His father was very clear that Rufus only had two options right now- he could go along with this 'experiment', for the lack of a better term, or simply be sent off under indefinite house arrest. Really, after the whole incident with Avalanche and the attempt on the President's life Rufus was lucky. He knew Heidegger had been pressing to simply have Rufus shot and be done with it but there seemed to be some sort of twisted sentiment in President Shinra still given his willingness to spare his son to this degree.
Rufus loathed Hojo, he had heard the noises that came out of those labs, and being involved in one of them made his skin crawl as his father and the scientist explained their intention. But the alternative was house arrest, far from where he needed to be in order to carry out his coup. So he had agreed, this was the only thing he could do in order to buy himself time to make sure he had the allies he would need when he took out his father.
The day came for him to meet the Ancient who had been brought in by the Turks- he knew nothing about her, all that he knew about the Cetra were from the brief notes he had been allowed to read from Hojo's research. No doubt she had already been put through many of Hojo's experiments, he had to endure his own examinations to make sure that they would be at last basically compatible.
There was no going back now as he was led further into the dark labs. His skin was crawling by the time he was shown into a room, Hojo practically giggling as he opens the door for Rufus. "I'll give you time to ...become acquainted while we finish our final preparation," and with that Hojo is gone, shutting and locking the door behind him.
The first thing Rufus struck by is that this room is definitely not a lab with the colorful mural across the bedroom wall but his gaze doesn't linger on that as he looks at the girl sitting at the other end the room. If he didn't know she was an Ancient he would have just assumed she was as normal as anyone else but he's not sure what he had expected to find. "You must be Aerith then."
It was the last card she wanted to play, but there had been no choice and Aerith handed herself over to Shinra custody, only to end up here. The proposition was a terrible one, she had never met the son of President Shinra, but Aerith was unable to picture anything but a smaller, younger version of the man in charge himself. It made her skin crawl, but it didn't make her skin crawl as much as the alternative did - letting herself be destroyed, a piece at a time in Hojo's lab as her mother had been.
She'd been kept there since she surrendered, and the retinue of tests and experiments that filled her days almost made this proposed endeavor seem nice.
Turning when she hears the heavily secured door to the quarters she's kept in prized open Aerith meets Rufus with an even expression, her face a practiced mask of neutrality she spent years perfecting under Hojo's scrutiny. Even if the things that happened here horrified her to her very core, Aerith would not give anyone the satisfaction of knowing. She reserved her disgust and her despair for the few moments of privacy she was afforded.
"Rufus Shinra," she answers with his name, nodding in acknowledgment before she looks him over hesitantly.
"Tell them to cut the cameras and the audio feed. If you're making me do this then I want to talk about it in private." It was a bold request, one he stood a fair chance of rejecting, she knew - but she had to try. Hojo had done a lot to damage her dignity in some respects, but Aerith was quick to bounce back, claiming as much space and agency as she could whenever the chance presented itself.
[ It's obvious from the way she gasps that Aerith was not expecting the incorporation of confetti, and the sight of it leaves her grinning widely while she nods over Mal's shoulder as the annoyed, and slightly perplexed looking man who'd left the bar to look for her. ]
I'm not! I have plans!
[ With her drink in one hand, Aerith steps up beside Mal, taking her arm and both indicating that this is what she means by plans even as she tugs the other girl away from the bar and further down the street. ]
Come on, come on, I think he got the hint! We should go eat.
[ Lacing her arm with Mal's Aerith manages not to spill any of her drink while ushering them both towards the BBQ place in question. ]
[Fun hadn't much featured in her life before arriving, well, here. Aerith was fun. And she'd gone to the trouble of packing confetti for a song and dance that didn't happen, she was absolutely going to use it.]
[She leaned into Aerith, laughing as she led them away. It was good to laugh. It was rare to laugh. But Aerith was like that. Things just happened, and they didn't entirely make sense always, but who cared? They were good things.]
[ Mal's response to Aerith's question keeps her smiling widely when in lieu of replying she temporarily lets her phone drop into the basket hanging from the crook of her arm.
