[He looks at her with some uncertainty and disapproval before he sighs and sits back.]
...All right.
[He knows she wants to take care of him, and perhaps he should take this moment to sort himself out some more. It doesn't make the guilt feel any less, however...]
[With a sheepish smile, Tifa leaves the room and takes her time out in the kitchen. Longer than what she probably would need were she simply grabbing what she needed to clean up the floor because she, too, needs a moment to process everything in the quiet stillness, her own guilt threatening to overcome her completely and force her to withdraw back into her shell.
Except she knows that she shouldn't. She can't. She needs to worry about him, not herself—it wasn't her whose mind was toyed with by something again. If he can't bear his guilt on his own, then she needs to be able to shoulder some of it, too. That's what she does. That's what she's always done.
...
Though, more of his words stick to her like parasites, bleeding into her and making her worry all the more that she might be pushing too hard.
With a sigh, Tifa returns to the room with a small mop, some towels, and a full glass of water for him as promised. There's also a small plate of fresh, assorted fruits from the fridge that she sets down on his bedside table. And unless he says something to her, she's silent as she gets to work cleaning up. It isn't a big mess by any means so it won't take up too much time, but the quiet makes it feel like an eternity longer than it is.]
[After she leaves, Eustace can only cover his eyes and inwardly groan in frustration. How did it come to this... And how can he fix it? He still doesn't have much of an answer by the time Tifa returns, and while he appreciates and thanks her for the fruits and water, he can only take small sips and the ensuing silence is stifling.
Especially when she's trying to clean up his own mess.
In the end he can't sit still, so before she completely finishes—]
[Again, a quiet but gentle command, Tifa pausing to look at him.]
I'm almost done anyway.
[True to her word, she finishes up moments after that, leaving the room once more to set the mop aside for taking care of later. In the morning. After they've both had a proper rest. Around the bed she'll wander quietly, keeping her robe on as she sits on her side, quiet.]
[He's left to sit and watch helplessly, a small sigh escaping him as he runs a barely restrained frustrated hand through his hair. Of course that frustration wasn't towards her, but to himself.
When she returns to the bed not long after, at first he can't quite bring himself to look at her, that guilt twisting and weighing him down. But a part of him realizes from past experience he can't go like this forever, either, that she is very likely feeling guilty and blaming herself for reasons she shouldn't. It's so sad and stupid that this has happened enough times that he can actually recognize the pattern.
And regardless of what he might think and feel, no matter how much he wants to avoid her for her own safety or retreat into that old icy cave...]
...You.
[His voice is quiet but clear as his eyes finally lift to meet hers.]
[She glances back over her shoulder at him when he says it, her heart thumping in her chest with both relief and sadness. Sadness that there isn't much else that she can do for him besides just... being here and offering him reassurances that she knows will take a while to pierce through the guilt that she knows he's feeling, because she feels it, too.
Outwardly, Tifa only huffs with a quiet sigh.]
You have me.
[All of her. Always. Whether he wants it or needs it, or not. He just needs to reach out to her.
But she will meet him partway for him to come when he's ready, patient, as she slides further onto the bed, shifting until she's closer...]
[And he will meet her halfway, reaching for her so that his arms wrap around her waist as his face buries into her hair, her scent immediately calming him like he knew it would. And after a moment...]
[She practically falls right into him, tucking herself in until her back is to his chest and his face in her hair, and her hands slide up to rest over his arms, already drawing soft, soothing circles and lines over them.]
I could say the same for you.
[It's offered with an apologetic laugh.]
It's hard not to... especially when it was my dream.
[Tifa turns her head just enough that she can look at him, their faces close, noses brushing together, but her eyes are wide as they stare up questioningly into his.]
And whatever it was... you think that's what bit you?
[That still doesn't make her feel much better about it, and the way that the starflower petals all around them rustle in that buzzing heat says as much...]
[She closes her eyes, leaning into the kiss and shaking her head to his apology.]
What for, though? Why... that way...?
[With her and Eustace and... it's something so personal to her, and to them, and to have something swoop in to try and take advantage of it. It's one thing for the nightmares to use their feelings against them, but it's taken it to another level.]
[She had said that if he needed it to help ease whatever this feeling is that he has, then she would have done it, but it would be under her terms... not that thing's. Her real feelings. That it made him try to draw them out. Force them out. The thought again has her circling her arms around herself instead, the heat in the room growing a touch more stifling.]
[His arms tighten around her, trying to rein in some of that heat as he once more brushes his lips against the top of her hair. He's still rather upset himself, but now that he knows or at least has a proper suspect in mind, he's starting to calm a little more.
But only a little.
To have once again been taken advantaged of... Ugh.
However, that's not important right now.]
And it was. Truthfully... Before everything changed, I quite liked it.
[Normally this is where he would tease her, but clearly neither are in the mood for that. So instead she'll hear his quiet sincerity.]
[Honestly? If he wanted to tease her, she might have welcomed it... welcomed with open arms any lightness that either of them might bring because that would at least mean that they could get back to a sense of normalcy between them, and that they wouldn't let this affect them for long. But she understands, too.]
Really?
[That doesn't diminish the hopeful ring in her voice, though.]
...For what it's worth, I did, too... [A pause, cheeks flushed.] I know it might be too soon, but I wouldn't mind trying it again another time.
[Fingers carding through his hair, she buries her warm face into it.]
... What do you mean, sensitive?
[Is she going to regret asking? Probably, but he might feel her smile gently against him, happy to be talking about something that isn't the vampring. They can worry about that in the morning, with everything else.]
