hearthwarming | inbox 🌙 songerein

It's alright.

[ Or at least, it's alright enough that she feels like she can explain what happened without becoming a mess. It wouldn't do to keep being sad about Thoma's absence; he was a bright spot in both her and Diluc's lives, and he surely would hate to see their happiness eclipsed by his departure. She and Diluc have promised to keep on despite it all... ]

Aha, you're probably wondering how it happened, right? I know it's a bit unconventional, but... I guess the simplest way to say it is that we all fell in love at the same time. Thoma was the one who suggested we all be together, actually. To be honest, if not for that I'm sure I would have taken myself out of the picture...

[ There's a lot more to be said, about how at the time she hadn't felt deserving of love, about how she's the only one of them who doesn't come from Teyvat, about how if they were to leave this place she would be the only one separated by worlds. All worries that Thoma would continually ease, now brought once more to the forefront now that he's gone. ]

Anyway, now you know! I'm sorry I didn't say anything until now.

[Tifa is reminded a little too much of her own circumstances, and the things that she wondered if Eustace would say or do a long, long time ago. If Cloud had ever shown up, would he have done the same? Would he have stepped aside and let her be with him, simply because they shared the same world? She still asks that question these days, although less now knowing that Eustace would, without a doubt, fight for his place at her side.

There are a lot of words that are not being exchanged in this brief moment of silence that follows, or in the sad, sympathetic smile that Tifa offers Ori as she shakes her head.]

It's fine. Not like you're obligated to say anything, you know. I'm just...

[She sets her glass down, and her fingers curl delicately around its stem.]

I'm glad you were able to find someone, too.

[And Tifa opens her mouth to say something more, but chooses not to say it just yet, allowing them this moment of happiness that they can share together.]

Th... Thanks!

[ It's still such a strange feeling, at times, but Ori knows that Tifa must know what it's like. To fall in love with someone across worlds, in these frankly incredible circumstances... Even moreso, given that she and Eustace have done so across multiple worlds by now. ]

It feels a bit silly, since everything happened so fast between the three of us, especially compared to everything you and Eustace went through, but... I guess that's how love is sometimes, huh? But um... I'm trying to get better about talking about things like this. I hope that you'll feel comfortable talking to me about things that worry you too, Tifa.

[ She laughs a little, in an attempt to lighten the mood a little bit. Then, she gestures at the bowls of stew in front of them both. ]

Come, let's eat.

[Tifa smiles across at her, the words not quite coming to her just yet, but Ori buys her some extra time when she gestures to the food, and she'll happily oblige by going in for her first bite of the stew, puffing on it to cool it down first. And the flavours hit her as soon as she gets a taste, and her expression says it all where words don't—that it tastes as delicious as it smells, and Tifa helps herself to a second, smaller bite this time around.]

It really is like that sometimes...

[There's something heavier in her voice, as much as she tries to keep it light.]

I think the circumstances help. Being in a new place, not knowing anyone... Maybe we're just drawn to certain people during those times, you know?

[Which would explain why Eustace had been drawn to her again a second time, with or without his memories.]

Edited (sAME ICON) 2022-08-26 02:37 (UTC)

[ Ori watches attentively as Tifa takes a taste of the stew. Although she would never deign to brag and say that she knows it's going to taste delicious, she has made this stew more times than she can count, and it's almost never been a miss. But - still, she's relieved when Tifa seems to enjoy it earnestly, and the flowers in her hair perk up and bob a little in response.

...She's also going to go ahead and top Tifa's glass off. Did it even need topping off? It doesn't matter, it's full now. ]

Mm, that's true... Was that how it went for you and Eustace? Especially since... You both have been to different worlds twice now.

[Even if it didn't need topping off, it didn't matter. She'll happily accept more and even tips it closer to Ori when she sees her pick up the bottle to do so.

She takes another bite of her stew in between, using that time to think back for an answer to the question.]

Feels like a little bit of both. I think it took us a while to realize we felt anything at all. Both times, actually. Even after we did, it took even longer for us to do anything about it.

[She laughs, looking back on it now.]

It feels like it all went by so fast, though. Like I blinked and I was here. But yeah... circumstances did help. I realized...

[Tifa pauses, and she shoots a timid smile across at Ori. Besides Eustace, this is the first time she's sharing this with anyone.]

I realized I was lonely back then, but he was always there. Even when I didn't need him to be... but after a while, I started to think that maybe I did.

[ Ori gladly and dutifully listens. She's happy that Tifa is confiding in her... Being able to talk like this reminds her a bit of her friends back home. With them, too, it took some time for everyone to feel comfortable with sharing these sorts of thoughts and feelings with one another, and Ori was indeed turned away on many occasions when she did try, but little by little both she and they opened and warmed up. She's glad that she can manage to do this here, with Tifa, too.

At what the other woman says, Ori smiles, and she puts the wine bottle back down so that she can lift her hands up to her cheeks and visibly coo at her. ]

Aww...

That's... Really sweet! I knew he must have had a gentler side like that, especially once I realized you two were together. But you know... I'm sure he needed you to be there as much as you needed him to be there, hm?

