closed 🌠⚡ you and me, living in symphony

[starshower]

Who: Eustace & Tifa Lockhart.
Status: Closed.
Where: Eltrut. Event later.
What: Tifa and Eustace try to deal with their brands and conflicting armadas... Event stuff tba.
Warnings: NA for now.

Comments

⚔️ branded.

[starshower]

[After returning from the raid on the mansion, Tifa had done nothing but sleep for the first night back. Now that Cloud was safe and back on the ship, that place had been destroyed, and they were no longer at risk, she could rest a little easier, and that rest had come for her. She had managed a quick text to Eustace when she got back, telling him that they had arrived safely and were back in Eltrut again, and that she would talk to him when she woke up...

...

But the morning soon crept into the early afternoon by the time she finally stirred, Gaslight sleeping in her bed, curled up protectively at her feet. The cat mewls at her and stretches, and she smiles down at her before Tifa's head falls back against the pillow, and she stares up at the ceiling. Guess that's what happens when she doesn't sleep for a week.

Slowly and with a sigh, she reaches for her phone to see if Eustace had responded to her message, and to apologize for being out of commission for so long...]

[flamekthunder]

[When she sent her first message, he had by then returned home to do his own bit of rest and recovery after helping with the raid on that island. Seeing everything at the time... He's seen a lot, and there have been organizations and groups that have performed gruesome experiments though he's not sure if it was ever to this degree. Even so, it was going to weigh on his mind for a little while.

So he had been very quick to check and feel relief that she and the others were safe back home and replied with his own confirmation that he was safe with Valo. At least with this now behind them, he shouldn't have to worry about being followed for a while.

And although he slept in a little, he was still up before Tifa and had completed a morning jog with Valo along the beach. Standing there facing the open water and wondering how things will be in the upcoming days, he pulled out his phone to see if she had sent a message yet. Seeing she had not, he could only assume she was still asleep and at first he was going to just simply put away his phone and return home...

But in a fit of whimsy or thinking about the past few weeks, he crouches down to pull Valo closer to him and takes a selfie with the beach as the backdrop, sending it to her with the following message:]

Still sleeping? Missing out.

[It was a simple message, a silly message...as well as a kind of "proof of lie" message to hopefully reassure her that he really was home safe. It might feel strange sending something like this right after the raid rescue, but he has a feeling she could use something to lift her spirits a bit. Only after will he return home and start making breakfast.

Thus when she finally awakens, she'll have that message waiting for her.]

[starshower]

[Her heart does that little flip that it tends to do when she sees a message from him, and before she even opens it, she's having to bite back a smile. A useless attempt because as soon as she does click it and sees the picture that's waiting for her there, she is immediately grinning from ear to ear, a giggle escaping her as she rolls over on her pillow, burying her face into it when her cheeks grow warm.

And he'll receive a picture of her looking like that, her eyes still droopy with sleep and her hair falling in front of her face.]

Just woke up but it looks like you two are having a good time.

[And it's a relief, too.]

Should bring the fun to me. Don't think I'm ready to get out of bed just yet.

[flamekthunder]

[He's just scrambling some eggs to make an omelet when he hears his phone go off and he glances over to see it's from her. Checking the message and seeing the picture, he laughs quietly.]

Could bring you some breakfast.

[It comes with a picture of what he's made so far, including sausage and bacon.]

[starshower]

[At this rate, she's just going to video call him, so his phone will buzz, and as soon as he answers, he'll be met with Tifa's sleepy, smiling face on his screen.]

Honestly, that would be heavenly right about now. I haven't eaten much since...

[flamekthunder]

[He'll hold the phone for a moment and while she'll see his face she'll also hear the sizzling of everything being made at the moment.]

And who's the one who always nags at everyone to make sure they've eaten?

[starshower]

[That sizzling is enough to make her lift her head but seeing him too is a relief on its own. She can almost smell the food...]

In my defense, I got into bed pretty late last night.

[flamekthunder]

[A quiet laugh as he only briefly glances at the pans before moving over to where he was making coffee. Since he also originally was making enough for himself, he should probably go ahead and add some more for her own serving.]

...So everyone is fine?

[starshower]

[Except she's in bed...]

Yeah. We all made it back safely.

[Her expression drops.]

Cloud is still in pretty bad shape, but he'll pull through. I know he will.

[And before they get too far into it and dampen the mood...]

You should bring your breakfast here.

[flamekthunder]

[That's good to hear about Cloud... He should stop by and see him regardless.

But he'll just looks at her curiously.]

I'm making your portion first.

[starshower]

[She smiles and hides her face in her pillow.]

... So you are coming. I'll just wait here then.