[Even the flowers that decorate the frame of their bed quiver with her reaction—a slight tremble that finds its way through her spine and it all settles right into her cheeks and ears with a warmth that makes it feel like she might burn under it.
Her fingers clutch at his shoulder a little tighter.]
I guess I just... really liked what you did.
[Emphasis on the 'you' part, because she is sure that had come from Eustace, and not some little creature that was hungry for some nightmares.]
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flamekthunder) wrote2025-04-07 09:12 pm
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...All right.
[He knows she wants to take care of him, and perhaps he should take this moment to sort himself out some more. It doesn't make the guilt feel any less, however...]
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Except she knows that she shouldn't. She can't. She needs to worry about him, not herself—it wasn't her whose mind was toyed with by something again. If he can't bear his guilt on his own, then she needs to be able to shoulder some of it, too. That's what she does. That's what she's always done.
...
Though, more of his words stick to her like parasites, bleeding into her and making her worry all the more that she might be pushing too hard.
With a sigh, Tifa returns to the room with a small mop, some towels, and a full glass of water for him as promised. There's also a small plate of fresh, assorted fruits from the fridge that she sets down on his bedside table. And unless he says something to her, she's silent as she gets to work cleaning up. It isn't a big mess by any means so it won't take up too much time, but the quiet makes it feel like an eternity longer than it is.]
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Especially when she's trying to clean up his own mess.
In the end he can't sit still, so before she completely finishes—]
Tifa, let me help...
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[Again, a quiet but gentle command, Tifa pausing to look at him.]
I'm almost done anyway.
[True to her word, she finishes up moments after that, leaving the room once more to set the mop aside for taking care of later. In the morning. After they've both had a proper rest. Around the bed she'll wander quietly, keeping her robe on as she sits on her side, quiet.]
There anything else you need?
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When she returns to the bed not long after, at first he can't quite bring himself to look at her, that guilt twisting and weighing him down. But a part of him realizes from past experience he can't go like this forever, either, that she is very likely feeling guilty and blaming herself for reasons she shouldn't. It's so sad and stupid that this has happened enough times that he can actually recognize the pattern.
And regardless of what he might think and feel, no matter how much he wants to avoid her for her own safety or retreat into that old icy cave...]
...You.
[His voice is quiet but clear as his eyes finally lift to meet hers.]
I just need you.
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Outwardly, Tifa only huffs with a quiet sigh.]
You have me.
[All of her. Always. Whether he wants it or needs it, or not. He just needs to reach out to her.
But she will meet him partway for him to come when he's ready, patient, as she slides further onto the bed, shifting until she's closer...]
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...Don't blame yourself.
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I could say the same for you.
[It's offered with an apologetic laugh.]
It's hard not to... especially when it was my dream.
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[It's then that his brain finally clicks and he stills.]
...Something entered...
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[Tifa turns her head just enough that she can look at him, their faces close, noses brushing together, but her eyes are wide as they stare up questioningly into his.]
And whatever it was... you think that's what bit you?
[That still doesn't make her feel much better about it, and the way that the starflower petals all around them rustle in that buzzing heat says as much...]
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That vampring.
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Tifa moves, shifting in his arms so that she can face him now, still tucked against him, only sideways now.]
A vampring?
[A pause, as the realization finally sets in, and her own expression suddenly darkens with a quiet fury.]
You mean that thing that tried to attack us at the carnival?
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[His gaze is only darkens further as he clicks his tongue.]
I've heard about them, but to think it would actually chase after us this far... Should have killed it when I had the chance.
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To think that after it didn't succeed in biting her that it would follow them all the way back and enter her very personal, very intimate dream?]
I feel so... [A heavy pause, because what word even exists to explain how she feels right now?] ... Violated.
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If I could hunt it down I would...
[And then he presses his lips against the top of her head.]
I sorry.
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What for, though? Why... that way...?
[With her and Eustace and... it's something so personal to her, and to them, and to have something swoop in to try and take advantage of it. It's one thing for the nightmares to use their feelings against them, but it's taken it to another level.]
It's not like I even have a lot of it...
[Right?]
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[Which is...... Discomforting for him to know from what he was able to... Draw from her......]
Which is probably why it aimed for me.
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All I wanted was to have a bit of... fun...
[God, this is so embarrassing now.]
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But only a little.
To have once again been taken advantaged of... Ugh.
However, that's not important right now.]
And it was. Truthfully... Before everything changed, I quite liked it.
[Normally this is where he would tease her, but clearly neither are in the mood for that. So instead she'll hear his quiet sincerity.]
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Really?
[That doesn't diminish the hopeful ring in her voice, though.]
...For what it's worth, I did, too... [A pause, cheeks flushed.] I know it might be too soon, but I wouldn't mind trying it again another time.
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Mm... I could tell.
[Now there's a little bit more tease in his voice as he softly nuzzles her.]
You seemed more... Sensitive.
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... What do you mean, sensitive?
[Is she going to regret asking? Probably, but he might feel her smile gently against him, happy to be talking about something that isn't the vampring. They can worry about that in the morning, with everything else.]
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You came quickly.
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[Even the flowers that decorate the frame of their bed quiver with her reaction—a slight tremble that finds its way through her spine and it all settles right into her cheeks and ears with a warmth that makes it feel like she might burn under it.
Her fingers clutch at his shoulder a little tighter.]
I guess I just... really liked what you did.
[Emphasis on the 'you' part, because she is sure that had come from Eustace, and not some little creature that was hungry for some nightmares.]
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Want me to do it again later?
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🎀 fin.