[Oh gosh, Ori... You're making her blush!

Tifa has to snap her gaze away and bury it into the wine instead, the ripples in the glass suddenly the most interesting thing in the room as she takes a sip.]

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

[Of course, that's only partly true, and her humble smile says as much, but she's had her fill of days where she thinks he's too good for her.]

He's saved me more times than I can count... I only wish I could return the favour someday...

Hmmm...

[ Ori hums as she takes a spoonful of stew, looking down at her bowl rather than at Tifa in hopes that the other woman might feel a little less self-conscious. ]

I think I understand how you feel... When Thoma, Diluc and I first got together, they really helped me... believe in myself more. It's not the same kind of "saving," but it did feel a lot of times like they saved me so much from myself. Heh...

[ She sighs, although it's out of a sense of nostalgia than anything else. ]

I would bet that he thinks you've saved him many times, in your own way. Just by being you.

Maybe.

[She can only hope that's the case, but even then, when there's trouble, it's always him getting her out of harm's way. Always him saving her ass when she hesitates, or gets distracted, and the one time that she could have been there, she wasn't. One day, she'd like to repay that favour, too.

Tifa, instead, focuses on what Ori says about herself. She can relate to that in a lot of ways, too. Eustace was the same for her. Where Tifa has self-confidence issues, guilt, and uncertainties, Eustace has helped her overcome those parts of herself when they became too overwhelming for her to handle on her own. He took her by the hand and pulled her out of those dark places time and time again...

Regarding Ori from across the table for a while, there's an obvious warmth that settles in between them. The kind that one might feel near a fiery hearth.]

They sound like they're both good men. [Which is good, because Tifa wouldn't accept anything less for Ori, but even then, she knows nothing about them.] What are they like?

They are!

[ Of that, she has no doubt, and like Tifa, she often feels as though she doesn't deserve them. She'd never felt like she deserved to fall in love with anyone, and to then find herself in a relationship involving three people...

It certainly hasn't come with its own slew of doubts and worries, especially given the fact that of the three, she's the only one who didn't come from Teyvat. If they were to all wake up from this dream just as Thoma now has... She would wake up worlds away, longing for a dream she would never be able to truly know again.

Ori smiles at Tifa's prompting; although she may seem to be a quiet person, when she feels safe and comfortable with someone, Ori surely has no problem with babbling. That Tifa has always been so patient and kind with her makes her feel exactly that.

So she babbles. ]

Diluc... Diluc is a bit like Eustace, I suppose. They both seem grumpy at first, don't they? But Diluc is actually really kind and gentle when you get to know him. He's not very talkative, but he's so smart and well-spoken. Ah, he owns the winery in town along with Mister Van Zieks...

And Thoma... [ Here, her smile turns a touch bittersweet, and yet as she continues to speak of her partners, the flowers in her hair start to brighten as if cast aglow in a warm, gentle light. ] Is a bit of the opposite. He's so friendly, and warm, and his smile always brightened up the room. I— [ she sighs. ] I really miss him, but I'm... I'm grateful for the time we had with him here.

[Ori can babble all night to Tifa if she wishes to, and Tifa contently and patiently listens, absorbing every word, every detail, and every which way that the other girl's face lights up with love and adoration as she speaks of them both. Even the bittersweet way she smiles when she mentions Thoma, and her own even begins to mirror it as well as she slowly sips on her wine.]

Make sure you keep those memories close.

[And they'll stand the test of time for as long as Ori continues to treasure them. Some people are never truly gone, even if they aren't physically there...

But Tifa doesn't linger for too long on the thought, wanting to focus on the future, the things that Ori can do.]

You'll have to introduce me to Diluc sometime!

I-I will!

[ This, said both with regard to keeping her memories with Thoma close, and to introducing Tifa to Diluc.

Not all too long ago, she might have given into the despair of Thoma's disappearance. In many ways, it was his light that both Diluc and Ori so desperately need at times, when both of their fears and worries bubble up to the surface. To lost that light hasn't been easy by any means, but... She sees that sort of light, too, in friends like Tifa. In the way that the other woman smiles at her kindly, and urges her to hold onto the memories. She reminds Ori of Thoma in that moment, and she can't help but smile warmly. ]

Thank you, Tifa. For letting me talk about this. I honestly... Haven't really talked too much about them to many people. Sometimes I worry that I'm being... A bit foolish about all of it.

[ But with Tifa, she feels more and more safe to talk about it. She can only hope she can offer the same in return. ]

But ah, one of these days... Maybe you and Eustace can come and visit the winery together. I can give you both a tour of the vineyards, and then Diluc can make you both some fantastic drinks at the bar!

[The reassurance in Tifa's smile says what she doesn't say out loud—that it isn't foolish at all. She feels honoured to have been someone that Ori feels like she can confide in about these things because it isn't something that she finds easy to talk about herself. She hasn't exactly been the greatest about sharing things about her life with the people she calls friends. She wants to, it's just a matter of finding the right place and time...

