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

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

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.

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So...

[Her voice grows quieter, only just barely heard over the sound of the music.]

Do you know any good dance moves?

None.

[No need to try and pretend here.]

Didn't really feel the need to learn anything besides the basics.

[She was mostly teasing, but she gives a nod anyway.]

Well, I'm fine with the basics. A lot harder to step on your toes anyway like this.

It was a little amusing to have you resting on them.

[She giggles and glances down at their feet.]

Well, we could always do it again.

You want to?

No. This is fine for now.

[Her fingers squeeze his hand.]

I wouldn't mind just a normal dance for a bit. After that, we can do all the weird dance moves we feel like.

[He looks at her for a moment before there's a quiet laugh.]

Think we could use some normal for a bit.

[He'll pull her in a little closer as he spins her around with him.]

[She makes a surprised noise when he spins her, and when they come out of it, she has a hand pressed to his chest, her fingers curling into his warmth as she smiles up at him, her eyes shining.]

What, was this date not normal enough for you?

The rest of it was, yes. I just meant after that experience with the dance.

Ah, alright. Wanted to be sure we were on the same page.

[The hand at his chest slides up so that she can wrap her arm around his shoulder, and her expression softens.]

... I had a really nice time today, by the way.

Did you?

[The question comes a little quick, but there is some question as well as some uncertainty there.]

[She can sense that uncertainty, and she's not so sure what he felt the need to worry about.]

Of course I did. I always have a good time with you, but today especially...

[He looks at her for a moment before there's a small exhale of relief.]

...I'm glad. I wasn't really sure, honestly...

[There's a look of surprise at that.]

Why wouldn't you be sure? [Her voice softens along with her eyes.] I thought it was perfect. And that we should do it again sometime.

Well it's the first time I ever really did anything like that... Not just as a date, but...taking someone out in general.

[Slight look of embarrassment at that.]

And that's the first time anyone's ever taken me out.

[She reaches up to gently press her palm to his cheek to try and reassure him.]

Definitely not the last, I can promise you that. I hope you had a good time, too.

[The touch is reassuring, and he'll quietly smile at that.]

I did.

[Mostly because she did. As long as she was happy...that was his goal, and he really is glad and relieved he managed to pull it off somehow.]

Good, because I wanted you to have just as much fun.

[It feels nice knowing that he did... And she thinks she can stand to see him smile like this a little more often.

At that thought, her steps slow a little bit, and her arm wraps around his shoulders a little tighter.]

So, where are we going after this?

Dinner was the only thing left.

[And as we pretend he had checked the time earlier—]

But we still have a little while before we need to start heading over there, so we can enjoy our time here for a bit.

Then... A few more dances, maybe?

[Her head falls to rest on his shoulder, a gesture that is at odds with the beat of the music, but she's wanted to do this for a while.]

We can do a few more.

[A softer smile as his arm around her tightens over just a little more.

Just like before, he feels...content. Happy. As if he really is finding that peace and quiet he had been searching for in her and in whatever they do no matter how chaotic it otherwise is. It's truly a novel feeling, something he doesn't quite fully understand but one he welcomes all the same. And although there were some...questionable moments earlier, he can only assume that it's just further proof of how much he's grown attracted to Tifa. Where it might lead he's still not sure, but...

...He's no longer worried or afraid to find out. That no matter what, he'll always have these fond memories and won't regret missing out on them.

So they will enjoy their dance, spending it close for a while before picking up the pace for a more energetic dance to match the music for a little while. At least this time they don't have to worry about weird instructions and can just move however they wish. Move with smiles and some laughter.

Until at least they have to quickly hurry over to the beachside restaurant Eustace had reserved them. It's not an overly fancy restaurant, it's actually quite small and "folksy" in its style and food. Something "country." With outdoor patio seating and small tables forcing them to sit close, they are able to enjoy the sound of the incoming waves and ambient noise from the festival still ongoing further in town. But it's not noisy, it's still relatively quiet so they can enjoy their meal and private conversation without issue.

Once finished, they take one last walk along the beach under the stars with the moonlight guiding them, until it's time to return Tifa to her ship...]

[Honestly? If they had all the time in the world, Tifa might have been okay with staying on the beach and dancing on the sand for a little longer. She hasn't had this much fun in a while and she wishes that she could make it last, if only so that she could see more of those smiles and hear his laughs that had felt so much rarer until now. She can only hope that it means that he is as happy as she is right now, as they twirl and sway and step to the beat of the music that will sit in her heart for the many days, weeks, months to come. As it should.

More than that, she wishes that she could memorize the look on his face, and the way that the sunset washes over him in its array of colours. It's funny, she hadn't really seen him this way in the past, but now that things are finally starting to shift between them, it's like a whole other sort of light. She likes these changes, and she knows that things will continue to change and grow. For now, she is content where they are, dancing on the beach at sunset, his laughs, quiet as they are, louder in her ear than any song that these dragons can play.

But even when the music fades as they leave the beach, that doesn't mean that the day is over. He surprises her again with his choice of restaurant, and it doesn't even need to be fancy at all for her to enjoy it. They have a nice view of the beach on the patio, and the food is phenomenal. They get to watch the people pass them by, other couples coming out onto the boardwalk and walking along the beach, whose footsteps they will follow once they do head back out for that one last stroll along the shore, their toes kissed by the cool waves under the moon.

The perfect end to a perfect day. So perfect that she is hard-pressed to say goodnight to him at the ship when it comes time to. If he could stay just a little longer... but she knows that he has a home and a dog to return to as well. So she will let him go... this time, as she heads to bed with the music replaying in her head, her stomach all aflutter with butterflies, and a smile pressed to her lips as she tries to sleep...

Though, she might be far to giddy to for a while.]

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

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❤️💛 fin.