Once she's done tying the flowers that remained from the day out together into a cute little bouquet Aerith sets it back in her basket and takes her phone back out, glancing around at her surroundings before she responds. ]
[It's time she badly needs to find clothing and put other things in a vague sense of order. First, the other boot, then her long-sleeved white shirt - pulled on hastily enough she doesn't realize she's got it on backwards at first.]
[She practically skids to a halt in front of the door when she hears the knocking.]
Coming!
[Which is when she frowns, feeling a tickling at her throat, and looks down, hand holding up the shirt tag for inspection. Then there's a hurried series of movements, turning it around again, smoothing it down, and taking a deep breath. And then, she opens the door.]
Hey.
[She smiles, widely, looking from Aerith to her basket.]
[ Siegfried is the prideful sort, but even he has to admit when something is beyond his body's capability to heal naturally. Even with Fafnir's blood coursing through him and allowing him to heal quickly, the axe that had inflicted the wound on his torso possessed some sort of magic. The type of magic that ensured its target wouldn't heal naturally.
So he's grateful that Aerith has taken him in; he's witnessed enough of her work before to know that he was in good, capable hands. And that she'd help him, or anyone who needed it.
Even if it does hurt his pride, a little. He gives her a small smile of gratitude. ]
Thank you again, Aerith. I hope I don't take up too much of your time or energy.
[ He shifts to try and remove the blood-stained linen shirt he's wearing. ]
Ah, how would this be easiest for you?
[ Should he sit? Lay down? Stay where he is? He's not used to letting others heal him. ]
[ After helping him into one of the empty bedrooms of her house, Aerith is quick to gather her supplies and get them arranged, shaking her head at him as he attempts politeness in the state he's in. ]
You have such good manners, even when you're bleeding.
[ Aerith turns her head to smile at him before her head tilts sideways considering the question. ]
Lay so that you're comfortable, and I can best see the damage? I'm going to try and clean it up a little, but don't worry, I'll have you on the mend soon!
[ Even with Siegfried hurt, Aerith manages to sound upbeat like there's no injury too grievous to handle. Heading over to where he is, she catches the hem of his shirt as he lifts it over his chest, helping him pull it off. ]
It was a pretty gnarly stump. Deep roots, lots of shooters. Took about two and a half hours of digging first, and then would have been easier to pull if there was a truck and a winch involved.
Luckily, Krauser himself is practically a truck these days.
An hour later the stump lies defeated in the garden, and the buff, sweaty soldier takes a seat on one of the impossibly delicate little wrought iron chairs, wiping his hands and forehead with a damp rag and waiting for Aerith to reappear to survey his kill.
As it became clear that Krauser was on the verge of victory over the stump Aerith headed out of her garden, where she's been idly tending to her flowers while he worked, retreating into the kitchen only to emerge after he's sat and catching his breath.
"Wow! You really did it!" In each hand, she carries a carafe of water, one of which she hands off to him, and the other she sets on the table beside him, smiling cheerfully. Too keen to take a look at the damage, she doesn't linger long, heading across the backyard to the vanquished stump and the hole it's left in the ground. With a little laugh, she steps into said hole, crouching down to get a better look at the soil.
"This is great dirt down here too! And look–" Like a gopher she pops back up into view, both hands cradling the rootball of a stunted bush that's been trying to grow among the roots of the dead tree. "A new project!" Dirtier than she was before she climbed in a hole and poked around in the soil, Aerith returns to Jack's side, showing him the little plant. "Look at how pretty and curved the trunk is. We can trim it into a tiny tree, like a bonsai!"
[ Sunlight falls through the broken rafters of the church. Somehow this day always brings pleasant weather. Similarly, there's a hint of warmth in the curve of his mouth.
Except for in that first year—the very day marred by Tseng's appearance at her door—she received something small on every birthday. Shinra's emissary came bearing carefully curated gifts to keep the company in Aerith's favor. Trinkets that never ended up anywhere around her house, and books that Tseng never saw her read. A clockwork ritual of diplomacy wrapped in ribbons and polite smiles. Until at some point, he better learned her tastes and came into his own within the company, choosing the gifts. She reads the gardening handbooks and wears the work gloves... sometimes.
Her presents haven't been from Shinra in a long time, in that sense. No velvet-covered leash of corporate interests ties it up now. Tseng stands under the fractured light, looking from the wrapped, pale violet box to her. He holds it out. ] Happy birthday, Aerith.
