[He had just been lying against her content, savoring their warmth and her scent. But he can't help but laugh as he opens one eye and answers in a low drawl.]
You always ask that. Feels like I should be one the one asking instead.
[However, he knows from the sound of her voice she might be asking about something else. Something that's more in relation to this cage and darkness that surrounds them.]
Just like he wants to take care of her, she wants to do the same for him, and this time... this time, Tifa knows that she had been a little different. She knows that she had played a part in all of this—all the things that surround them, and as content as he looks and sounds now, she wants to make sure that there were no other lingering thoughts about it. No doubts or worries or fears.
Her head falls back against his chest, but she's still looking at him and watching his expression carefully.]
[She lightly, playfully swats at his hands with a laugh when it tickles but makes no effort to stop him if he chooses to go a little further, and even kisses him again.]
How many lessons would that make it then?
[More than every other time, to be sure, but even they need a rest once in a while.]
[He'll stop at the light swatting—if only because there is serious question whether he would actually stop and not just go ahead and give her that "refresher."
But he now rolls onto his side, the roaming arm now draping over her hip as he gazes into her eyes, studying her.]
[He's always been able to read her so easily, so it's no surprise when he turns himself over and looks at her with that same observant stare reflected back. As much as she wishes she could say that they had been able to wipe it clean of everything, it's true that there is still plenty on her mind.
She presses her lips together in silent thought for a moment, wondering where to start.]
I thought I'd be scared of all this... Of all my feelings... [she finally begins, her gaze moving momentarily to the walls that have formed around them.] But I'm not. Not anymore, at least.
[He reaches up to lightly brush away her bangs, the back of his nails lightly grazing against her skin as his expression softens for a moment before he lets out a small breath.]
I know how you feel.
[His eyes momentarily rove up to the ivy cage around them, the dark flowers beautiful, but haunting and ominous.]
Before... When I first noticed my own feelings, I felt ashamed because we hadn't decided on anything yet. It took me a while to realize and accept them, and even then I was afraid you would be afraid if you knew.
[And then a light smirk as his thumb moves down, swiping against the lightly bruised and swollen lips that still look so red and tempting even now.]
[He draws a sharp breath out of her, her eyes closing and lips parting as his thumb brushes over them, the urge to simply end this conversation and replace his finger with his lips surging like a newly kindled flame... but she knows that this is something she needs to voice. Now that her actions have spoken for her, it's become a little easier to put it all into words.
And now that they've come down from their throes of passion, she can understand him a little better, too.]
I don't want you to be afraid, either.
[She knows that he isn't, but there's still that twinge of fear in the back of Tifa's mind that maybe she had taken it all too far. That he had seen a side of her that he hadn't expected or wanted to see. But she also knows that it's irrational. If he hadn't wanted that, he wouldn't be here.
It's her turn to let out another, gentler breath to shake off the thought.]
I just... I want to be with you. [The vines begin to slowly inch again, a little higher as her arms snake around him so that she can hide against his body, her face burying into his chest.] When you said those things about how you chose me, I realized... I want that.
[His arms automatically fold around her as he presses his face against the top of her head, inhaling her scent.]
You accepted all of me. I will always accept—want—every part of you. I won't allow anyone else to come close...and the same is true about me to you. Whatever part you want it's yours.
[But there's more to it than that he knows, and...it's not as if he never thought about it. If anything it was one of the first things he had to consider as he never stops looking at things partway. The moment he considered this relationship with Tifa, the end goal was one of the important factors.
So in a quieter tone, he lightly strokes her back.]
...Do you want to get married?
[And true to form he's just going to get right to it.]
[She smiles when she hears it. Long, long ago, before he even knew her name here, before they even arrived in Reverein, Tifa had vowed to accept him—all of him. She had been so afraid of the feelings that had recently surfaced because she didn't know what to do with them, but most of all, she was scared that they would frighten him away.
But then he says something else—something that echoes the very thought that's been passing through her mind since she had woken up from that dream, or perhaps even before, and it wrenches Tifa back down to the present—to here and now as she lays there in his arms.
...?
She pulls back far enough to look at him, her eyes wide with confusion and surprise, and she isn't even sure if she heard it right.]
Do I want to...? Eustace...?
