbetween. Always he would find either a quiet table in the corner or somewhere at the counter, usually keeping to himself. Only in more recent times did he start having drinks with company, usually Vaseraga and sometimes the girls. Now there is Isaac and Cassius... Somehow his usual party of one had grown.

And yet while having such company hadn't been bad, he does still prefer having time to himself. So as he drinks and listens to Tifa move around, he reminisces a bit, takes a moment to sink back into that peace and quiet. Yet even now he isn't alone, his eyes drifting to Tifa whenever she comes into his periphery. And it's perhaps her company that makes this all the more enjoyable and relaxing.

It makes him wonder briefly what if they had met in her world or her in his. Obviously it was easier to flirt and converse with her now given their relationship. But if they had been complete strangers... Would he have spoken as much? Shared anything? Would it have been similar as their first meeting in Camelot, where he had been ready to just leave and never see her again...?

Slowly he swirls his almost finished glass, the ice a tiny lump with just a small puddle of dark amber remaining. It's while he's lost in thought that he catches the change in music late, noticing her approach only right before her arms reach around him. A smile breaks out as he holds back a chuckle.]

Is this another special service for people who interest you?

[And yet he still teases her!]

[Even when she breaks and offers him the win on a silver platter, he feels the need to tease her!?

She nudges herself gently against his back with a laugh, but she lifts her lips just far enough that she can brush her voice over his ears.]

No. This one I made special for you.

[And then she drops her head against his shoulder again as she slowly slides her arms back, as if she means to pull away from him.]

You don't want it? Could always take it back.

Hmm...

[He tilts his head back slightly.]

It's tempting.

[And then he reaches back to grab her hand and half turns his body to face her, pulling her to him.]

What comes with it?

[As she rests her weight on him, she hums as if lost in thought.]

Mmm, how does a dance with the best bartender this side of Midgar sound?

[He was the one who said it, not her!]

Maybe a kiss at the end, if he's lucky...

A dance...and maybe a kiss?

[A knowing smile forms. So that was what she was after.]

We've only just met...how do you know I'm not already spoken for?

[He is really. REALLY making this difficult for her.]

[HE IS... And Tifa gives him A Look before she continues to go along with it, but she's not letting go... regardless of whether he's "spoken for" or not.]

You don't seem the type to walk into a bar all alone and talk to the bartender like this if you were.

[Her fingers start to creep up his front and they adjust the collar of his jacket.]

You seem the loyal type.

[He sees that look and only smiles cheekily in return.]

You're quite determined.

But you're right. [His hand still holding onto hers, fingertips slide over hers as he leans in a little closer, brushing over ring.] There's only one woman I'm devoted to.

[She smiles wide when she feels his fingers lining the ring.]

She's a lucky girl.

[As she feels the need to remind herself once more that she's the luckiest in this dreamworld, and the next.]

But I think... you owed her a dance too, didn't you?

[A light chuckle.]

It seems I did. And she made quite an elaborate show to remind me. But... If she wants me to join her she has to get off me first.

[However, an arm slips around her waist to pull her closer as he leans in close enough for their lips to touch.]

Unless she'd rather do something else...?

[Terrible man.]

[What if she doesn't want to get off him... What if she wants to stay right here until it's time to wake up?

She can feel his words and his breath warm and tickle her lips when he speaks, and tempting as it is to breach the distance and kiss, she still has some self-restraint left. Enough for her to move her eyes away from his lips to meet his eyes.]

Maybe later.

[Her arms slip around the back of his neck now and she leans back only far enough that their faces are no longer touching, using his shoulders as an anchor before she's giving him a gentle tug, and he'll see the deep flush in her cheeks clearly in the warm lighting of the bar.]

If he behaves.

And if he doesn't?

[He's moving back in again but this time he doesn't stop short—with both arms now around her, one slides lower down her back to her hips, and his mouth moves to the underside of her jaw, brushing and taking in some of her skin as he playfully nips her.

He couldn't resist. Her attempts to pull back and her flushed face only drew him in more. Of course he does intend to live up to his promise and give her the dance she wants, but it really is hard for him to not tease her a bit first.]

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