[ For most of her life, those gifts landed in the trash, or passed off to another occupant of the slums who'd appreciate it as the present it was, rather than a coy show of Shinra flexing its muscle and reminding her how she's never too far from being under their thumb. Then the gloves arrived. Suddenly, it became obvious that this wasn't about the company keeping tabs on her, as much as it was Tseng, subtly using all the attention he paid to her for something more than official intel.
Now there's no doubt in her mind that when he turns up today, beautifully wrapped gift in hand, he hasn't brought her anything from the company. Warmth sits cozily deep in her chest as she gets back to her feet, straightening up from her flowers to walk around the makeshift flowerbed and lift the box out of his hands. ]
I was wondering when you would show up today. [ She's smiling too brightly for those words to be anything but an underestimate. She's been waiting for him. Enjoying today wouldn't feel complete or possible if he didn't.
It takes her a moment to look away from him and down to the present, carefully unfastening the ribbon before opening the gift the rest of the way, intensely curious by the time she's able to peer inside the box. ]
[ Tifa never minded when the teams split up, especially when she was paired with Aerith. They hadn't really known each other that long...couple of weeks, really, though she had a sneaking suspicion time just didn't move the same in situations like these. It felt like they'd known each other forever. Fast friends. Instant comrades. BFFs, as she'd heard other people say.
Tifa hadn't had a lot of friends, not really. Losing Jessie and Biggs -- well, she was holding on that much tighter to the people she still had. Part of why she didn't mind being paired with Aerith was she knew she could protect her. Of all their abilities, Aerith's made her the most vulnerable; casting and praying required stillness, openness. Tifa could be useful, and Aerith never fought her on it.
Today, that teamwork led them into the jungles near Costa del Sol. It was hot. Stick hot. Tifa was glad she never wore anything that wasn't breathable, but thoughts of being stripped down to her bra and bike shorts play in the back of her mind. Hell, she'd take a swimsuit. Or just being naked, if there was anywhere she could do that that people wouldn't be wildly weird about it. Some of the fancier hotels probably had private breezy outdoor space. Not that Tifa really supports the franchised hotel and Shinra money here too, but Johnny's place sorely lacks and privacy for nude lounging.
A fact that normally she wouldn't notice, the same way that right now, she doesn't notice it's odd she's having it.
Instead she tilts her face to the mix of sky and lush foliage, inhaling deeply. ]
That smells amazing. You know anything about tropical plants?
[ There's no way it's anything else. Floral, bright, peaceful. Only the Planet can do that. ]
[ Aerith has never had friends like the ones she's found in Tifa, and the rest of their companions. She's thrown her fate in with the rest of them, vowing to walk this road towards saving the Planet and doing whatever it takes, and while the mission is daunting, the companionship she's found dwarfs the challenges she knows aren't that far away.
Time with Tifa is extra special for a whole host of reasons, some Aerith hasn't yet been willing to sit down with herself and truly delve into like she knows she ought to. They can just be, and be happy, and it would be more than enough for Aerith. Still, she likes the time alone, and when the rich, tropical perfume of some not-so-distance bloom fills the air, she draws an extra deep breath, making a point to relish how good of a day this is.
Tifa's question pulls Aerith out of her thoughts with a curious little hum. She steps closer, falling in beside the other woman as her head turns and her gaze roves this way and that. ] I've only read about it in a guide I got from the library, but, if I'm right then– [ Cutting herself off with a soft, triumphant 'aha' Aerith points a few yards to the east of where they're standing, where the tree line yields to a glade, and a blanket of pale purple blossoms dapple the grass like stars. ]
Correl Lilies! They're only supposed to bloom for a few hours a year! Come on, Tifa, I want to get a closer look! [ There's an extra bounce in Aerith's step when she surges ahead, too excited to notice the heat slowly sweeping over her skin the closer she came to the grove of flowers. It's only when she halts on the edge, staring out at the flowers, that an intense pulse of want throbs between her thighs, making her suddenly, shockingly aware of how wet she's become out of nowhere. It's such a surprise, Aerith freezes, seeming to stare at the flowers transfixed, even as her mind reels and her blood races, boggling over the sudden, crushing wave of desire that's sweeping through her. ]
Does it seem hotter over here to you? [ There's a tremble in her voice that hadn't been there less than a minute ago, a change she desperately hopes Tifa doesn't notice, even as the swiftly rousing hunger making her heart pound hard against her ribs sorely wants the other woman to call her on it. ]
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@renogade
It hasn't even happened yet and you've already ruined ladies night.