[Did he really just ask what she thinks he asked?]
[He knew she would react that way so he's not surprised when she pulls away and questions him. However, his expression remains calm as he gazes at her with a light smile.]
Not right now.
[Clear that up first. And then his expression becomes serious again.]
But is that something you'd want in the future? Between us?
[She isn't sure if she's relieved or disappointed by that, but she does a good job at hiding it behind the onslaught of other emotions she's feeling right now.
There's a stretch of silence that follows—not because she doesn't have an answer, but because she isn't sure how to. It hadn't been something they've ever talked about before, but she'd be lying if she said she hadn't thought about it during all the times they spoke about forever...
And to top it all off, she had dreamt of a wedding... Not to her, but that had to be a sign as well, and there was no getting around it.
Tears start to burn in the corners of her eyes, and she sighs out a breath, sharp and airy, and her hand moves up his arm to grip him by the shoulder, and she squeezes.]
Yes... [Her answer comes quietly but firmly, with no room left for any doubt or hesitation.] I do...
[She knows that this isn't a proposal and that there is still so much to think about and talk about before they can take any steps forward, but...]
[In truth, he probably would just want to go ahead and make it official. After all, with what's happened so far and how they clearly are now, there's no real good reason to wait. Of course if things were normal and in either of their respective worlds, then waiting a while would be sensible. But here, when there is that ever looming question of whether they'll wake up and see each other, there is a different sense of urgency. One that's enough to carry reason and sensibility into the wind.
But even so, this is something they need to talk about if they want to have some semblance of responsibility. So he gently smiles, brushing the corner of her eye before pulling in to lightly press his lips against them. He had heard her say those words once before...and hearing them now makes his heart tremble so strongly that it really is difficult to not just say, "Let's do it now." She can see it in his eyes, that deep desire of taking that final step to completely bind themselves together. But he holds it back.]
And I won't let you wait for that long.
[Can he even wait a month after knowing her answer? A week? A day? A minute? Hell they probably already act like it already so at this point it would just be official formalities. Something definitive.]
But...there are things we should discuss so we can be on the same page on expectations and wants from each other.
...For example, ideally the Story Eater is taken care of first but it's an unknown variable.
[If he had said it now, today, in a week, she would say yes in a heartbeat. If this were his proposal to her, she would say yes. But if he had asked her instead to wait, Tifa would wait forever and a hundred days for him if it meant that at the end of that road, they could be together. It was in that dreamscape, as Romeo and Juliet, as they sang together on that terrace that she had decided that.
On the other hand, however, she knows too well—better than most, she thinks—how fickle this place is. One second, he could be here and the next, gone. Or next time, it could be her.
The way she sees it, there are more things pushing them forward than there are holding them back, but it's those few small things keeping them from taking that leap that they should consider, no matter how badly she wants to say screw it all...
Her own eyes search his face, mirroring the same look in his. That desire to throw all caution to the wind. It's all technicalities at this point, but as they exchange the same fervent, unfettered yearning, there is not a shred of doubt in Tifa's mind that she wants to marry him. That she wants to make that final vow to him that she and Eustace belong to one another...
When he speaks, she closes her eyes, tears streaking her cheeks. She isn't sure if they're made up of relief, joy, or sadness, or perhaps a combination of all three, but her heart is soaring so high right now that she has troubles focusing on his words at first, so her answer comes slowly, breathlessly, as she flutters her eyes open.]
No, I get it... [While she doesn't know much about the Story Eater, she knows enough to understand that it's a very real threat.] Feels like things are starting to settle down, but it's... still a little crazy around here sometimes.
[Less so in terms of them compared to before, but more everything else.]
[There's that prick of pain when he sees those tears flow freely and he quickly tries to catch them with either his fingertips or his lips, wanting to comfort her. Sensing how much she wants this as much as him only makes that ache stronger and again he considers just tossing reason and sensibility out the window.]
Last thing I want is a world threat crashing our wedding.
[A small, light attempt at a joke, though that really is something of a threat. But most of all, he wants to ensure they have a life of peace and quiet. Sure there's the world's nightmares to contend with, but that's like dealing with natural disasters. That's just a part of this world they can't change and for the most part hasn't been trying to corrupt other worlds so it's a more manageable worry.]
