closed 🌠⚡ it's far too easy to miss the beauty in the simple things

[starshower]

Who: Eustace & Tifa Lockhart.
Status: Closed.
Where: Around.
What: It's Tifa's birthday, and she's overworking again, so Eustace takes her away. Event stuff tba.
Warnings: Fluff.

Comments

[starshower]

[There are one, two, three, and then several more bristles that pop up on her back one by one, as if to "threaten" him.]

No ribbons today. Worst case scenario? I get tangled up in the seaweed, and given our track record, wouldn't be surprised.

[flamekthunder]

[...Okay but she looks so cute and is now reminded of a little hedgehog...

Still, he looks a little worried and it will take a few seconds before he lets out a small sigh, relenting.]

All right. But let's stay close regardless. Remember the old whale warned us about dolphins, and while I don't see any around here... Can't be too careful.

[starshower]

What I wouldn't have given to swim with some dolphins at my full size...

[She deflates those quills with a whimsy sigh.]

I'll be fine. Just put me down, and I'll hide in the weeds.

[flamekthunder]

Didn't we have a chance last year?

[Remembering it, he smiles a little before he sets her down.]

But you should be able as soon as we find the final ingredients. Besides the sand and sea grass for the whale, we need to harvest some coral.

[starshower]

[She floats down to the sand and to the weeds, landing on a half-buried purple shard.]

There should be some of that around here too, yeah? That we could use? Don't think she specified what kind.

[flamekthunder]

Only that it had to be blue and fresh, which is why we couldn't get it from the markets.

[He hovers near her and starts pulling out some of the sea grass, remembering to get the roots, too.]

[starshower]

I'm sure we can find some. These fields are... pretty big, I think?

[Big for a little bunny slug, at least. Maybe they'd be smaller when she's the correct size.

But she starts to dig into the sand with the end of her "nose", or whatever, to try and get this sea glass out.]

I wonder if I can dig my way under these and pop them out that way...

[flamekthunder]

[He's watching her a little worried when she pushes against the glass. It's quite small for him so it would be hard for him to pick up so her doing this actually helps quite a bit... But...]

Careful you don't cut yourself.

[He's going to hover around all overprotective.]

[starshower]

[He's so cute when he worries about her like that... He looks like a sad puppy, and she can't help but puff up a little with affection.]

Don't worry. I think the bristles will protect me from the worst of it, and the glass itself isn't that sharp...

[flamekthunder]

This must be natural sea glass and not broken pieces from above...

[Which might help with any sharp edges, but he still can't help but watch with some worry!!]

But your size does help here.

[starshower]

Natural sea glass?

[She burrows just beneath the sand with some wiggling and shoves herself beneath the shard.]

Makes you wonder how... it's... made!

[And with that last word and some strained exertion, the glass pops right out of the sand and drifts up through the water for him to catch.]

See!? Told you I could do it.

[flamekthunder]

[...

Oh.

Oh no, that was cute, and he almost fumbles the glass because he was so distracted by how she moved to pop it out. But when he does, there's a smile and then a small laugh.]

Yeah, you did. Now you need to do this at least ten more times.

[A wry grin.]

[starshower]

Should be easy.

[She wiggles her way out of the sand and shakes herself off. Not that it does her much good.]

It's like doing a set of push-ups, right?

[flamekthunder]

Imagining a slug doing push-ups...

[He can't help but chuckle as he pulls up some grass around her to help loosen the dirt around more prospective sea glass.]

Just don't pull a muscle.

[starshower]

[Do bunny sea slugs even have muscles? Well, they must if she's able to pull off such a feat. But she sniffs around at the glass before deciding that yes, he has good taste. She likes this one. And she'll do the same thing and start to burrow under.]

You're right. I forgot to do my stretches.

[And then she disappears under the sand. This one is a little tougher to get out due to its slightly bigger size and the fact that it's in there, but after a few more pushes and shoves and puffs, she manages to pop this one out as well. And it's a cycle that she'll repeat over and over, with Eustace carrying her closer to shards that catch her eye in between his tasks, even a few that are more pearly white than clear shades, or some that are mixed two or more different colours.

Again and again until she's gathered a very small pile (it looks much bigger for her because she is tinier than they are), and she rests against them, catching her breath.]

Been a while since I've had that kind of workout. Wonder if I'll still feel it when I turn back.

[flamekthunder]

[A small pile that isn't really much for Eustace, but fortunately they don't have to collect a lot and he's also gathering some to help. So with their efforts combined, they should have plenty to be made into that lotion.

Lying down on the grass flat on his stomach, he quietly laughs as he brushes the top of her head with the tip of his finger.]

Hopefully not. But if you do, I can help stretch you out later.

[starshower]

[Her ears wiggle at him, and he'll feel her body bounce in and then out with each brush of his finger. If she were in her normal form, he'd definitely notice her flushed cheeks right now.]

I hope you mean when I'm back to normal.

[flamekthunder]

...Hm... I could try stretching you now.

[And he's going to tease her by trying to stretch out one of her "feet."]

[starshower]

["Feet" that are barely there, and "feet" that she will wriggle at him like she's trying to kick his fingers away!]

I might pop if you do, be careful!

[flamekthunder]

I wouldn't let you pop like that.

[He will just lightly tap those wriggling "feet" and pull on them just a little bit before trying to poke her underside where he thinks her stomach might be??]

[starshower]

[She tries to kick him again, but when his finger nudges her stomach, she ends up rolling over with a high-pitched shriek until she's lying belly up in the sand, her body squirming.]

Now you're just being a bully!

[Except she's giggling through her attempts at shouting.]

[flamekthunder]

[He snorts and tries to tickle her again.]

You noticed only now?

[But she really is cute like this—no no he needs her to turn back!!



But maybe one more tease for the road as he tries to poke her tummy again.]

[starshower]

No, but at least you were helpful before!

[She shrieks when he pokes her belly again, and tries to roll back onto her front, rocking back and forth, but alas, to no avail. She huffs and groans.]

Now put me back!

[flamekthunder]

[There's just another laugh as he watches her.]

What are you, a turtle?

[But he will try to roll her back over...but teasing her again by using enough force where she'll roll a few times instead of just once.]

[starshower]

[As soon as she lands, she lets her bristles stand on end, like a cat trying to make itself look larger to its enemy.]

Being a bunny sea slug is hard, alright? Now enough teasing, we should grab our things and be getting back.

[Can he hear the pouting?]