closed 🌠⚡ tell me i'm the one you want...

[starshower]

Who: Tifa Lockhart & Eustace.
Status: Closed.
Where: Ocard flower gardens.
What: Eustace and Tifa finally go on their first date.
Warnings: Dunno yet :D


[After talking about it and all the planning and the anticipation, one would think that all that preparedness would leave her feeling at ease about the whole thing, but now that the day is finally here... not even Tifa had expected herself to be as nervous as she was. It's not as if they haven't spent any time together before this, or hadn't been quite as close, but there's just something about it being a date now—officially, all of those times she's invited him to the bar or when she's visited his home on Nogard don't count—that has every nerve of hers on end.

Not in a bad way, but she is willing this to be as perfect as it can be and prays that nothing will go wrong. She hasn't forgotten what Ocard was like last year, and she hopes that the dragons are kind enough to leave the two of them alone to enjoy their picnic in the gardens in peace. That, and her excitement is buzzing, all of that pent up anticipation coming out of her in hastened footsteps and red cheeks by the time she finally does manage to find him.

She whirls around a tall hedge of rose bushes when she spots him, her dark, strawberry-printed dress flaring out around her as she clutches her small picnic basket close. Her heart leaps into her throat like this is the very first time that she's seeing him.]

Sorry...

[She wanders over with a sheepish smile, her face flushed with embarrassment, her eyes flitting to him and noting just how handsome he looks...]

This place is so big, I think I got a little lost.

Comments

[starshower]

Eustace—! You're going to get me all wet!

[She's teasing, of course, given that they're in the ocean, but with her hand still in his, she tries to make an attempt to swim away from him, using another wave (though it isn't much of one) to try and carry her away...


Only for it to knock her back into him instead.]

[flamekthunder]

[With or without that wave, his hand will tighten around hers, and with that wave's momentum he'll pull her back to him, their bodies swaying a bit in the waist high water as he moves their arms so that her is crossed over her front as he holds her to him.]

You look like you're doing a good job of that on your own.

[Said with his voice close to her ear.]

[starshower]

[She closes her eyes, rests her head against his chest, but he might catch the way goosebumps prickle at her skin when he speaks into her ear.]

Maybe this was my plan all along. Get you all the way out here like this.

[She is trying to tease him, but it's not working out as well as she thought, her voice a little breathless with both laughter and embarrassment as he holds her close to him, the waves rippling around their waists.]

Honestly... I don't mind it.

[flamekthunder]

What, the splashing?

[He continues to hold her, but his grip will loosen just a little in case she really did want to move away from him, as well as to help give a little bit more ease as the water moves around them.]

[starshower]

That, too.

[There's something of a mischievous and shy look in her eyes as she does pull back far enough to gaze up at him, the rest of that thought hanging in the air.

...

Before she's finally wading backwards.]

We gotta dive under anyway, don't we?

[flamekthunder]

[He just looks at her in some confusion. What was she referring to... Was it the implied retaliation? He can't help but wonder as he watches her, the thought seeming to line up at her question.]

Depends how deep you want to go, but I guess we will some.

[And he'll slowly wade after her...]

[starshower]

[She sees that look, and she might be trying to swim away still to escape what she knows are gears turning in his head, wondering what it is she meant by that.

And she'll sink beneath the water, low enough that it reaches her chin, hiding the flush crawling over her skin.]

Right here seems good. Lots to pick from.

[flamekthunder]

[He certainly has an idea, and now like a shark he's just calmly and steadily making his way... Even circling around as he glances down. She's right, there are quite a few where they are.]

Hmm, think I see one already.

[Just a grin before he dives down to disappear underwater.]

[starshower]

[She flashes him a narrow-eyed look, full of suspicion, as he circles around her.]

Do you?

[She'll float there, watching him dip underneath, and she waits... testing... to see what he might do as she wades herself around in a circle.]

[flamekthunder]

[Although not crystal clear, she'll at least be able to see him a fair bit as he does seem to aim for the shells right beneath them...

But then suddenly the once mostly clear water will become more muddy, sand suddenly kicked up to obscure her vision.]

[starshower]

[She does watch him, both amused and cautious that he might strike her from beneath the water, but she lets out a small sigh of relief when she realizes that he is only picking up the shells...

