#starshcwer

standing there, arms full of a bouquet of colorful lilies, tifa could admit that she felt a little silly. she wasn't even sure if noctis liked flowers, but she'd purchased the flowers without thinking too much about it & by the time the nervousness had truly settled in, she was moments away from giving his gift, & it was far too late.

she tried to tuck her uncertainty away when she finally made her approach, her smile bright as she pushed the flowers into his hands. ❛ happy birthday! ❜ her tone came in a delighted cheer, newly freed hands clasping together in her excitement. ❛ i hope they're not too much, but ignis did say that your apartment could use a little brightening up! ❜

releasing her hold with a laugh, one hand reached into her pocket, relaxing once she felt the cool metal of his gift. ❛ i got you something else, too! ❜ a long chain with a charm at the end carved into the shape of a fish hung off of tifa's fingers as she held it up so he could see it properly. she knew that it matched the charms she wore on her own fighting gloves, & a part of her idly wondered if this gift would truly be okay with noctis–––– the subtle marking of the two of them as a match. a set.

❛ here. ❜ she gestured for his free hand, smiling once it was held in her own. with gentle movements, she began to weave the charm around his glove, speaking as she did. ❛ this reminded me of that picture you showed me. the one of the, um... ❜ her teeth worried her lip as she thought. she'd spent so much time committing the name to memory, surely she hadn't forgotten now. ❛ the vesper gar! ❜ there was nothing she could do about her smile–––– proud & bright for the mere fact that she had remembered, & that she knew that she shape of the charm did match, with a few liberties taken.

❛ i knew as soon as i saw it that I had to get it for you. ❜ the thought of saving it for his birthday hadn't come until after she had already made the purchase. finally, she finished, the charm wrapped around his wrist in a way that she hoped matched the subtle details in most of his outfits. tifa held onto his hand with both of her own for a few moments longer, studying the charm closely before her gaze turned to meet his own.

❛ well? what do you think? ❜

  ( august of '24 , from @starshcwer )

the  day  was  dull  as  usual  ,  his  expectations  abandoned  to  the  wind  before  the  day  even  started  .  despite  his  princelihood  ,  birthdays  just  never  felt  that  special  .  bittersweet  ,  almost  ,  but  never  anything  ecstatic  .  not  since   .   .   .   -   ding  -  dong  !  the  doorbell  chimes  ,  interrupting  his  thoughts  that  were  spurred  on  only  by  the  idea  of  his  hunger  and  lacking  food  in  his  apartment   -   then  ,  the  lacking  people  ,  the  lacking  celebration  .  however  ,  such  a  thought  is  interrupted  ,  disproven  ,  perhaps  ,  with  the  presence  of  a  specific  person  ,  standing  before  her  with  her  heart  on  her  sleeve  ,  and  flowers  that  hide  the  most  perfect  features  of  her  face  .  ‘  happy  birthday  !  ’  and  she  casts  the  stemmed  petals  ,  an  array  of  different  colors  ,  into  his  hands  .  he  glances  at  them  ,  then  glances  at  her  ,  and  smiles  something  far  more  meaningful  than  receiving  a  gift  on  his  birthday  .  no  one's  ever  given  him  flowers  before  .  not  since   .   .   .   -   ‘   .   .   .   ignis  did  say  your  apartment  could  use  some  brightening  up  !  ’  yeah  ,  well  of  course  he  did  .  he  lets  out  a  scoff  of  a  laugh  ,  eyes  half  rolling  before  focusing  back  toward  tifa  lockhart  ,  who  almost  restlessly  insists  on  more  . 

his  hand  is  taken  gently  into  hers  .  she  always  seems  gentle  ,  despite  her  air  of  usual  badassery  and  daunting  skill  ,  and  he  watches  with  his  lips  just  slightly  ajar  .  he  still  hasn't  gotten  a  chance  to  say  much  ,  stems  held  clumsily  in  one  hand  ,  the  other  wrapped  in  tifa's  fingers  as  she  ties  a  glinting  silver  piece  to  his  glove  .  he  gives  the  faintest  laugh  ,  like  the  situation  itself  is  unbelievable  ,  but  in  a  good  way  .  ❛  hey  -   ❜   but  he  can't  finish  the  thought  before  the  charm  is  tied  sturdily  to  his  attire  ,  and  he  wonders  just  how  nimbly  her  fingers  work  ?  that  would've  taken  him  ages  ,  probably  . 