...But as tempting as it is... [Tempting to ask her right here, right now.] I only want the best for you. So while I can't give you a proper proposal now...
[He pulls back enough so he can once again stare deeply into her eyes.]
I promise you will have one soon.
[When he feels certain steps have been taken, certain talks have happened. They could even continue right now, but given how Tifa seems to be, maybe it's better to take it slowly. They've already passed the first step, the rest can be discussed in due time.
And while he would rather deal with the Story Eater, as he said it's ideal. At this rate he might become impatient and just do it anyway, but—not right this moment. He wants to give her the best and that includes the right preparations and timing.]
[Her hand rests on his cheek, her thumb tracing lazy, adoring lines across his skin, and her lips part with a sigh.]
I'll wait.
[Just so that he knows where she stands with that. There's a beat, and she leans forward to press a light kiss to his lips, and he'll be able to feel her smile behind it.]
You're worth it. You're worth the wait.
[But there's something else that ghosts across her expression—it's hard to see, difficult to catch because it's so fleeting. Sadness? Fear? But she recalls both times that Eustace had left and wonders... is that something they need to worry about, too?]
She really shouldn't. She doesn't want to push the issue any more than she already has, what with the dream and all, but... maybe it is important that he knows how she feels about it. That it's something that will always be on her mind, even after they say their vows.]
I... [Tifa hesitates for a moment, but she steels herself with a sharp breath, and continues.] I'm still scared... about what might happen to us. Tomorrow, or the next day. Next week...
[She dips her head, burying a kiss on his shoulder.]
[He takes in a long breath as his arms wrap tightly around her.]
I have the same fear. Sometimes when I wake up and you're not there, I panic a little before I hear your movements in the other room. But for you... I know you've hurt most.
[Sometimes he wonders if the wounds he left on her heart may be greater than the scars on her chest.]
But we can't live in this fear all the time and let it force us into making quick decisions.
[She repeats his words. She had been the one to say that a long time ago—that they couldn't live in fear of what might happen next, when he had started having doubts about their future together. And now here he is, echoing the sentiments back at her, and she can't help the little laugh that rides out of her on a breath.
Her hand finds his, and she threads her fingers through them, shifting so that she can watch as they weave together so easily, as if his hands were shaped only to fit hers.]
I know that we can't... But I also don't want to lose the chance. I know I said I'd wait forever, and I will, but... Until then, I don't think I can help but worry.
[Her smile turns sheepish and crooked.]
I know we'll make the best of it anyway. We always do.
[His grin provokes a peal of small, giddy laughs out of her, and she finally relaxes a little more, stretching out a little so that she can slip her legs through his.]
So, what you're saying is...
[Tifa bites down on her lip, but her smile spreads regardless.]
That we're already basically married...
[She already knew this, but hearing him say it and talk about them like this is making her heart flutter.]
[Hearing her voice it also sends a strange flutter of heat through his chest and just quietly hums in agreement.]
...Mm.
[And he looks at her. Looks into her deep red eyes and sees his reflection them. But not just his reflection—a reflection of a life, a future he never would have dreamed of right now. A future...he really wanted. He really never would have imagined he would fall so fast and hard towards someone, but it happened.
And he doesn't regret it.
Maybe he's being a little uncharacteristically reckless and wishful, but is it really so wrong to go ahead and decide the one he wants to settle down with? To have...some kind of family with? To enjoy the time they have when it could be years, months, weeks, days? He's certain if anyone from back home saw him now they would wonder what the hell happened to him and if he hadn't been replaced with someone else. And he honestly wouldn't blame them as he sometimes wonders that as well. But isn't that just a testament of his own growth and change?
And she helped it along. Helped give him that peace and quiet, helped pour in that light and love back into his heart. So many people helped open the doors, but it ws Tifa who filled in that missing piece.
Slowly his palm cups her cheek, gently caressing her as he first kisses her sweetly before deepening it further.
Marriage... The idea would have been a joke to him before, but now...]
...Tifa... [His voice is a soft, low murmur as his lips brush against hers, tongue lightly tasting her lower lip before he smirks a bit.] ...Should I start calling you my wife? [Teeth tug at her lips as he presses closer to her.] Or would you prefer my "mate"?
