[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.]
[Her arms slip around him, knees bending to hook over his so that she's more settled into his lap now.]
Mm. I'd like that...
[She's doing her best to be more open about what it is she wants, but even that is hard... harder now that the one time that she tried to be, it came back around and bit her. Literally. But she knows that he won't judge her... that she's safe behind their bedroom door.]
Maybe we can try something different next time.
[She has a whole plethora of books in her nightstand.......]
There is the wolfish husband that she knows so well and loves so much. The one that still finds ways to make her cheeks flush and her heart flutter after all this time together.
She knows that they have had a rough go tonight, but it does make her feel better, lighter, and less afraid now that they can find something else to smile about.]
Hm? Don't tell me you're going to start reading them.
[Please don't.]
There is another one that I was reading not that long ago... It was about a mysterious masked man who haunts an opera house. And he whisks the soprano girl away...
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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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... Only if you're up for it. I don't want you pushing yourself after that.
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That's why I say later... Wouldn't want to lose control and lust for something else again.
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Mm. I'd like that...
[She's doing her best to be more open about what it is she wants, but even that is hard... harder now that the one time that she tried to be, it came back around and bit her. Literally. But she knows that he won't judge her... that she's safe behind their bedroom door.]
Maybe we can try something different next time.
[She has a whole plethora of books in her nightstand.......]
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Different, hm...?
[And his eyes are going to said nightstand where he knows where her stash is.]
Guess I should start doing some "research."
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There is the wolfish husband that she knows so well and loves so much. The one that still finds ways to make her cheeks flush and her heart flutter after all this time together.
She knows that they have had a rough go tonight, but it does make her feel better, lighter, and less afraid now that they can find something else to smile about.]
Hm? Don't tell me you're going to start reading them.
[Please don't.]
There is another one that I was reading not that long ago... It was about a mysterious masked man who haunts an opera house. And he whisks the soprano girl away...
[hmmmmmmm]
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🎀 fin.