flamekthunder | { songerein: inbox }

[She might be trying to tease him a little, but she's not even surprised he's managed to catch on, nor is she surprised when she wonders if he's playing the same game right back at her when he doesn't move to pull her close.

It's probably for the best anyway. Tifa's blushing like crazy when he brings up the campsite in the woods, and she doesn't miss the way his eyes move to the covered plates, the food that she's brought still a mystery.]

Could be. All we need now is a glowing spring in the back.

[Yeah, definitely for the best that they're sitting on opposite ends of the log, but it's with a knowing, suggestive grin that she leans over to grab one of the plates, giggling quietly at the way the dogs tip their heads, confused.]

I know it isn't much, but... I did have fun that night. And this way, it'll be easier for us and the dogs too. Won't have to go out far anymore to have a nice fire to cook over and... maybe curl up around on the cooler nights.

[Like tonight.

Peeling back the foil, she reveals several strips of uncooked bacon skewered onto sticks, and they smell sweet, like sugar and maple.]

... You hungry?

Hmm... If we had a spring back here, we might get noise complaints.

[A smirk.]

But I like this. I can see us doing this often.

[And his eyes do look at the skewers in interest—as do the dogs, of course, all of them immediately moving in, some faster than others (the older ones being more reserved...but eager).]

Do you think we can manage without the dogs trying to steal any?

[They all start to move in, and Tifa waggles a finger at them, and then at Eustace.]

I came prepared for something for them too, don't worry. They gotta let us eat first.

[A couple of them whine, even the older ones who are laying on the grass nearby.

That isn't all though. She hands Eustace the plate and then reaches for another to reveal more skewers of assorted meats and vegetables for their dinner that they can cook over the fire, as well as a grate for them to grill them on. As always, she's prepared.]

They're all from the Harvest... freshly picked and cut.

[...

She pauses, and her brows shoot up with a sudden look of doubt. Here she goes barreling through all of this again that she hasn't even thought to stop and ask:]

Ah... You didn't have any plans for dinner... did you?

[A low chuckle as their ears perk up at the promise of food especially for them. But to wait... THEY'LL TRY.

Taking the plate, he can't help but marvel at everything. He knows she cooks a lot so it's not surprising per se—just impressive. Especially when he remembers it was all done with them—him—in mind.]

For us? Not really. But even if I did...

[A warm smile.]

I can always set it aside.

[THEY JUST GOT TREATS! For helping her collect firewood! They can wait a little longer.

If he had plans, she didn't want to ruin them!!! Tifa fixes him with a dubious look, and for a split second, her lips turn downward into a hint of a frown but seeing him smile at her like that puts her at ease. If he's happy with this, then she's happy...

With her free hand, she sets the metal grate on top and starts to line up the skewers of cubed meat and veggies over the fire, spreading them out evenly as she scoots just a little bit closer to him with a quiet but proud smile.]

... You're always surprising me. Just wanted to make sure. Thought it was about time I did something in return.

[There's a brief pause after she's finished laying them out, and she folds her hands on her lap.]

And as a thank you... for the other day.

[In the dream.]

[He just arches a brow at first as it takes him a moment to connect what she's talking about. And when he does, he wants to protest she never has to repay him for anything, especially for whenever he's supporting her like in that dream. He also feels this is more than he really deserves.

But then he realizes that it doesn't matter, and if this is what she wants to do, how can he push back? Instead with one hand supporting the plate on his lap, he finally reaches out to her, his freed hand gently brushing against her cheek and pushing back her hair.]

I like it. Thank you.

[The fire crackles when it rises, burning a little brighter and warmer as his hand pushes back her hair and her eyes connect with his. Even now, as their dinner cooks over the flames and they're enveloped in this comforting heat, she still wants to give him so much more. This is just something small in comparison to the amount of appreciation and adoration she feels, and the overwhelming feeling of wanting to show him that... and give back to him what he's given her in as many ways as she can think of.

Her little moon charm glistens yellow and blue in the firelight, and she dips her head away with a laugh.]

I'm glad.

[Tifa's hand comes up to rest over his.]

I think... with the wedding coming up too, I figure things're gonna get pretty busy. I wanna take some time to spend it with you before then.

[In the next few weeks, she imagines it will really start to pick up.]

Maybe hear your thoughts about it? It's coming up soon. There's still a lot I haven't really figured out.

Mmm....

[The wedding. It's been on his mind and they've talked about it a few times, but it is quickly approaching now, isn't it?

Reaching over to set the plate over back where it came from, he moves closer to her so he can wrap his arm around her waist and pull her into their usual embrace.]

What do you want to talk about?

Hmm.

[Well, now that he's holding her like this, she almost doesn't want to talk anymore at all but rather, to lean over and kiss him until their food is ready... Tifa leans into it, pressing herself into the warmth of his body as her arms wrap around him in return.

Honestly? There's still a lot to think about and discuss, and it's going to be a stressful time for both of them in the days leading up to it, and she figured... why not spend a nice, calm night by the fire talking about it instead. They were going to need to do it at some point anyway.