[A strange wave of emotions ripple through him as he voices the word—the idea aloud. As if giving it more and more of a body, of making it all...real and not just a secret fantasy or dream they both have been shying away from. It is still foreign and strange in a sense, yet there is also an exhilaration to it as well.]
[The way that he holds her gaze captive, she can't ever seem to look away. She never wants to, but there's something pooling deep in the blues of his eyes that becomes clearer the longer she stares into them. It's as if she can see her whole future flashing before her through them—a life that she never dreamt of having until she met him, but a life that she yearns for.
It's so much more than just the same peace and quiet that he wants. It's a forever she knows would be filled with happiness and love. Those happily ever afters she read about in books when she put Marlene to bed. The kind girls dream about... That Tifa dreamt about as she looked up to the stars at night.
This is Tifa's very own fairy tale turned reality...
Tifa never quite believed in destiny until she saw it for herself and now, looking back, she has to wonder... did everything they did have a hand in this? It wasn't long after that she was thrust into another universe where she met him, and then straight into the next where they came together a second time. Coincidence is easier to believe when it's only once, but by the second, third, fourth times... it becomes a pattern.
In some strange way, she wonders as he deepens their kiss, if everything they've done, together and apart, has led them right to this very moment.
When he says her name, a deep flush of colour rises in her cheeks, a heat of passion pooling and rekindling inside her all over again, and at first, she just sighs in response—a low, eager, breathless sound of approval. That is, until his words finally register, but she doesn't pull away from him. It only compels her to press closer, that need to breach any space between them overwhelming as she practically wraps herself around him.]
Yes...
[It's all she can manage past her lips with a shudder, and she almost wants to beg him to stop talking as he takes her lip between his teeth. She captures him instead with a fiery kiss, her nerves and her heart set ablaze all over again as she grips the sides of his face to keep him right where she needs him. It's with a smile that she parts for air, but she doesn't go very far.]
Your wife, your mate... [She brushes her lips over his again, this time so feather-light that it aches.] Call me anything... as long as you know I'm yours...
[As his voice lowers into that deep, low husky murmur, he flips her onto her back as he gazes down at her, that familiar impassioned heat flickering in his eyes.]
...But you have to do the same for me.
[And with the way he looks at her, how while one hand still holds onto hers the other has pulled up her leg, it's clear he's going to help her with that. Of course, he's also going to hinder it at first as it's now his turn to capture her mouth, as if continuing that fiery kiss she started. Of course, that's not the only part of her he'll be capturing, unable to hold back the throb and burst of emotion that's become so overwhelming that he needs to release it all.
Over and over again until they're both satisfied—if they can ever be truly satisfied.
It's as if he once again needs to show her the depths of his love, of how far he's truly fallen for her. Sweet, dark whispers filled with promises and vows mixed in with the harried and desperate moans and cries of need of assurance and want. To meet their demands and to let her make hers, let her take as much as she wants for he will give her that much and more. And once again he'll make her aware of how deeply tied they are to each other, that he truly will not ever let her go—just as he knows she will not let go of him.
At this point, it doesn't matter what they call the stage of their relationship. Dating, engaged, married—they're together. Mates for life.
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flamekthunder) wrote2025-04-07 09:12 pm
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You always ask that. Feels like I should be one the one asking instead.
[However, he knows from the sound of her voice she might be asking about something else. Something that's more in relation to this cage and darkness that surrounds them.]
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[Always.
Just like he wants to take care of her, she wants to do the same for him, and this time... this time, Tifa knows that she had been a little different. She knows that she had played a part in all of this—all the things that surround them, and as content as he looks and sounds now, she wants to make sure that there were no other lingering thoughts about it. No doubts or worries or fears.
Her head falls back against his chest, but she's still looking at him and watching his expression carefully.]
I'm fine. ... Better.
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[There's a light tease in his voice as his hands slowly creep up her sides.]
Do I still need to teach you more?
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How many lessons would that make it then?
[More than every other time, to be sure, but even they need a rest once in a while.]
Save some stuff for the refresher course.
[Later? Yes, probably.]
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[He'll stop at the light swatting—if only because there is serious question whether he would actually stop and not just go ahead and give her that "refresher."