[flamekthunder]

[He quietly smiles as he realizes she hadn't realized he had been serious earlier.]

Mm, I'll bring Valo, too. Anything else I should try to bring? Or you want?

[starshower]

Just you. I can make some coffee for us so that it's ready when you get here.

oh snap(ping turtles)! 🐢

[starshower]

[Honestly, getting off Eltrut for a while was something of a reprieve. With tensions still running high on the Leviathans and the brands still being a big problem, Tifa is eager to close up shop for a while and get out. She's been feeling restless as of late, and that has only worsened since the last time she and Eustace have spent time together. The difference is that now, the burns aren't quite as terrible, and they have a decent supply of the potions for when they do start to act up.

... Not that they are very helpful, in the long run, but she'll take what she can get.

She was there when the snapping turtle had attacked Eltrut. The waters had grown violent as the turtles thrashed with each other, and it took the work of many of the crew to keep the ship from being swallowed up by the waves that crashed into the docks. And after hearing what the real problem was, she was more than happy to offer her hands to help, dragging Eustace along with her and using it as an "excuse" to spend some time with him again. It's been a while since they've gone out and done something like this.

As they walk along the Leviathan's back, through the mountains made of the turtle shell's spikes, her eyes pause on some of the local fauna. Is it just her, or are some of them moving?

Anyway.]

I think I heard that the baby turtles should be just down this way, where a part of the shell that's covered in sand for the eggs. If we hurry, we might even catch them hatching.

[flamekthunder]

[It didn't really take much to convince him to go with her, even if he was a bit wary of going to the grumpy turtle. It's one thing to deal with hostile creatures, but to be on one? Especially one that could dive underwater at any moment? At least it seems desperate enough to want help, even if it didn't express it well enough.

Now walking through with Tifa, his guard never lowering especially hearing about those scavengers that roam through, he glances at her.]

...Reminds me a little of last year. At least we don't have to try and find them in odd places.

[Hopefully.]

[starshower]

[She giggles at the memory.]

Let's hope not, but I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high. They haven't even hatched yet, and if I'm remembering right, that was when they were the most difficult.

[flamekthunder]

They're going to be snapping turtles, too... You'll need to be careful handling them. Even when young their bite can hurt.

[Of course he would try to caution her about things.]

[starshower]

Really? But aren't they going to be smaller than my hand?

[She lifts it, staring at it with a spread palm, but the thought is broken when she sees specks of sand under her boot.]

Ah, I think we're here? Look.

[If they peer between the spikes and down the winding path that crosses between them, she can see the sandy beach, the "shore" of the Leviathan's back as it creeps towards the water down below.]

[flamekthunder]

[He just quietly laughs at Tifa looking at her hand and shakes his head. Should he let her get bitten—no that would be poor form of him and it would be terrible if these different from average snapping turtles.

In any case, as they reach the sand, he'll step out after taking a quick glance around. A few other people have made their way, either to look and help turtle nests or to investigate the spines or find treasure, but their particular area is quieter so they won't have to worry about getting in the way of anyone or being disturbed.]

I've heard their nests are noticeable by the dark mounds of disturbed sand where the mother buried the eggs.

[starshower]

[Ah, there are more people here than she thought...]

Should we pick and wait at one of the nests? Might be better than whatever we tried to do with those other turtles last year...

[Trying to build a barrier so that the whole dozen or so of them went in the same direction...]

[flamekthunder]

[There's a wry grin at the memory before he nods.]

Might be for the best. The guides did say that they should be hatching today, so we shouldn't have to wait for too long.

[And then as if trying to be a little more lighthearted—]

Could always build a little tunnel or channel for them to shuffle through towards the water.

[starshower]

[Isn't that what they did the first time!?]

Seemed to work for us back then. Hopefully the big guy doesn't mind us moving the sand on his back around.

[Would it tickle?

But she stops on the beach and takes a glance around them, trying to find an unattended dark spot in the sand.]

[flamekthunder]

[I twas a little rough the last time!! This time they have more time to prepare.]

We just need to make it deeper and wider.

[A light smile as he joins her in the search before he thinks he spots something not too far in the distance.]

Let's check over there.

[starshower]

[She follows his gaze and takes his hand, leading them towards that little nest that she is pretty sure he's pointed out. There are actually a few, a small cluster of them set close together, and she kneels down in front of one, placing her hand on the darker sand, like checking for a heartbeat.]

I didn't bring any tools, so we're going to have to really get our hands dirty.

[Not that she minds, of course.]

[flamekthunder]

That's fine.

[A light smile. Of course he had his bags and his weapons, but nothing that would really be useful as a shovel. All of which he's setting down to the side for now.]

I did see some driftwood we could use to help dig.