That is, until—]

Wait, wha—!? Eustace?

[Sand suddenly emerges from the bottom, turning the water cloudy, and shades him from view, and she doesn't mean to let the slight panic rise into her voice.]

Eustace!?

[HE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT SEA SERPENTS!!!]

[flamekthunder]

[Dun nuh... Dun nuh...

He's still not within view or emerging, and before she can wonder much more where he is, she'll feel something grab her leg and pull her under!!!]

[starshower]

[She should have expected it! She should have known, and yet, she let her guard down for a split second! A split second long enough that he is able to reach out and grab her, and there's a shout that's drowned in a splash once she breaks the surface of the water and falls under. The cloud of sand dissipates, clearing out, and bubbles escape past her lips when she gasps and tries to open her eyes to look around, her hair billowing around her like spilled ink whipping back to the surface.

She opens her mouth again to try and yell at him, being met with a stream of bubbles, and when she finally does spot him...

She lunges at him—]

[flamekthunder]

[She wouldn't have to go too far, as when he pulled her down he had moved around to be behind her. And when she does lunge for him, he'll reach out and grab her to pull her to him, pulling them up to the surface which isn't that far above them with a laugh.]

[starshower]

[He might not see her smiles until he drags her back up to the surface with him, and as soon as she takes a breath of air again, she bursts into laughter, wrapping her arms around him as if he will protect her from the waves that splash about.

And then she swats him gently on the shoulder.]

You scared me for a second! With all that sand...

[She's playing, of course, and she lifts her head from where she had been resting it against his chest to stare up at him through the long wet strands of her hair that drape over her face.]

And now we're a mess.

[flamekthunder]

[He just continues to laugh as he looks down at her, shaking his head only once to shift his long bangs over his eye.]

We were in the ocean, it was going to happen sooner or later.

[And wow her hair. He continues to laugh as he reaches up to try and at least move it away from her face.]

[starshower]

[The perks of having long hair—]

But so soon?

[She laughs, tilting her head as he moves her hair out of the way of her eyes.]

I would've liked to stay put together for you for just a little while longer. This is a date, after all, right?

[And now it's her turn to timidly reach up to brush his own hair back, notably the ones that drape over his right eye.]

[flamekthunder]

Then how were you going to get the shells underwater?

[A teasing grin as he lowers his head slightly not only so she can reach better, but also so he can quietly murmur just loud enough above the waves...]

...You still look pretty like this, anyway.

[starshower]

[He'll see the slight shift in her expression at that, her eyes growing wide with surprise before they soften, that flush creeping up into her cheeks now.]

I hope I do... Wouldn't wanna scare you away on the first date.

[Not that she thinks he would, of course... And her grin tells him that she's only teasing, as she tucks a lock of hair behind her ear.]

So... did you find any?

[flamekthunder]

[He holds out his hand and opens it to reveal several shells of varying sizes, some large some small, and different colors. Blues, greens, reds, oranges, purples.]

There were a lot down there, so just grabbed a small handful.

[starshower]

Oh.

[She looks down at them in awe, sorting through them gently with a finger poking each one around.]

These are so pretty... I didn't see the red ones when we were by the shore.

[She takes it and holds it up before handing it back.]

How do you feel about going back down with me this time?

[flamekthunder]

[There's a slight smile at her comment about the reds, because he had a feeling she was looking for one. Even if she hadn't, he was also interested in finding some, so it worked out well.]

Sure.

[He'll actually have some pockets he can put them in (with zippers!!), so they will be nice and safe. And once that's done he'll take a quick glance, the sand now cleared away so they can see again.]

I think over there had some larger ones.

[starshower]

[Look at him, coming prepared for just about everything!!!

But she gives a nod and runs her fingers through her hair, pushing it all back and away from her face before she's taking his hand and wading in that direction.]

Too bad we don't have... what do they call them? Snorkels? This would be a nice place to do it.

[flamekthunder]

[....Ah.]

Goggles, too.

[The water's not too bad on the eyes, but still.

...]

I could quickly go back and grab some if you wanted.

[starshower]

No, no. It's okay.

[She grips his hand tighter, like she's worried he might try to swim away anyway.]

Let's pick some up and then find somewhere to sort them. Maybe even start making some. Thought I saw some coves over there, just around the bend by the shore.