But he now rolls onto his side, the roaming arm now draping over her hip as he gazes into her eyes, studying her.]
...There's something still on your mind.
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She presses her lips together in silent thought for a moment, wondering where to start.]
I thought I'd be scared of all this... Of all my feelings... [she finally begins, her gaze moving momentarily to the walls that have formed around them.] But I'm not. Not anymore, at least.
[Thanks to him.]
I think I get what it all means now...
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[He reaches up to lightly brush away her bangs, the back of his nails lightly grazing against her skin as his expression softens for a moment before he lets out a small breath.]
I know how you feel.
[His eyes momentarily rove up to the ivy cage around them, the dark flowers beautiful, but haunting and ominous.]
Before... When I first noticed my own feelings, I felt ashamed because we hadn't decided on anything yet. It took me a while to realize and accept them, and even then I was afraid you would be afraid if you knew.
[And then a light smirk as his thumb moves down, swiping against the lightly bruised and swollen lips that still look so red and tempting even now.]
Didn't take me long to realize it didn't matter.
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And now that they've come down from their throes of passion, she can understand him a little better, too.]
I don't want you to be afraid, either.
[She knows that he isn't, but there's still that twinge of fear in the back of Tifa's mind that maybe she had taken it all too far. That he had seen a side of her that he hadn't expected or wanted to see. But she also knows that it's irrational. If he hadn't wanted that, he wouldn't be here.
It's her turn to let out another, gentler breath to shake off the thought.]
I just... I want to be with you. [The vines begin to slowly inch again, a little higher as her arms snake around him so that she can hide against his body, her face burying into his chest.] When you said those things about how you chose me, I realized... I want that.
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You accepted all of me. I will always accept—want—every part of you. I won't allow anyone else to come close...and the same is true about me to you. Whatever part you want it's yours.
[But there's more to it than that he knows, and...it's not as if he never thought about it. If anything it was one of the first things he had to consider as he never stops looking at things partway. The moment he considered this relationship with Tifa, the end goal was one of the important factors.
So in a quieter tone, he lightly strokes her back.]
...Do you want to get married?
[And true to form he's just going to get right to it.]
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But then he says something else—something that echoes the very thought that's been passing through her mind since she had woken up from that dream, or perhaps even before, and it wrenches Tifa back down to the present—to here and now as she lays there in his arms.
...?
She pulls back far enough to look at him, her eyes wide with confusion and surprise, and she isn't even sure if she heard it right.]
Do I want to...? Eustace...?
[Did he really just ask what she thinks he asked?]
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Not right now.
[Clear that up first. And then his expression becomes serious again.]
But is that something you'd want in the future? Between us?
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There's a stretch of silence that follows—not because she doesn't have an answer, but because she isn't sure how to. It hadn't been something they've ever talked about before, but she'd be lying if she said she hadn't thought about it during all the times they spoke about forever...
And to top it all off, she had dreamt of a wedding... Not to her, but that had to be a sign as well, and there was no getting around it.
Tears start to burn in the corners of her eyes, and she sighs out a breath, sharp and airy, and her hand moves up his arm to grip him by the shoulder, and she squeezes.]
Yes... [Her answer comes quietly but firmly, with no room left for any doubt or hesitation.] I do...
[She knows that this isn't a proposal and that there is still so much to think about and talk about before they can take any steps forward, but...]
I meant it when I said forever...
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But even so, this is something they need to talk about if they want to have some semblance of responsibility. So he gently smiles, brushing the corner of her eye before pulling in to lightly press his lips against them. He had heard her say those words once before...and hearing them now makes his heart tremble so strongly that it really is difficult to not just say, "Let's do it now." She can see it in his eyes, that deep desire of taking that final step to completely bind themselves together. But he holds it back.]
And I won't let you wait for that long.
[Can he even wait a month after knowing her answer? A week? A day? A minute? Hell they probably already act like it already so at this point it would just be official formalities. Something definitive.]
But...there are things we should discuss so we can be on the same page on expectations and wants from each other.
...For example, ideally the Story Eater is taken care of first but it's an unknown variable.
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On the other hand, however, she knows too well—better than most, she thinks—how fickle this place is. One second, he could be here and the next, gone. Or next time, it could be her.
