{ songerein: inbox }

[flamekthunder]

Comments

[starshower]

No, I don't think it's that...

[For one, she doesn't want him to think that it was his fault that this happened at all. And second...]

I think it was the dreamscape, too. It's like... when I touched those mirrors, it shocked the dreamotion out of me?

[flamekthunder]

[That gets him to look at her.]

What do you mean?

[starshower]

I mean...

[She pauses, focuses on the dreamotion a little, her brow furrowing.]

When I touched those shards, it felt like more and more was being drained out of me. Like whatever was touching me back was burning it away. [She gives a little shake of her head and averts her eyes.] Or maybe it was just all in my head. Me, letting fear get the better of me again.

... I'm not as experienced as you are, so I didn't know what to do with it.

[flamekthunder]

[...Hm...]

I think I've heard something similar happening to others... And too much dreamotion used on the shards seemed to cause a negative reaction.

But your emotional state could also affect things.

[starshower]

I wish it didn't...

[She sighs quietly to herself, the warmth receding a bit... only so that she can look at him for a moment, the silence lingering heavy in the room as she searches his face...

...

...before she utters words she never thought she would, but she'd been thinking about it since he'd fallen asleep beside her.]

Wish I could be more like you instead. ... If you could teach me...

[flamekthunder]

[...?]

More like me...

[.............

His eyes narrows slightly.]

You mean being able to use nightmare energy?

[starshower]

[She sees that shift in his gaze, and she stiffens under it, her dreamotion flickering a little as she gives a small, quiet, answer.]

Yeah. Maybe I could've been able to help more...

[flamekthunder]

[He still doesn't look too happy about it.

...But.]

Given the circumstances... And how much more prevalent it seems to be lately... It may not be such a bad idea.

[He looks at her more concerned now.]

I just don't want you to have to deal with such a thing. After all... The only reason one would even have to control it is if they've accumulated enough to begin with...

[Which means... She'd need more nightmares.]

[starshower]

[Tifa understands what he means... it had been a pretty crazy proposition to begin with, she knows... but just because she doesn't have any doesn't mean that there's a lack of it between them, and if he's the one teaching her...]

What about... yours?

[Is that even possible? She has no idea, but if they could share the starflowers, then surely that means that they could share everything else, too?]

[flamekthunder]

What do you mean?

[starshower]

[Her shoulders stiffen and relax, a sigh tumbling out of her.]

... I mean what about your nightmares? Me using them, since I don't have any of my own.

[That she knows of, of course.]

[flamekthunder]

[.....Huh. He looks thoughtful at that.]

Is that even possible? That would mean you'd have to take in my nightmare energy... I feel that would be more difficult than if you first used your own.

[starshower]

I don't know if I even have any.

[She pulls her hand away, the warmth she offers him disappearing for a moment as she looks at it, and her fingertips, still slightly purple from what she had experienced.]

I'd trust yours more, to be honest... but how would I even know?

[flamekthunder]

[...Hm.]

But then that would mean infecting you with my own...

[His eyes narrow and he shakes his head.]

I can't. Not like that.

[starshower]

[Her arms finally wrap around his shoulders, and she slips a little closer, her hips molding to his as she brings her eyes to connect with his gaze.]

You wouldn't be infecting me with anything.

[Her voice is soft, quiet, reassuring.]

It's part of you, Eustace. It should be part of me, too. And I'd rather that than... something different.

[flamekthunder]

But we don't know that, Tifa.

[Another falter.]

Especially now... I don't know if it's the same.

[starshower]

But it's yours.

[Her arms squeeze around his shoulders, pulling him closer.]

That's all I need to know.

[She doesn't even want to think about trying to take on some from elsewhere, or from someone else. It's his that she trusts, his that even tried to save her life, even if things had gone incredibly south. And that's why she's sure—]

... I know you wouldn't hurt me.

[flamekthunder]

...But I still don't know if you can even use it. We can't even use each other's dreamotion like that.

Even if you could, what will you do if I'm not around?

[starshower]

[That's what she had been afraid of. Or maybe she knew that all along, and her expression sags a bit, that confidence wavering.]

At least then I'd know how to use it.

[Her fingers fidget behind his neck, the cold tips gently gliding over her ring.]

How do I know if I have any, then?

[flamekthunder]

Everyone does, whether in small amounts or large.

[He looks at her carefully.]

But I could try to find out.

[starshower]

[She looks up at him, her eyes widening slightly in question.]

How?

[It's not that she doubts him or doesn't trust him, but she's never felt it before. Never had this terrifying feeling that something else was lingering within her. Not like some of the others who have experienced it.]

[flamekthunder]

...I'm not sure. But I think...

[He weighs his words for a moment before continuing.]

I think if I were in one of your dreams I could feel traces. Especially if it's a bad one.

[starshower]

In my dreams?

[She pulls one of her hands back to hold it between them, and now she looks incredibly unsure. Would she have to force a nightmare?]

... Not outside?

[flamekthunder]

It would be easier within. Unless you want to go to Orkili and be tested there.

[They seem to have more sensitive equipment so they might be able to pick it up easier and faster than anything available in Reverein right now.]

[starshower]

[She gives a small shake of her head and draws closer, bringing her lips to his jaw with a light, almost needy kiss.]

... No. I want to do it with you.

[Just him. Where she feels safest. And if they are to do it within her dreams, then she would rather keep her closest-guarded secrets between them.]

But not right now.