escordvi | closed 🌠⚡ little of your time, little of your heart

[Their difference in height makes it a little harder for her to bring it up to him, but she tries to anyway, lifting up a little on her tiptoes to reach as she takes the straw.

And for a moment, she swears that she feels the tips of their noses brush together as she takes her straw, and that tension shoots right up her spine, tingling in the back of her neck.

She takes a nervous sip, and this time, she's met with an even bigger burst of flavour. It's so refreshing that it sends a ripple of briskness through her, followed by a wave of warmth to chase it away, only for it to repeat when she takes another.]

Oh my god... this might be the best cocktail I've ever had.

[It's times like this that he is reminded how short she is... And she doesn't have to go that far!

But they are quite close, closer than expected, so he is quick to take that sip. As he does, his eyes inadvertently drift over to her, but whatever thought or observation he had immediately disappears when he's hit with that stronger taste. It surprises him enough to pull back and stare at the drink a little incredulously.]

...Is it really the same drink?

[Obviously it is, but that's how different it is!]

[Watching him, she can't help but smile.]

Right? It's crazy! Didn't add anything in secret between there and here.

[She takes another sip, though of course without him doing the same, the flavour dulls a bit, but not by much. She's definitely starting to feel some of it rush to her head, though. Not that she minds... It's been a while since she's had the chance to loosen up a bit.

Or maybe that's the drink talking.

At any rate, she'll go for another.]

I wonder if it's possible to do this sort of magic with other drinks. Other effects, y'know? Make it taste better in the sunshine...

Might depend on how it's done. It could be a spell or it could be the ingredients themselves.

[Which would be...strange but not so surprising in this world he's come to find.

And he does think he feels a bit...more relaxed somehow? Strangely he feels less awkward about the idea of sharing the drink compared to how he did before.]

Obviously, I wouldn't make it horrible without the sun or whatever, but...

[Tifa is feeling it, too, and another giggle bubbles up in her chest, and she chews on her bottom lip to stop it as she goes in for yet another.]

It does feel kinda... different. Nice, in a way?

...Mm, it's better than I thought it would be.

[And then a careful look at her.]

How are you feeling?

Hm?

[She tilts her head at him, humming around her straw.]

Pretty good, actually. Lighter. Like all the stress from the last few weeks is gone.

[And, happy to have him here with her...]

[....Hm.]

I feel something similar.

[Just more...relaxed a bit.]

If that's all there is to this drink then I suppose it's not as bad as I suspected...

See? And you were worried.

[Though, rightfully so, she admits.

Now, she just feels giggly and warm, despite the rain that continues to pour over them, and she takes more of the drink. This is dangerous—

She lets her head tip back again to feel it, and maybe it's the rum, or maybe some magic in the drink, or both, but...]

I have an idea.

[He just remains where he is, quietly enjoying the cool water and only briefly contemplating about returning back under cover when she speaks up. So he'll just look at her with a silent, questioning look.]

[Oh, she is so going to regret this later when her mind has straightened back out, isn't she?

Still drinking slowly through the straw, she pulls out her phone and scrolls through it, searching for something. When she finds it, she clicks, and... music starts to play from it. Something slow and somewhat jazzy.

Yeah. She's definitely going to regret this later as she shoots Eustace something of a shy look.]

[...?

.......??

He watched her take out her phone, wondering if she was going to take a picture or something with it. But when he hears...music??? He just continues to stare at her confused, not comprehending what she could possibly be thinking.]

What...

[She holds out a hand to him.]

You've never danced in the rain before?

[...

?!?!?!?!]

Dance?

[Here? Now???

...

.........

She's drunk, she's definitely. Drunk.]

[Oh, she's definitely feeling it now, yep, and she's still drinking. Maybe this cocktail really is dangerous in that people can't stop once they've started.]

Yes, dance.

[She gives him a twirl, like she's supposed to be demonstrating, but she stumbles a bit at the end.]

You—

[Instinctively he reaches out to catch her, afraid she might slip on the deck that's become a bit more slippery from the rain. One hand grabs the one with the drink while his arm goes to her waist...

....

Which he does belatedly realize how this looks, dammit.]

You're drunk.

I'm not—just a little...

[She catches herself on him, her hands reaching for front of his shirt, grabbing it into both fists to keep herself from stumbling. But her body leans against his, his arm around her waist, and although she's laughing, that touch sends a trill up her spine.]

Is that a yes?

I didn't say that.

[An almost exasperated look, but he also isn't protesting too hard like he normally would. If anything, should she try to pull him along he would end up going along with it.]

Look, you can barely stand straight... How could you even dance like this?

I can dance just fine.

[As if to prove it, she leads them into a little one-two-step to the beat of the music, a string of giggles leaving her as she does. It's more that the deck is slippery than she is dizzy, but she holds onto him anyway.

And her voice grows quiet after a moment, her gaze softening a touch before she lowers it.]

... Just let me hold on.

[He's jerked around a little, movements stiff as he ends up following her, and whatever protest he has somehow dies on his lips as he stares down at her. After another moment, a sigh escapes him.]

...All right.

[He could easily just pull away and walk off, and he feels he really would have with anyone else. But...somehow, even if he doesn't exactly want to dance, he doesn't exactly feel so strongly to break away from her. Is it the alcohol relaxing him just enough? Or is it because Tifa is someone he can tolerate better? Both?

Whatever it is, he'll take the cup and set it down so they don't have to juggle with it and...let her lead her through this weird dance in the rain.]

[She probably shouldn't be doing this, and every part of her besides her heart are telling her to stop, but she can't help but smile and lead him into a clumsy twirl together with her anyway, barely in time with the music.]

Before coming here, I missed the rain a little...

Edited 2024-08-15 01:48 (UTC)

[He doesn't even know what kind of dance this is supposed to be. Some kind of jazz swing?? He's just going to try and make sure she doesn't stumble...and himself as well. He's not as tipsy as she is, but he can feel some effects of the alcohol starting to settle in.

The fact he's actually doing this is proof of that.]

Something about your world, right? ...The city you lived in?

[She has no idea either. She's just swinging them and spinning them to the music, all while trying not to trip over his feet or her own, or the slick, polished wood of the deck. And she cannot stop smiling, no matter how hard she chews on her lip to stop it from spreading ear to ear. She feels a bit silly doing this, but who else would she do this with?]

Yeah. With the plate, we'd never see the rain on the ground floor. Coming here, it was the first time in years that I had—

[And now, she's going to attempt to spin him without much thought to the action, lifting their arms up... or try to, given their difference in height...]

[He's somehow managing to keep his footing while helping to support and pull her into those swings and spins. Should they really be spinning so much??

But then she's trying to...

...?]

What are you doing?

[He is definitely not moving because he has no idea why she has their arms up. In fact, he even tugs a little at their hands, wondering what would happen if he pulled her up a bit...]

Huh? I'm—

[She stares up at him, looking just as confused, and then at their hands, and then at him again. When he gives that tug, she lifts up onto her tiptoes before she stumbles a little into him.]

I was... trying to twirl you.

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