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@petitepistol
That - might be a little too obvious. We could make a few trips, or I guess we grab what we can carry and run for it?
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you have your running boots on? i have my heels but i can run in them(no subject)
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Arranged Marriage AU
Rufus loathed Hojo, he had heard the noises that came out of those labs, and being involved in one of them made his skin crawl as his father and the scientist explained their intention. But the alternative was house arrest, far from where he needed to be in order to carry out his coup. So he had agreed, this was the only thing he could do in order to buy himself time to make sure he had the allies he would need when he took out his father.
The day came for him to meet the Ancient who had been brought in by the Turks- he knew nothing about her, all that he knew about the Cetra were from the brief notes he had been allowed to read from Hojo's research. No doubt she had already been put through many of Hojo's experiments, he had to endure his own examinations to make sure that they would be at last basically compatible.
There was no going back now as he was led further into the dark labs. His skin was crawling by the time he was shown into a room, Hojo practically giggling as he opens the door for Rufus. "I'll give you time to ...become acquainted while we finish our final preparation," and with that Hojo is gone, shutting and locking the door behind him.
The first thing Rufus struck by is that this room is definitely not a lab with the colorful mural across the bedroom wall but his gaze doesn't linger on that as he looks at the girl sitting at the other end the room. If he didn't know she was an Ancient he would have just assumed she was as normal as anyone else but he's not sure what he had expected to find. "You must be Aerith then."
LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
She'd been kept there since she surrendered, and the retinue of tests and experiments that filled her days almost made this proposed endeavor seem nice.
Turning when she hears the heavily secured door to the quarters she's kept in prized open Aerith meets Rufus with an even expression, her face a practiced mask of neutrality she spent years perfecting under Hojo's scrutiny. Even if the things that happened here horrified her to her very core, Aerith would not give anyone the satisfaction of knowing. She reserved her disgust and her despair for the few moments of privacy she was afforded.
"Rufus Shinra," she answers with his name, nodding in acknowledgment before she looks him over hesitantly.
"Tell them to cut the cameras and the audio feed. If you're making me do this then I want to talk about it in private." It was a bold request, one he stood a fair chance of rejecting, she knew - but she had to try. Hojo had done a lot to damage her dignity in some respects, but Aerith was quick to bounce back, claiming as much space and agency as she could whenever the chance presented itself.
And Rufus could be a chance.
YESSSSSS
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@reno4prez
Ugh! Reno!
You made it weird.
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want me to make it weirder? cuz thats totally an option yo. i can RISE to the occasion if u get what i mean
[And just in case she doesn't doesn't get it
(everyone gets it, Reno), his next text is just three eggplant emojis. You're welcome.](no subject)
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@chainstrike
That makes us even. I'd rather cook dinner for you than a shed.
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@elena marie
THAT'S CUTE!!!
HMM. He's a tough choice. Are there songs about someone who gives you hair goals but otherwise it's complicated?
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nonono NONONONO!!
uh something by katy perry?
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@once_reborn
[ It's obvious from the way she gasps that Aerith was not expecting the incorporation of confetti, and the sight of it leaves her grinning widely while she nods over Mal's shoulder as the annoyed, and slightly perplexed looking man who'd left the bar to look for her. ]
I'm not! I have plans!
[ With her drink in one hand, Aerith steps up beside Mal, taking her arm and both indicating that this is what she means by plans even as she tugs the other girl away from the bar and further down the street. ]
Come on, come on, I think he got the hint! We should go eat.
[ Lacing her arm with Mal's Aerith manages not to spill any of her drink while ushering them both towards the BBQ place in question. ]
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[She leaned into Aerith, laughing as she led them away. It was good to laugh. It was rare to laugh. But Aerith was like that. Things just happened, and they didn't entirely make sense always, but who cared? They were good things.]