The way she sees it, there are more things pushing them forward than there are holding them back, but it's those few small things keeping them from taking that leap that they should consider, no matter how badly she wants to say screw it all...
Her own eyes search his face, mirroring the same look in his. That desire to throw all caution to the wind. It's all technicalities at this point, but as they exchange the same fervent, unfettered yearning, there is not a shred of doubt in Tifa's mind that she wants to marry him. That she wants to make that final vow to him that she and Eustace belong to one another...
When he speaks, she closes her eyes, tears streaking her cheeks. She isn't sure if they're made up of relief, joy, or sadness, or perhaps a combination of all three, but her heart is soaring so high right now that she has troubles focusing on his words at first, so her answer comes slowly, breathlessly, as she flutters her eyes open.]
No, I get it... [While she doesn't know much about the Story Eater, she knows enough to understand that it's a very real threat.] Feels like things are starting to settle down, but it's... still a little crazy around here sometimes.
[Less so in terms of them compared to before, but more everything else.]
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Last thing I want is a world threat crashing our wedding.
[A small, light attempt at a joke, though that really is something of a threat. But most of all, he wants to ensure they have a life of peace and quiet. Sure there's the world's nightmares to contend with, but that's like dealing with natural disasters. That's just a part of this world they can't change and for the most part hasn't been trying to corrupt other worlds so it's a more manageable worry.]
...But as tempting as it is... [Tempting to ask her right here, right now.] I only want the best for you. So while I can't give you a proper proposal now...
[He pulls back enough so he can once again stare deeply into her eyes.]
I promise you will have one soon.
[When he feels certain steps have been taken, certain talks have happened. They could even continue right now, but given how Tifa seems to be, maybe it's better to take it slowly. They've already passed the first step, the rest can be discussed in due time.
And while he would rather deal with the Story Eater, as he said it's ideal. At this rate he might become impatient and just do it anyway, but—not right this moment. He wants to give her the best and that includes the right preparations and timing.]
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I'll wait.
[Just so that he knows where she stands with that. There's a beat, and she leans forward to press a light kiss to his lips, and he'll be able to feel her smile behind it.]
You're worth it. You're worth the wait.
[But there's something else that ghosts across her expression—it's hard to see, difficult to catch because it's so fleeting. Sadness? Fear? But she recalls both times that Eustace had left and wonders... is that something they need to worry about, too?]
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...Is there anything else you want to discuss?
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She really shouldn't. She doesn't want to push the issue any more than she already has, what with the dream and all, but... maybe it is important that he knows how she feels about it. That it's something that will always be on her mind, even after they say their vows.]
I... [Tifa hesitates for a moment, but she steels herself with a sharp breath, and continues.] I'm still scared... about what might happen to us. Tomorrow, or the next day. Next week...
[She dips her head, burying a kiss on his shoulder.]
It's happened so many times now...
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[He takes in a long breath as his arms wrap tightly around her.]
I have the same fear. Sometimes when I wake up and you're not there, I panic a little before I hear your movements in the other room. But for you... I know you've hurt most.
[Sometimes he wonders if the wounds he left on her heart may be greater than the scars on her chest.]
But we can't live in this fear all the time and let it force us into making quick decisions.
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[She repeats his words. She had been the one to say that a long time ago—that they couldn't live in fear of what might happen next, when he had started having doubts about their future together. And now here he is, echoing the sentiments back at her, and she can't help the little laugh that rides out of her on a breath.
Her hand finds his, and she threads her fingers through them, shifting so that she can watch as they weave together so easily, as if his hands were shaped only to fit hers.]
I know that we can't... But I also don't want to lose the chance. I know I said I'd wait forever, and I will, but... Until then, I don't think I can help but worry.
[Her smile turns sheepish and crooked.]
I know we'll make the best of it anyway. We always do.
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[A wry grin as his fingers tighten around hers.]
And you're already here, living with me. We share the same sentiments. At this point it's just formality.
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So, what you're saying is...
[Tifa bites down on her lip, but her smile spreads regardless.]
That we're already basically married...
[She already knew this, but hearing him say it and talk about them like this is making her heart flutter.]
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...Mm.
