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

[A wry grin as he uses his (cleaned!) knife to slice and gut one fish, only doing the minimum needed before working on the other.]

In a place like this, it should be more common knowledge.

[She kneels down beside him again to watch his hands work.]

You'd think, wouldn't you? I guess I haven't really had the need to learn. Not when there are so many people out there who are better at it than I am. I just cook the fish that everyone catches. Never occurred to me to catch it myself.

[Her smile brightens.]

But it really does make you feel accomplished.

It does.

[A small nod.]

And it's a good thing to do to relax, even if you don't catch anything. Easy to do on the ship, too.

[A pointed look.]

[She narrows her eyes at him, but her smile never fades.]

And what's that look for?

That you should consider fishing as a way to take a break every once in a while.

[And now her fish is gutted and he motions for her to bring the strips she chosen over closer so he can show her how to tie the fish onto it.]

[She'll hold them out to him, never once taking her eyes away.]

Maybe you should consider coming by more often to take me fishing. This was a lot of fun... Bet it'd be even more fun out on the open water.

You'd be willing to take a long enough break?

[Now he's teasing her as he starts stringing one fish. It's not really too hard, so if she wanted to try she could.]

If it was with you, then I might consider a longer break, yeah.

[Of course she would... if he came to visit, or stole her away onto his boat again like he did today.]

Couple days, even.

[A low hum.]

Think I could work something then.

[And it's no time at all before the fish are strung up and he stands.]

For now, let's hang these and we can try to catch a few more before we need to hang back.

[Brushing herself off, she stands with him.]

A few more, huh? Best two out of three?

Think you can catch them that fast?

[He walks over to the tree and tries the string up fish on a branch so it's out of the way and in the shade to keep it cooler.]

I think I've picked up enough from my great teacher that I at least stand a chance to, yeah.

[She pokes him in the arm.]

Don't be shy.

Edited 2025-05-25 01:09 (UTC)

[A quiet laugh as everything is finished setting up and they can return to the pool.]

Just don't feel too disappointed if you lose. It won't be just the fish, but how big it is. If it's too small, it has to be returned but it counts as one of the three chances.

What!? No way—!

[But besides that little protest and a gentle shove against his arm, she will be a good sport about it and she'll race him back to the water's edge, that makeshift fishing rod back in her hands and ready to go for another round or three, her laughs echoing off the trees as the bunnies trail after her.

Just because she had called it a contest doesn't mean that they can't still enjoy their time. She is patient as they wait for the fish to return and then bite, simply enjoying his company and the quiet moments that they spend together, continuing to talk about things and then falling into those comfortable silences in between. Not that they will last for very long, of course. Sooner than later, perhaps sooner than she expected, the fish start to come, taking to the bait quickly and easily. Some of the fish that do are too small for them to take out and so they are returned to the water, and several times they both have to reset their "three chances" when all of them end up being the same.

Call it beginners luck, or call it skill—really, they can call it whatever they want ~~because she rolled a nat 20~~—but eventually, they start seeing the bigger catches and somehow, Tifa ends up being the "winner" in all of this, with two large fish, the second one causing her to almost lose her fishing rod yet again. Still, a win is a win, and she expects her reward in due time, as she is quick to remind him as they make their way back to their little campsite that Eustace had picked out for them with all of their fish.

As Tifa playfully brags the entire way back, and through grilling the fish that she insisted that she help prepare, over the fire that she insisted that she start...]

Edited 2025-05-25 02:33 (UTC)

[Although Eustace had a decent catch, he's actually quite proud of Tifa with her catches. It's even more fitting given that it's her birthday, so he was happy to let her have the win. And once they finish grilling, with the extra fish safely stored in the cooler for another meal, they enjoy their time at the camp. Just as before, Eustace teaches her a few things, like best way to use a campfire and grilling fish over it along with some of the other ingredients he had on hand they could use. The sauce, for instance, one that would be on the tangy side with a bit of a spicy kick to it.

He would also tell her more stories of his early camping days, from his childhood to his first time out on a mission. And should TIfa have anything to share, he would listen as well.

And once they've finished and cleaned up, the sun has started to set and Eustace takes her hand to lead her up a different path.]

We passed by it earlier, but let me show you this one spot...

[Fortunately, or unfortunately in the sense that she had no stories to tell, she had spent most of her time on the run staying inside inns within each city they've had to visit, or having a place to stay in those that didn't have one, so she happily listens to all of his stories, as well as his tips that she tries to remember for later. This isn't going to be the last time that they go out camping together, that's for sure.

And while the dinner is nice, she grows more and more eager to see what else he has planned, especially when he takes her hand as the sun starts to set and leads her down a path they haven't really been to yet.]

Oh? What's special about it?

[A small, quiet laugh.]

You'll see.

[They'll soon climbing up a slow, winding path, and soon she'll hear the familiar sound of the waterfall they passed by earlier. It won't take much longer for them to start cresting the hill and from there she'll find themselves at what is likely the highest point of the island. Covered in colorful wildflowers, there are still many parts of the forest that rise up higher, but it's still a good, clear view of the sky and even a peek of the ocean over the horizon.

Especially to watch the sun slowly setting.]

Edited 2025-05-25 03:45 (UTC)

[She is a simple girl with simple wishes, and so she doesn't need much, nor is she expecting much as they come up over the top of the hill, so when she finally does see what's so special about this place, she is left surprised and utterly breathless at the sight.

The wind rustles her long hair and the wildflowers dance in the breeze, as if waving in greeting to them. The sky is painted with the colours of dusk, pinks and oranges mixing with the beginnings of velvety blue, and as she stares all the way up, she can see the stars, and surely once the sun has fully set, they'll be able to see them clearly, especially with how bright they are now.

She takes a moment to take it all in, slowly walking through the flowers as she moves to the center of the hill, his hand still in hers...]

You can see everything from up here. It's incredible...

[He watches her quietly, letting her take the lead as she walks through until they stop at the center.]

It's the highest point in the island, so you won't get a better view than this.

I can think of at least one better view.

[She looks at him as she says it, her fingers squeezing his, before she looks out again, turning around on the spot to get a view of every angle, and she catches sight of the moon shining bright on the other side of the setting sun.]

Was this where we were gonna set up camp?

[There's a small look of surprise at her words before he smiles, thinking the same. Then again, it's a view he's had all day, really...]

If you wanted, but we'd have to bring everything up here.

Mm, no.

[She takes both of his hands this time and turns them towards the sunset before she drags him down into sit with her in the flowers and the grass.]

I think this is just fine the way it is.

[He'll willingly sit down next to her with a low hum of agreement, and they'll sit close together for a moment before he glances at her.]

Won't get too cold?

[Terrible idea for her to look at him at the very same time he does her because she feels her breath catch, and like she's swallowed a dozen butterflies. She lets herself take in that particular view, however, before she shakes her head and lowers it to his shoulder.]

Not here, I won't.

[She scoots closer, tucking herself right in at his side.]

It's nice...

[There's a quiet exhale as he briefly closes his eyes before he rests his head against hers, his hand leaving hers only so that it can slip behind her to better support her.]

It is.

[It's quiet...peaceful... Everything he's ever wanted and sought for and to think he'd find it most with her right at his side like this. Through the corner of his eye he can see how the soft oranges, yellows, and pinks wash over her, somehow accentuating all her features. It makes him think of all the effort he's put into things lately... How while he's lived mostly the same, there have been notable changes, too.

And how he feels a bit more whole like this. After all, he's seen many different sunset on his own, but... This is different. It feels different.

Maybe that's what it means to be in a relationship...]

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