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

[flamekthunder]

Not really big enough to be cooked, so it's better to release it so it can grow, either to become food for another animal or breed to keep the population healthy.

[starshower]

Ah, I see.

[She looks down at the water and calls out with a laugh.]

Today's your lucky day, fish. Better luck for me next time.

Didn't know that, though. Might've just caught it anyway. See? Already learning plenty.

[flamekthunder]

[A quiet laugh as he watches her line.]

Now we have to wait and see if we can test what you learned... And you might have some luck.

[They can see a fish gathering around the bait again, and there might a few tugs on Tifa's.]

You have to wait until it's really on the hook before you pull...

[starshower]

[She does get a little ahead of herself at first, nearly pulling the line right out when one wanders a little close, and the fish scatter for a moment before drifting back in towards it.]

So... just so I got this straight. Once it bites, I just immediately pull it out of the water?

[flamekthunder]

Bite and a hard tug. That's when you'll know it's on the hook.

[starshower]

Hmm...

[She hums thoughtfully, nodding to each one of his words while she waits for a bite...

And lo and behold—]

Ah, Eustace! I think I got one!?

[flamekthunder]

Pull it up, quick, before it breaks off!

[He'll wait to see if she'll need help, but he thinks she can do it...!]

[starshower]

This one's a fighter...!

[But she pulls just as he says, nice and quick, and she lifts it out of the water. The fish thrashes in the air, spraying water everywhere with its tail, and just as it's about to snap...

She yanks it back, and sends both the fish and the makeshift fishing pole flying in an arc over their heads where it lands a few feet behind them in the grass.]

[flamekthunder]

[He was about to step in to help her pull up the rod, and... Maybe he should have given how it and the fish fly over their heads behind them. The rabbits that had come over to watch scatter and he just looks at her in some surprise.]

That's... One way.

[But then he looks at the fish flopping around and grins.]

But congratulations on your first catch.

[starshower]

[She just stares in astonishment, some water dripping over her face from her hair, before she glances back at the fish that flops on the grass behind them.

...

....

And then she bursts out into a fit of giggles.]

I can't believe... I bet I didn't do that right at all.

[flamekthunder]

[He laughs quietly at her as he looks at the chaos of everything.]

Not exactly, but you did get the fish out and that's what matters.

[And soon it will be his turn to feel a tug on a line.]

Let's see if I have better luck this time.

[starshower]

Should we just... leave it there?

[She looks between the fish and him, her eyes going wide as she sees that tug on his line.]

Wait, already!? I didn't scare off all the other fish with that?

[flamekthunder]

If you can grab it, otherwise not much else we can do it now.

[He says while pulling at the rod...]

Stand back!

[And there won't be much more warning than that before he has fling up the rod. He won't lose it like Tifa, but a fish about the same size as hers is flapping wildly on the hook, and he's quickly grabbing the line to pull the fish in while stepping back..]

[starshower]

Oh my god, you did it!

[Some of the rabbits are now gathered around to watch, their noses and whiskers twitching, several of them standing up on their hind legs, curious about what's going on.]

And you didn't go flinging it into the air like I did.

[flamekthunder]

[He quietly laughs at that as he continues to hold it on the line and turning around so that they're facing her fish still kind of flopping sadly.]

Now that's over, grab yours. We can set them out and catch more if you want.

[starshower]

[This poor fish... She does get up and goes over to grab it, allowing it to flop as she grips it around its tail with both hands, lest it slip out from them.]

These two not enough for dinner?

[flamekthunder]

I think they are, but wasn't sure how much you'd want.

[starshower]

Well. We could always go back out fishing properly later. Maybe on your boat? Catch some bigger fish that'll last us a couple more days.

[A glance at the water.]

But... maybe one or two more from here?

[flamekthunder]

[He nods as he finds a suitable round rock.]

Sure. Let's take care of these first.

[And with a large branch he's already prepared for this, he clubs both fish, knocking them out completely if not already killing them. He then looks at Tifa.]

Think you can get your hook out or need me to?

[starshower]

[She shouldn't feel terrible about watching him smack those fish... She cooks them all the time? Though she can't help but wince anyway as she approaches and kneels beside him.]

I think I can get it. Shouldn't be too hard, right?

[Carefully, she takes the fish from him and tugs on the line just a little.]

Surprised it didn't come out on its own when I yanked it out of the water...

[And she'll start trying to work it out.]

... But my very first real catch. Feels pretty good.

[flamekthunder]

The hook is decided to stick on pretty deep, so it wouldn't be easy to get it loose on their own.

[He's able to get his hook out easy enough, and he'll go ahead and start gutting the fish, careful to do it in a spot where he can clean it off later so it doesn't disturb the rabbits too much.]

But you did real well—besides losing your pole.

[A wry grin at that.]

[starshower]

[A hand falls to her cocked hip.]

I still caught it, that's what matters.

[A tilt of her head at him before she goes back to wiggling the hook out. Damn, he made them pretty good.]

So is that your score? "Real well, but lost the pole?"

[flamekthunder]

Do you want a real score? Letter or number?

[starshower]

Hmm...

[She drops down to the grass beside him and leans closer.]

Number of kisses.

[flamekthunder]

{There's a sharp raise of his brows in surprise before a smirk starts to form.]

Hmm... Well if that's the case...

[He leans in and just kisses her deeply on the lips.]

That's for the catch and not losing the fish.

[And then a kiss on her nose.]

That's for landing it.