promises.

CARRD AESTHETIC

HOME IS BEHIND, THE WORLD AHEAD –––– AND THERE ARE MANY PATHS TO TREAD. TROUGH SHADOWS TO THE EDGE OF NIGHT. UNTIL THE STARS ARE ALL ALIGHT.

THE WORLD BEHIND AND HOME AHEAD

WE'LL WANDER BACK TO HOME AND BED.

HIATUS: AWAY AT SCHOOL IN JAPAN UNTIL SEPTEMBER

CREDITS:

( ✎ㅤ. . .ㅤ𝑩𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑫 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑫𝑨𝑹𝑲𝑵𝑬𝑺𝑺. | @royalarms )

❝ did you miss me? ❞

the news had come as she'd been tucked into a car, talcott asleep with his head on her shoulder & iris across the backseat from her, eyes on the window. it had been silent, save for the radio & the sound of the wheels against asphalt. tifa had been sore & bruised after fighting for her life & those around her in the city, but she kept her head up, eyes focused–––– she had an assignment now, tasked with the protection of the two as they traveled to meet talcott's grandfather in lestallum.

she was as exhausted as the boy at her side, but she refused to settle. there would be nothing behind her closed eyelids but the reminder of death & destruction. at least here, on duty, sharp & focused, she felt distracted enough not to linger on it until the radio broadcasted the latest news.

the king was dead. this, she knew. it had been the first thing they had all heard, late into the night, a few crownsguards & nobles tucked away making plans for escape. it was the announcement that had bid monica to task her with getting talcott & iris out of the city. it was hard to hear, but it was not new.

what was new, was the announcement that followed. lady lunafreya was dead.

& so was noctis.

you could have told tifa that the world had titled on its axis & she would have believed you. she said nothing, but her jaw dropped, her head turning swiftly towards the radio. the rest of the news sounded muffled & distorted to her ears, & she could barely hear it over the sound of her breathing & suddenly rapid heartbeat. she looked over to iris, who was watching her with tears in her eyes & panic in her gaze, & tifa couldn't do anything but reach over & squeeze her hand for reassurance.

it had been days before iris had come running to her, excitement in every motion & phone clutched in her hand, telling her that she'd spoken to noctis, that the news had been wrong. & though tifa had felt relief in the moment, a new fear had also settled in. fear that something else could happen, panic that iris had somehow been mistaken.

that fear didn't disappear, even as the next couple of days passed, lingering until the evening the prince and his friends were meant to make it to lestallum.

iris lept up when the text arrived, running down the stairs after a quick announcement of their arrival. tifa couldn't help but giggle at her excitement, even as she herself hesitated., choosing to spend a few extra moments with talcott until he ran off to find his grandfather.

& then she was alone, & she could no longer put off finding out the truth for herself.

her heart pounded in her ears even as she approached the stairs to the lobby. her hands trembled as she grabbed the railing, & the first few steps were slow & hesitant.

& then she heard his voice, & the sudden swell of hope she felt carried her down the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her. she stopped on the last step, when her eyes caught sight of him, & she spoke before she could think about it.

❛ noctis? ❜

their eyes met, but if noctis said anything, tifa didn't hear it. instead she was bolting forward until she was close enough to wrap her arms around him. it was a struggle to blink the tears from her eyes, so she shut them instead, pressing her face into his shoulder. his own arms wrapped around her in return, & she felt her chest tighten with the realization that he was alive. standing before her–––– holding her in his arms.

❛ did you miss me? ❜

tifa couldn't help the soft laugh that bubbled from her throat as his voice rumbled in his chest beside her ear. the playfulness in his tone matched the feeling of relief that made her feel lighter than air, a moment of fun amidst the last several days of fear & pain. as such, she didn't mind the joke at her expense if it brought levity to the room.

❛ yeah. ❜

even knowing he was likely just being playful, tifa couldn't help but respond with truth. her voice was soft, quiet enough that she doubted anyone else could hear. her hold on him tightened, & her body trembled as she let out a sigh so relieving that she felt it in her bones.

❛ yeah, i did. ❜

@meteorea

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HERE . HAPPY BIRTHDAY THERE . HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU LITERALLY HAVE SAID HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME ALMOST EVERYWHERE 😂

Happy Valentine's Day!!

( PROMPTS FOR ORDINARY THINGS THAT FEEL INTIMATE | @reember )

[ carry ] after receiver falls asleep in an inconvenient place, sender carries them to a bed and tucks them in

exhaustion had begun to set in long before they had come across the inn, & yet tifa found herself lingering in the common room. though it was far from the largest of the places that had offered them accommodations, the atmosphere was more relaxed and & cozy then the last few they had come across. a fireplace was lit & roaring, & the couches & chaises were comfortable enough to linger for a long while.

that, tifa suspected, was why the party had settled there instead of their rooms, despite gaining their keys quickly after entry. her thoughts of heading to bed early had quickly ended when she'd caught sight of yuffie's mischievous smile, & she'd made a silent promise to keep an eye on her–––– for her own peace of mind.

quickly though, it became evident that she wasn't fit to keep watch. she leaned comfortably against the couch, eyes slow to blink & her head resting against her knuckles. she hardly participated in the conversation of the next day's travel. though no one mentioned her exhaustion, she caught a few teasing glances & drowsily deflected the playful taunts. she intended to stay awake until the group was ready to turn in, but she was no match in the battle against her exhaustion.

one moment, she was listening to one of yuffie's exaggerated tales, & the next, she was being shifted & pulled from slumber. ❛ mm? ❜ her eyes opened, half––––lidded, to see that the room had emptied. the fire had burned out, leaving everything dim & quiet. how long she had been asleep, tifa had no idea, but it was clear everyone else had gone off to bed.

well, almost everyone.

she didn't need to look to know who had lifted her from the couch. battle synergy had made her comfortable with his presence–––– everything from the flex of his muscle to the sound of his breath had become familiar to her. she knew before her eyes even rose to look at his face that she was in cloud's arms.

if he noticed she had awoken, he didn't show it. he didn't put her down, & his eyes remained forward, giving her enough of a semblance of secrecy that tifa felt comfortable studying his face in the soft light of the inn's halls. ( for a moment, in her blurry vision, he looked a bit more boyish, his expression anguished as his head turned to her, but she blinked, & the vision faded )

her eyes shut again as they approached the door, her head settling to rest against cloud's shoulder. she didn't look up as they entered, but from the lack of teasing voices, she was willing to bet that aerith & yuffie had already already fallen asleep.

& she certainly wasn't very far behind.

she kept awake as he lowered her onto the bed. guard lowered and uninhibited by her usual timidity, her hands lingered as though they didn't want to leave him, trailing down his arms until she finally settled on the bed with an exhausted sigh. the covers he brought to her shoulders enveloped her like a warm embrace, and her head turned towards him as he stepped away, eyes opening to catch him as he headed for the door.

❛ cloud? ❜

though her voice was soft & her tone laced with fatigue, it was enough to catch his attention. she saw him turn just as her eyes began to shut, & his soft, questioning voice narrowly reached her ears.

❛ thank you. ❜