eight entry ⊗ bauble trip home

[flamekthunder]

Sender: Eustace
To: Everyone
Subject: Successful Use of Baubles to Return Home

For those who may not have noticed, recently the baubles used for the Wishing can be used to return to our home worlds and still be able to return. It was a risk, but given the prospect of this for the ongoing research of staying in this world permanently, I tried it myself.

It works.

I departed on the first of the month and according to Tifa, returned after three days here. As before, the time passed in my world was several months and as expected, I still did not retain any memories of my time in Songerein while in my world.

I had the researchers at the Observatory study the dreamotion energy during this process to see if they can learn more about our connection between this world and our world. If there are any who wish to try or plan to return to their home world through the use of the baubles, I would like to request if they could study your trip as well.

It does appear that the more common "random connections" is still occurring. Regardless, I hope this message eases some concerns others might have in wanting to temporarily revisit their world on their own will.

Comments

[flamekthunder]

Our family has grown quite a bit in such a short time...

[And then a pause before there's a rueful sigh.]

I have a feeling Eria is going to give me the cold shoulder again.

[starshower]

I'm sure she'll be fine.

[The wolf might be a bit resentful for a little bit, but she'll warm up to him just like she has the other corgis... despite how she rolls her eyes at them more often than not, she knows that it's out of love.]

Just wait until she sees how happy you look now. [Her eyes linger on his lips a moment—gosh, seeing him like this just makes her want to leap over the counter at him, but she will resist... for now.] She... was waiting at the well for a while. Wasn't sure if she'd still be there today.

[flamekthunder]

[Oh? That surprises him...]

I didn't see her there.

[And now he can't help but frown in concern. After all, it wasn't so long ago that she had been depressed about what happened during the Story Eater battle...and she had definitely been sulky and reticent when he proposed he try to return home like he did. Hm...]

I'll look for her in a bit.

[starshower]

She might've gone home.

[She understands that he might be worried and Tifa tries to offer him her most reassuring smile, but compared to when he had been asleep for three days, Eria didn't seem quite as cold. She was simply waiting for him, from the looks of it.]

I left some food out for her, and she's been eating. I think... maybe she just wanted to make sure you got back safe and sound.

[flamekthunder]

Most likely.

[Still, he can't help but worry a bit for the wolf.]

But that's good to hear. A lot better compared to before.

[starshower]

Mm. I hope so.

[He needn't worry. Once Eria sees that he's returned, she'll bounce right back to her old self again. Hopefully. Minus the whole Valo and new dog in the house thing... though, she makes a note to herself to tell them both to behave with one another, and to make nice when they get home.]

So...

[She takes a long pause to take a sip of her coffee.]

Any other adventures that you've been on? How long was it for you?

[flamekthunder]

Mm... It was just a few months. The only other thing of note would be needing to rescue a friend from his stupid recklessness.

[Small sigh.]

But it was fine, nothing that we couldn't handle.

[starshower]

A few months...

[The words are repeated under her breath, and a strange feeling comes over her. It isn't sadness or grief, nor could she really call it confusion... but perhaps... it's jealousy? It isn't a nice feeling by any means, and it makes her brow furrow, but she lets it simmer for a little longer and puts her smile back on.]

... And you really didn't remember anything about this place? Just like last time?

[flamekthunder]

...Unfortunately.

[A small sigh as he moves the last remaining bits of bacon around his plate.]

Not even in dreams...none that I can remember, at least.

[starshower]

[She watches the last pieces of food on his plate, waiting patiently for him to finish his meal before she starts asking the heavier hitting questions... and delivers the even heavier hitting news... She doesn't want to overload him all at once, and these things are better done in private, way from the eyes and ears of her patrons.

So, at first, Tifa only hums in response, like an affirmation that she understands and had expected it, but... there's something swimming beneath her gaze still. And there's a pause before she finally asks...]

Could we talk somewhere? More private? ... When you're done.

[flamekthunder]

[He catches the implication behind her words and gaze, and he looks at her questioningly for a moment before he nods.]

We can talk now.

[He pretty much finished—well, he will after he takes that last forkful. He wasn't going to leave anything behind! Not this precious meal his wife made!!

But once he does finish, he stands to take the dish to go around to the sink because he apparently isn't going to let her do it.]

[starshower]

Ah—?

[She's confused and surprised when he takes his dishes just as she'd been about to grab them herself, but she relents and steps aside with a crooked smile, allowing him to do just that as she shuffles the dogs out from behind the counter.]

Why don't you all go outside for a while? We'll be right back, okay?

[The dogs all obey, the corgis telling Valo that mom and dad are probably going to go be super gross in the kitchen, so it's better to leave them alone! He's a bit concerned, but he follows after them as they all encourage him to the back, Violet bouncing along in the air as she brings up the rear.

And she follows him into the back kitchen, setting out a "be right back" sign on the counter first before closing the door behind her.