then  ,  finally  ,  ‘  what  do  you  think  ?  ’ 

❛   how'd  you  even  find  this  thing  ?   ❜   he's  both  distracted  from  the  initial  gift  ,  still  making  its  presence  known  within  his  palm  ,  and  impressed  by  its  standard  .  and  by  its  existence  in  general  .  ❛   obviously  ,  i  like  it  .  it's  the  vesper  gar  .  matches  yours  ,  doesn't  it  ?   ❜   he  grins  with  something  hopeful  .   ❛ come  in  .  you  gotta  show  me  where  to  put  these  .   ❜   because  at  this  point  ,  it  seems  everyone's  aware  of  his  lacking  skill  in  interior  design  .  as  she  enters  the  entrance  hall  ,  he  pulls  her  into  a  quick  ,  and  somewhat  awkward  ,  side  hug  ,  a  splay  of  pink  upon  his  cheeks  ,  as  he  expresses  his  gratitude  with  a  short  and  sweet  ,   ❛   thanks  ,  tifa  .   ❜

❛    no way . . .   ❜ disbelief storms his heart from blinking eyes , assessing that the girl before him just might be that girl from nibelheim . the girl that lost everything that day . that's right . . . tifa . a hurt sympathy contorts his expression & the guilt of being shinra's monster labors at him always . after waking from that facility . . . he should have died there . but , he didn't . & now he stands before a girl who might entirely reject him , were he to cross her path , yet something always draws him nearer . how interesting how the passage of time changes everything .

he approaches her behind the bar , preparing for a viper's hiss for all the hurt she's felt & his lack of consideration for her work - night , ❛   'scuse me .   ❜ he clears his throat , nervously , ❛   you -- i . . . -- sorry . tifa ?   ❜

THE CLINKING OF KEYS RESOUNDS THROUGH APARTMENT HALLS AS HE FIDGETS WITH THE CHAIN THEY'RE ATTACHED TO . he grasps the one to his rental betwixt bound fingers & unlocks the door with an ease however relative . after wrestling with his lock after a long day of pleasantries & regal expectation , exhaustion exhibits itself in a casual slump of his shoulders , a lack of good posture , & a strained ache in his legs causing a familiar limp on his left . looking forward to the simple grace of being alone , staring at his ceiling , relaxing to music , & giving himself time to lull over the past year & everything it has brought him , he's greeted immediately with further celebration .

seeing tifa , however , sitting at his table , is an ever - welcome surprise . all of his plans of solitude dashed in an instance , but he swallows the change to his throat , & gives a warm , earnest smile . ❛ tifa . ❜ he can hardly grasp the moment's shifts as she grasps him by the hand & leads him to the table . it's just the two of them here , & while he's being dragged through his own living quarters , he wonders how long she's been waiting here alone . if he'd known , he'd have tried to hurry things along more quickly back at the citadel .

❛ you . . . didn't have to do this . ❜ he speaks , but he knows she already knows . she knows & she'd do it anyway , for that's simply the kind of person she is . surprise still sits evident in his raised eyebrows & the way his vision sweeps the set up she's gifted him . his gaze stops at the cake , home - made & gorgeous , & he looks to her with vague bewilderment & certain curiosity . ❛ you made it , yeah ? ❜ he's already impressed & he hasn't even tasted it yet . to think she'd go out of her way like this . . . for him . he has so many people who are tasked with ensuring he's taken care of , but tifa has no such obligation . she does it simply because she cares , & he's ever - in - awe of her thoughtfulness .

he picks up one of the forks she'd laid purposefully aside her display of affection & digs directly into the uncut pastry , as if to give it a try before committing to its entirety . he chews with hesitancy & over - examination of the food before deciding it's more than up to par with his tastes . with his mouth still half full , he speaks through the moist & spongey goodness , ❛ 's real-y good . ❜

& he passes her the other fork , as if to ask her to share with him after a big swallow . ❛ you tried it yet ? ❜

@starshcwer​                                                 TIFA LOCKHART