So, as she watches the fire blaze and cook the food, she sorts through the many questions she's had on her mind for a while for a place to start.]

Have you thought about what you wanna wear?

Other than a tux?

[Just a small cant of his head. Tifa, please, remember he doesn't really pay much attention to any of this—

Desperately pulling fragmented and faded memories of Ilsa's wedding dreams blathering he's had the misfortune of hearing sometimes.]

...Is there a certain color scheme or theme you'd want...?

[Tifa mirrors the cant of his head with her own, her smile going from surprised to amused to apologetic in a matter of seconds when he turns the question back around at her. She thought she'd started off with an easy one, but she should have known better, and she feels a little bad for giggling about it that she squeezes him a little tighter.]

Mm-hmm.

[She doesn't want to steamroll the whole wedding planning process! She wants to know what he wants, too! This is his wedding just as much as it is hers.

But she'll humour him with an answer to his question anyway, although there's a bit of hesitation.]

... I was thinking white and blue. Maybe with a bit of red...? But I wanna know what you think.

[But it's her day!! He'll do whatever she wants.]

White, blue... [Ah. He can't help but smile a little.] And red. I think it would be nice.

Should I wear a white tuxedo then? Or would something more gray be better?

[There's a reason that she keeps going back to those colours... even on a subconscious level. They've become her favourite over time... Wonder why. She catches his smile and realizes only then what it is he's smiling about, and she skirts her eyes away from him to poke at the skewers before settling back near him again...

And she looks over, her eyes roving over him thoughtfully and admiringly.]

... I think you'd look nice in a white one.

[She snickers.]

Then again, you could show up in that pirate or prince costume of yours and I'd have nothing to say about it.

[Hah, he grins.]

A pirate stealing the bride away?

[He leans in then, teasing her a little with his warmth.]

I'm sure you'd like that.

[Tifa bumps him playfully with her shoulder like she's trying to push him away, but she knows it'll do nothing, and so she leans in a little into him in return. As if responding to him, the flames—the ones that she created—burst upwards through the grates and burn hot, immediately cooking the vegetables and meat she's laid out.

Well, at least now she can focus on gathering up their dinner onto the plates...!!! She's going to do that before he makes her forget all about the skewers.]

... What if you kept it handy for after?

[That is to say... yes, she thinks she would like that.]

[A small chuckle as he leans back so she can get the skewers and he'll replace the ones she's taking off with the uncooked ones.]

If that's what the bride wants. You wouldn't even need to change.

[After all this time, he still knows how to make his bride-to-be blush.]

Little did the princess know... the pirate was there all along. [It's said in such a playful, whimsical tone that she practically sings it.] Snuck in and waited for a chance to take her away so they could be together.

[This is starting to sound like a book she would keep stashed away under her side of the bed...]

That'll be the honeymoon, right?

[It really does.]

Away from prying eyes...would be safer.

[For everyone— But now that she mentions it. ...Hm.]

Where...would you want that to be?

[Armed now with a freshly grilled skewer of veggies and meat, Tifa drops her head to his shoulder to relax and enjoy the food, bringing her feet up so that she can curl up closer against him.]

I... haven't really thought about it. Guess there aren't really any places we could go to get "out of town", are there? Not some big resort like there was in Camelot.

Hm...not really no. We could always take another camping trip, but somewhere else...the beach, maybe?

[A low hum.]

I'm sure one day there will be a resort of some kind there.

The beach... in winter? You think it snows out there...?

[Even if it did though, she does pause to think on it as she chews on a roasted pepper. It might actually be a sight to see if it did, and even if not, they wouldn't have a problem warming up the water there to swim in it if it got too cold.

But the thought of swimming brings something else to mind and in all her excitement, she gently taps Eustace on the arm with a hand.]

Oh—! Wasn't there something about some new hot springs? Thought I heard something about that...

I'm not sure. But it might interesting to see.

[Given his nature, he might prefer it over summer.....

But her suggestion makes him cant his head.]

The hot springs...?

[His brows furrow for a moment before he remembers.]

Aaah...from the dragons.

[...The... The dragons.]

[Ah...]

Right. I forgot.

[Something tenses suddenly in Tifa's shoulders, and there's a weird prickle in the back of her neck... like they're suddenly being watched. She knows they aren't, but that dragon didn't exactly leave either of them with a good impression, did she?

She laughs awkwardly under a breath.]

... Too soon?

....Well.

[A small clearing of the throat.]

Only in the sense that I wouldn't want a dragon crashing our honeymoon if we were there. ...On the other hand, who knows if it would try and find me before then. It wouldn't be a bad idea to get all that squared away before the wedding somehow.

[Well, she likes to think that the dragon wouldn't dare crash their honeymoon if Tifa were there, but... she did kind of crash their day when she swooped down and took him, so she understands his hesitation.

She does raise a dubious brow, her mouth half open as she pauses going for a piece of meat on her stick.]

Huh? You wanna go see her?

[If that's what he means by getting it all squared away. Please let that be a no...]

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