[He wishes he knew, but he can only shake his head.]
I don't know, but we've already seen the number of different nightmare related creatures in this world. It could be any number of them and for any number of reasons.
If anything...it reminded me a little of that figure Alastor and I encountered in the Ice Queen's dream...
No...but it that was because it was targeting the Queen. I don't know if they're related or not, but we've had other creatures that try to instill nightmares into us.
Before waking... I heard voices. But I thought it was just remnants of the nightmare.
[But then he frowns.]
It's also possible if there was something else, it was disguising itself. I believe that's what happened with the Ice Queen, believing she was hearing and seeing people she knew but it wasn't.
[There's a violent spike of heat in the room at that—one that she doesn't intend, and she tries to keep her expression even, but even the dogs whine. She has other things to say, but this one makes her stomach twist around itself.]
You don't think what happened to her is happening to you, do you?
[She falls against him, her own arms immediately going around to hold him, squeezing him tight, and Melody comes in to nudge her nose at the both of them, wanting to join, to which Tifa happily scoops her into it as well so that she's nestled between them.]
We'll figure this out... I don't know what that thing was, but I'm not going to let it take you. I promise.
[Even if she is scared, and has been since he told her that he was going to Orkili. Maybe even before that, when they had gone, and he'd reacted badly then, too.
This isn't the first time, and she would be lying if she said she hasn't thought about it... how things were strange, and how the nightmares were more rampant than usual around them. Without answers, though, there isn't much that she can do about it besides let her own dreamotion envelop them and hope that the warmth will chase away that cold that continues to try to get to them.]
[He can only gently press his lips against the side of her head as he lets out a deep exhale. He...really wishes he didn't keep putting her through this. Forget about himself, knowing how terrified and worried he's made her hurts worse than anything those nightmares could ever put him through.
So for a moment he just takes a moment to center himself with her before pulls back just enough so he can look back at his arm. Already the scales have started to recede, which is a good sign. It has to be...right? It means that even passively whatever excess nostilium is fading and...]
In case you're wondering...these scales don't hurt.
[He lightly brushes his fingertips over them and they disappear even faster as he focuses more in pulling it back.]
It could just be a side effect of the nostilium...but I feel these scales are ones that I can control compared to what happened in the dream.
[She always did wonder, and after a moment of gazing at him, she follows his line of sight down to the scales on his arm, and her fingers join his in brushing over them. Can he feel the warmth through them, too?]
They remind me a little of your lindworm form... the silvery white.
[She pauses, and lifts his hand to bring it to her face, her lips shyly brushing along the scales that remain. They feel cooler to the touch, and while they do scare her, they are still a part of him now.]
[Her gesture surprises him a little, and there's a rush of warmth that travels where her lips touch to the scales and further into his chest. It makes him smile a little bit before he has to think a little.]
A little cold, but... It almost feels natural.
[As he speaks, the scales continue to slowly disappear until they finally fade completely.]
[She keeps her hold on his hand, her cheek resting against where the scales had once been, and she smiles down at Melody who continues to sit between them.]
At least they're going away...
[But she's not sure if that makes her feel any better, especially because she knows that this probably won't be the last that they see of them. Which just means that she's going to keep a closer watch on him from her on out...
And that brings her to her next point.]
... Maybe just take a break for a while, yeah? You've been working pretty hard lately.
[As much as she would love to just drag him back down under the covers and hold him in her arms, as much as she would love to just distract themselves with each other for a little while, the dogs are just as eager to be around them, their worry just as palpable in the air as her own, so she'll save it for later. For now, she's happy to throw her arms around him for one last kiss, soft yet passionate, quick but lingering, a buzz of warmth enveloping them for the brief moment their lips touch and her nose nuzzles his.]
One pot, coming up.
[She smiles at him, pats Melody on the head, and climbs out of bed, throwing a robe around herself.]
I'll call you when it's ready.
[She leans in to press a kiss atop Valo's head and scratch Eria behind the ears on her way out, the rest of the dogs following after her as she leaves.
Dawn has barely cracked, the sun not even breaching the horizon yet, so she keeps quiet, not wanting to wake Lyria in the process, but sooner than later, the sweet, floral scent of the tea fills the house as it brews in the kitchen.
The time it takes gives Tifa some room to breathe, and process what it is she saw in that nightmare. The explosion, the fires, a young, helpless boy. The claws, and the eyes that they belonged to... The way it felt so familiar and yet so unrecognizable at the same time, like a distant, foggy memory that she couldn't quite place or put her finger on. Like when a word rests on the tip of her tongue that she can't find. To say that she is terrified for him would be an understatement of the year, and she's been worried since even before he left for Orkili. It was that dream that they shared a few months ago that told her that something was not quite right, but back then, she couldn't figure out what.
Slowly, things begin to fall into place that she wishes they wouldn't, and while all of this is a mystery to her still, she knows one thing for sure: that she needs to keep an eye on things from her on out.
For now, they can at least enjoy their cups of tea out in the living room curled up next to each other on the couch, and once the sun begins to rise, she will drag him outside to the balcony to watch it through the flowery canopy of their tree where, in spite of the nightmares from earlier, the flowers continue to bloom so bright that no one could ever guess anything happened in here that night.]
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no subject
You mean like something else that dreamwalked into it, too?
[That would explain some things, but it raises questions about some others.]
It felt like it was trying to keep you there. Or take you away from me... so if it was from the outside, then why? Where?
[She asks as if he might have answers to any of this...]
no subject
I don't know, but we've already seen the number of different nightmare related creatures in this world. It could be any number of them and for any number of reasons.