But her whole face lights up at the suggestion, and Tifa claps her hands together in front of her.]

I'd like that a lot! Maybe I could even take a bottle back to the Harvest...!

[ Tifa’s enthusiasm is contagious, and Ori nods with equal fervor in response. ]

You could even take many bottles! Though I guess that’s not really up to me…

[ She lifts a hand to rub at the back of her head with a tentative chuckle. ]

The dogs can come along. I’m sure they’d be excited to run and sniff around the vineyards—

[ An idea occurs to her then. ]

Oh! Have you decided where you’re going to have your wedding?

[Tifa's brows shoot up, and she lifts a finger to her lips.]

Not yet, but we have some ideas.

[It's just a matter of finding that perfect spot. That picture perfect clearing in the forest that she had imagined to be filled with snow the moment that Eustace had asked her. But until they find it, it'll remain a surprise for everyone else. Including her bridal party.

It occurs to her in that moment that she had come here to ask something of Ori, and she hasn't even gotten around to it yet.

After downing a sip of wine, Tifa sets it down with a steely look. She's preparing herself to ask, and she's already gone and asked the others, so why is she so nervous all over again!?]

There was something... else... I wanted to ask you, though.

[ Ori immediately feels that something is coming when Tifa sets her wine glass down and looks quite thoughtful all of a sudden. She has absolutely no reason at all to expect that what Tifa wants to ask is going to be something negative, and yet... She's an anxious person, and sometimes she can't help but fret the moment that someone wants to ask her literally anything. ]

—O-Oh, what is it, Tifa...?

[ Did she do something wrong without realizing?! Or maybe she didn't like those baked goods she gave to Eustace for him and Tifa to share after she met up with him earlier?? ]

[She senses that worry, and hopefully Tifa's smile will help to ease some of it. She realizes, belatedly, that she made it seem much more serious than it is, but really, it's Tifa who's nervous about what she's going to ask.]

How would you feel about... being a bridesmaid?

[And before Ori can say anything:]

I don't really know what it means, or what bridesmaids do, but... I know it's important. And... [There's a new flush in her cheeks.] You're important. To me... And Eustace.

[ Not all too long ago when Ori had gone back to her waking world… Eight months had passed, but in the span of those months she had the pleasure of attending a close friend’s wedding as an honored guest of sorts. Back then, she and her friends had simply shown up from the far-flung reaches of their world they had spread out to over time and helped him and his village throw what Dae called “the most epic, romantic, fun, and buckwild wedding across all planes of existence, forever and ever.”

The customary wedding traditions of Cibark’s home are surely going to be quite different from what Tifa and Eustace may be planning for theirs, she imagines, and she doesn’t really know what bridesmaids do either, but she knows from the weight of this question alone that it’s no small thing for Tifa to ask of her.

The moment seems to stretch on as she simply stares at the other woman across the table, blinking in surprise. Ori’s cheeks flush in turn, a tinge of red deepening the lilac tone of her skin as Tifa goes on and her words make something warm bloom in Ori’s chest, flowers blooming in her hair once more.

For so long in her life, Ori felt that she couldn’t be important to anyone. She certainly couldn’t be important to her parents who disappeared, or to the villagers who forsake her and her sister, or to the mercenaries who belittled her at every turn. She would shrink herself down time and time again, hiding behind animal forms and never giving herself the love she always freely gave to others. Then she met people who truly saw her and built her up, made sure she knew just how much she meant to them. At home, these were her adventuring friends. But here, in this world of dreams, they’re her precious friends from realms that she and her friends in the Alchemighty could never even fathom. Thoma and Diluc and Eustace and Tifa and Beatrix and Trahearne and many more…

She may never get used to hearing those words. You’re important. But she will catch them in her heart and keep those precious words there, all the same.

Her eyes well up with tears, and she looks away for a moment to quickly wipe them away with the back of her hand. ]

S— Sorry, just give me a moment…

[ In time, she clears her throat and looks back at Tifa, her eyes still glossy but holding some newly-forged sense of determination and gratitude in equal measure. ]

I would love to be a bridesmaid. [ Whatever that means. Maybe she’ll ask Diluc later? ] I’m so… Happy that you would have me as one, Tifa. I’ll do my best. And… [ She smiles. ] You two are important to me, too. This place feels a lot more like home with you two in it.

[Seeing tears well up in Ori's eyes make some form in Tifa's, and the two girls are turning away at just the right times to wipe them away, because as Ori could never get used to hearing those words, Tifa may never get used to saying them. She's said them so much to many people, but that never meant that each one of those moments wasn't so surreal that they didn't overwhelm her with emotion.

And seeing Ori react that way makes this one feel that much more special.

Can't exactly imagine what things would be like without you here, too. She sniffles, and shrugs her shoulders in an attempt to appear more nonchalant about it than she actually is, like she's trying to pretend she didn't just tear up alongside her at the dinner table. I'm sure Eustace feels the same.

She knows the two of them are close, too.]

But... I'm glad. We can figure it out together...

[Tifa beams, and bows her head.]

It's going to be so much fun.

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