Back here, it's quiet, the sound of the café hardly filtering in, and she leans against the counter, waiting for him to finish with his dishes first while she nurses her cup of coffee.]

You didn't have to do that, you know... You should be relaxing.

[flamekthunder]

[A glance over his shoulder as he rinses off the plate to then dry and set aside.]

I am. And it's the least I can do after all you did.

[He then dries his hands and turns to walk over to her, hands immediately going around either side to lean against the counter in front of her.]

...So? What's on your mind?

[starshower]

[His closeness is tempting, and as she sets her cup of coffee aside on the counter behind her, the desire to toss it all away and just pull him in for a kiss is there, her craving for it only growing as his warmth slowly envelops her—a warmth that she's missed these past three days—but... she knows that there will be plenty of time for that later.

So, she sates that appetite by wrapping her arms around him so that she can hold him close.

But now that she's here, she doesn't even know where to start with all of it. All the things that have been weighing heavy on her mind since before he even left have only festered further, and Tifa knows how silly those thoughts are... She knows that she has nothing to worry about and yet...]

When you were back home, did you...

[She bites her lip as the anxious butterflies rise in her stomach, and she finds a different way to word it.]

... I was always worried that things might've changed. With you, and us...

[flamekthunder]

[He's also tempted.

So tempted.

Although he knows she wants to discuss something important with him, it's as if the realization of how long it's been for him to be with her has struck him and all he wants now is to make up for that. What they had earlier barely scratched the surface. So he's pointedly looking at her face, eyes traveling over her eyes, her nose, her lips...

...But he refrains himself, even after Tifa hugs him, and he just contents himself by closing his eyes and resting his face against hers, taking in her scent. He wonders if there was a time back in his home world if he might have noticed or felt any nostalgia... But he realizes that he never did because it never existed. This scent unique to her, one that he's started to take for granted after all this time. He'll have to remember to cherish it again.

And so distracted he is that it takes a few moments for her words to register, making him pull back just enough so he can look at her properly.]

Are you asking if I met someone?

[starshower]

[She can feel it too, in the way that he hugs her, and it's as if that alone would be enough to make all of those worries go away but hearing him say it out loud like he'd just read her mind as he rested his head atop hers, it makes her stiffen in his arms, her face wincing at her own thoughts.

It sounds even sillier when it's in his voice.

So, she only gives a small nod at first, burying her face into his chest, too embarrassed to look up at him.]

... I thought about it, yeah.

[flamekthunder]

[He really can't help but laugh a little. It's a reasonable worry, one that he shares...albeit one that he's already come to terms with. In her world, the chances of her being with Cloud are extremely high, and while he still has yet to see if he can approve... He's already accepted that's just how it is, which makes all their time here all the more precious.

So he just shakes his head as he gently strokes her hair.]

No... Unless Valo counts.

[starshower]

[His answer helps to lighten the mood and that weight that has been pulling at her heart since they talked about him leaving, and she laughs into his chest, giving him the weakest little fist bump against his arm.]

Are you taking Valo out on romantic dates?

[flamekthunder]

We do go on frequent walks and eat out together. Not to mention he enjoys cuddling in bed.

[starshower]

Ah...

[Her arms loosen just enough that she can lean back to look up at him, her smile returning in full force, though it's not without a little apology in her brow for even thinking that it might be something to worry about.]

So I have some competition now, do I? Guess I'll just have to work a little harder to get you to notice me...

[flamekthunder]

You and everyone else.

[A small laugh.]

But you don't really have to work too hard...

[And his hands will slide more behind her as he presses a little more against her, voice lowering close to her lips.]

[starshower]

Good to know...

[Well, how is she supposed to resist him now? The urge too strong, Tifa brings her arms up so that she can slide them behind his head to bring him down to meet her partway for a tender, but passionate kiss. The kind that lingers, a tingle across her lips afterward, but she keeps it brief, lest they leave their customers waiting for much longer.

Her hands remain in his hair, though, fingers stroking his soft, white locks gently as she gazes up at him.]

... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry, just... it was a possibility I couldn't stop thinking about. [Tifa shakes her head gently, and lets her head drop to his chest again.] Even if you did back home, I'd be happy for you, but...

[flamekthunder]

[He savors that kiss, just one of many they will be having that day to make up for the time lost. Feel his heart pound with that yearning for more, those months of ignorance hitting him again. The strangeness of that time passing but all his memories returning to give him two different senses of time.

And at her words and her gaze, a knowing, melancholic one is returned as he lets her rest against him, a hand rising to gently stroke the back of her hair as they stay in silence for a few moments.]

...I know. It's something I had to come to terms with about you a long time ago.

[starshower]

Hm?

[Miss Oblivious over here, and she'd lift her head again if it weren't for the way he was stroking her hair in just the exact way that she likes it.]

What do you mean, came to terms about me?

[flamekthunder]

[......MAN HE FEELS SORRY FOR CLOUD RIGHT NOW—

He can't help but give a wry grin.]

Maybe I shouldn't say anything...