If anything...it reminded me a little of that figure Alastor and I encountered in the Ice Queen's dream...
no subject
But when he brings up that dream, she lifts her gaze to his again.]
You think?
[While she doesn't know what either of them are, it's not such a far off assumption?]
Except that one wasn't as aggressive in trying to pull you in as this one, was it?
no subject
no subject
[She presses her lips together, her eyes searching his face, more of her unsaid thoughts swirling in them.]
There was something... weirdly familiar about it, though. I couldn't put my finger on it, but... it felt like I'd seen it before.
no subject
[Come to think of it...]
Before waking... I heard voices. But I thought it was just remnants of the nightmare.
[But then he frowns.]
It's also possible if there was something else, it was disguising itself. I believe that's what happened with the Ice Queen, believing she was hearing and seeing people she knew but it wasn't.
no subject
You don't think what happened to her is happening to you, do you?
no subject
I don't know. But I can't rule out anything at this point.
no subject
[She moves back just far enough from where she'd been resting her head so that she can look at him, her stare intense as she looks him over again.]
If you ever start feeling... strange or anything...
[Her hand slides down to his arm, running over the scales.]
You'll tell me, right?
no subject
[His answer is immediate as he meets her gaze with his own.]
If there's one thing I've learned...
[His hand meets hers, squeezing it.]
...I need you.
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[She gives his hand a squeeze in return.]
And I don't wanna almost lose you to all that again... One time was more than enough.
no subject
[He brings his arms around her to pull her into a much needed hug—both for her and for himself.]
That's why, I'll always tell you. So that doesn't happen again.
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We'll figure this out... I don't know what that thing was, but I'm not going to let it take you. I promise.
[Even if she is scared, and has been since he told her that he was going to Orkili. Maybe even before that, when they had gone, and he'd reacted badly then, too.
This isn't the first time, and she would be lying if she said she hasn't thought about it... how things were strange, and how the nightmares were more rampant than usual around them. Without answers, though, there isn't much that she can do about it besides let her own dreamotion envelop them and hope that the warmth will chase away that cold that continues to try to get to them.]
no subject
So for a moment he just takes a moment to center himself with her before pulls back just enough so he can look back at his arm. Already the scales have started to recede, which is a good sign. It has to be...right? It means that even passively whatever excess nostilium is fading and...]
In case you're wondering...these scales don't hurt.
[He lightly brushes his fingertips over them and they disappear even faster as he focuses more in pulling it back.]
It could just be a side effect of the nostilium...but I feel these scales are ones that I can control compared to what happened in the dream.
no subject
[She always did wonder, and after a moment of gazing at him, she follows his line of sight down to the scales on his arm, and her fingers join his in brushing over them. Can he feel the warmth through them, too?]
They remind me a little of your lindworm form... the silvery white.
[She pauses, and lifts his hand to bring it to her face, her lips shyly brushing along the scales that remain. They feel cooler to the touch, and while they do scare her, they are still a part of him now.]
What do they feel like?
no subject
A little cold, but... It almost feels natural.
[As he speaks, the scales continue to slowly disappear until they finally fade completely.]
no subject
At least they're going away...
[But she's not sure if that makes her feel any better, especially because she knows that this probably won't be the last that they see of them. Which just means that she's going to keep a closer watch on him from her on out...
And that brings her to her next point.]
... Maybe just take a break for a while, yeah? You've been working pretty hard lately.
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That's the most I've done in a while.
[A light bump of his head against hers.]
...But I will. [And then a small frown.] I should probably check on Joshua since he was there as well.
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[She's worried about him... maybe more than even he knows she is, and he'll feel her fingers tighten around his hand.]
Check on Joshua and make sure he's okay, but after that... let's just... [She puts on a smile.] focus on the café for a while, yeah?
[See if there are any more flareups.]
no subject
Mm, I'd like that. Could use some of your special tea.
[Tea! Not coffee!]
no subject
Do you want me to brew a pot for us now?
[Because she doesn't think she'll be going back to sleep anytime soon.]
no subject
Yeah. Think we all need a little something.
[He rubs Melody's head as the other dogs now start hopping onto the bed, crowding them.]
❤️💙 fin.
One pot, coming up.
[She smiles at him, pats Melody on the head, and climbs out of bed, throwing a robe around herself.]
I'll call you when it's ready.
[She leans in to press a kiss atop Valo's head and scratch Eria behind the ears on her way out, the rest of the dogs following after her as she leaves.
Dawn has barely cracked, the sun not even breaching the horizon yet, so she keeps quiet, not wanting to wake Lyria in the process, but sooner than later, the sweet, floral scent of the tea fills the house as it brews in the kitchen.
The time it takes gives Tifa some room to breathe, and process what it is she saw in that nightmare. The explosion, the fires, a young, helpless boy. The claws, and the eyes that they belonged to... The way it felt so familiar and yet so unrecognizable at the same time, like a distant, foggy memory that she couldn't quite place or put her finger on. Like when a word rests on the tip of her tongue that she can't find. To say that she is terrified for him would be an understatement of the year, and she's been worried since even before he left for Orkili. It was that dream that they shared a few months ago that told her that something was not quite right, but back then, she couldn't figure out what.
Slowly, things begin to fall into place that she wishes they wouldn't, and while all of this is a mystery to her still, she knows one thing for sure: that she needs to keep an eye on things from her on out.
For now, they can at least enjoy their cups of tea out in the living room curled up next to each other on the couch, and once the sun begins to rise, she will drag him outside to the balcony to watch it through the flowery canopy of their tree where, in spite of the nightmares from earlier, the flowers continue to bloom so bright that no one could ever guess anything happened in here that night.]