[And he looks at her. Looks into her deep red eyes and sees his reflection them. But not just his reflection—a reflection of a life, a future he never would have dreamed of right now. A future...he really wanted. He really never would have imagined he would fall so fast and hard towards someone, but it happened.
And he doesn't regret it.
Maybe he's being a little uncharacteristically reckless and wishful, but is it really so wrong to go ahead and decide the one he wants to settle down with? To have...some kind of family with? To enjoy the time they have when it could be years, months, weeks, days? He's certain if anyone from back home saw him now they would wonder what the hell happened to him and if he hadn't been replaced with someone else. And he honestly wouldn't blame them as he sometimes wonders that as well. But isn't that just a testament of his own growth and change?
And she helped it along. Helped give him that peace and quiet, helped pour in that light and love back into his heart. So many people helped open the doors, but it ws Tifa who filled in that missing piece.
Slowly his palm cups her cheek, gently caressing her as he first kisses her sweetly before deepening it further.
Marriage... The idea would have been a joke to him before, but now...]
...Tifa... [His voice is a soft, low murmur as his lips brush against hers, tongue lightly tasting her lower lip before he smirks a bit.] ...Should I start calling you my wife? [Teeth tug at her lips as he presses closer to her.] Or would you prefer my "mate"?
[A strange wave of emotions ripple through him as he voices the word—the idea aloud. As if giving it more and more of a body, of making it all...real and not just a secret fantasy or dream they both have been shying away from. It is still foreign and strange in a sense, yet there is also an exhilaration to it as well.]
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It's so much more than just the same peace and quiet that he wants. It's a forever she knows would be filled with happiness and love. Those happily ever afters she read about in books when she put Marlene to bed. The kind girls dream about... That Tifa dreamt about as she looked up to the stars at night.
This is Tifa's very own fairy tale turned reality...
Tifa never quite believed in destiny until she saw it for herself and now, looking back, she has to wonder... did everything they did have a hand in this? It wasn't long after that she was thrust into another universe where she met him, and then straight into the next where they came together a second time. Coincidence is easier to believe when it's only once, but by the second, third, fourth times... it becomes a pattern.
In some strange way, she wonders as he deepens their kiss, if everything they've done, together and apart, has led them right to this very moment.
When he says her name, a deep flush of colour rises in her cheeks, a heat of passion pooling and rekindling inside her all over again, and at first, she just sighs in response—a low, eager, breathless sound of approval. That is, until his words finally register, but she doesn't pull away from him. It only compels her to press closer, that need to breach any space between them overwhelming as she practically wraps herself around him.]
Yes...
[It's all she can manage past her lips with a shudder, and she almost wants to beg him to stop talking as he takes her lip between his teeth. She captures him instead with a fiery kiss, her nerves and her heart set ablaze all over again as she grips the sides of his face to keep him right where she needs him. It's with a smile that she parts for air, but she doesn't go very far.]
Your wife, your mate... [She brushes her lips over his again, this time so feather-light that it aches.] Call me anything... as long as you know I'm yours...
someone please contain these two we give up
[As his voice lowers into that deep, low husky murmur, he flips her onto her back as he gazes down at her, that familiar impassioned heat flickering in his eyes.]
...But you have to do the same for me.
[And with the way he looks at her, how while one hand still holds onto hers the other has pulled up her leg, it's clear he's going to help her with that. Of course, he's also going to hinder it at first as it's now his turn to capture her mouth, as if continuing that fiery kiss she started. Of course, that's not the only part of her he'll be capturing, unable to hold back the throb and burst of emotion that's become so overwhelming that he needs to release it all.
Over and over again until they're both satisfied—if they can ever be truly satisfied.
It's as if he once again needs to show her the depths of his love, of how far he's truly fallen for her. Sweet, dark whispers filled with promises and vows mixed in with the harried and desperate moans and cries of need of assurance and want. To meet their demands and to let her make hers, let her take as much as she wants for he will give her that much and more. And once again he'll make her aware of how deeply tied they are to each other, that he truly will not ever let her go—just as he knows she will not let go of him.
At this point, it doesn't matter what they call the stage of their relationship. Dating, engaged, married—they're together. Mates for life.
No matter how long or short that life will be.]