[And her stomach rumbled, right on cue.]
Ooof, yes please.
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@slangly
So you just want to watch? What are you going to do?
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@chainstrike
Do you want me to be your leaf princess?
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@smokes
Since you're involved that is very believable!
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@once_reborn
[ Mal's response to Aerith's question keeps her smiling widely when in lieu of replying she temporarily lets her phone drop into the basket hanging from the crook of her arm.
Once she's done tying the flowers that remained from the day out together into a cute little bouquet Aerith sets it back in her basket and takes her phone back out, glancing around at her surroundings before she responds. ]
I'll be knocking in thirty seconds!
Twenty!
[ And then, she does. ]
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[She practically skids to a halt in front of the door when she hears the knocking.]
Coming!
[Which is when she frowns, feeling a tickling at her throat, and looks down, hand holding up the shirt tag for inspection. Then there's a hurried series of movements, turning it around again, smoothing it down, and taking a deep breath. And then, she opens the door.]
Hey.
[She smiles, widely, looking from Aerith to her basket.]
Those are for me, huh?
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@schwarzen
The same could be said for you! Once you involve your booty there will be no stopping you I think!
thank you for moving!
sorry it took a minute, I'm at work and doing this from my phone
omg no apology needed
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let me know if you'd like me to change anything!
So he's grateful that Aerith has taken him in; he's witnessed enough of her work before to know that he was in good, capable hands. And that she'd help him, or anyone who needed it.
Even if it does hurt his pride, a little. He gives her a small smile of gratitude. ]
Thank you again, Aerith. I hope I don't take up too much of your time or energy.
[ He shifts to try and remove the blood-stained linen shirt he's wearing. ]
Ah, how would this be easiest for you?
[ Should he sit? Lay down? Stay where he is? He's not used to letting others heal him. ]
it's perfect!
You have such good manners, even when you're bleeding.
[ Aerith turns her head to smile at him before her head tilts sideways considering the question. ]
Lay so that you're comfortable, and I can best see the damage? I'm going to try and clean it up a little, but don't worry, I'll have you on the mend soon!
[ Even with Siegfried hurt, Aerith manages to sound upbeat like there's no injury too grievous to handle. Heading over to where he is, she catches the hem of his shirt as he lifts it over his chest, helping him pull it off. ]
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@smokes
I didn't trust myself walking over with a plant, but I did bring the rest of this bottle I've been drinking!
[ That's a lie. She brought him flowers too, but for the sake of not getting him all ruffled again, she'll just leave those behind when she goes. ]
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[ girl. GIRL. this is why the turks babysit you omg 😭 ]
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@elena marie
And the lobster? It feels correct that Reno did that.
MARIE!? that's so cute ;;
probably? but where would he even get one......it's perfect, sob.
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@smokes
Why?
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@petitepistol
AWWWW YEAHH
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@babysitters
An expert on cute guys?
[ She has to give him a hard time, at least a little. ]
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i WILL give u mistletoe content
you could have stopped at one
or even just the doorways
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Stumpthread
Luckily, Krauser himself is practically a truck these days.
An hour later the stump lies defeated in the garden, and the buff, sweaty soldier takes a seat on one of the impossibly delicate little wrought iron chairs, wiping his hands and forehead with a damp rag and waiting for Aerith to reappear to survey his kill.
"Done."
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"Wow! You really did it!" In each hand, she carries a carafe of water, one of which she hands off to him, and the other she sets on the table beside him, smiling cheerfully. Too keen to take a look at the damage, she doesn't linger long, heading across the backyard to the vanquished stump and the hole it's left in the ground. With a little laugh, she steps into said hole, crouching down to get a better look at the soil.
"This is great dirt down here too! And look–" Like a gopher she pops back up into view, both hands cradling the rootball of a stunted bush that's been trying to grow among the roots of the dead tree. "A new project!" Dirtier than she was before she climbed in a hole and poked around in the soil, Aerith returns to Jack's side, showing him the little plant. "Look at how pretty and curved the trunk is. We can trim it into a tiny tree, like a bonsai!"
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🎂🍰🎁
Except for in that first year—the very day marred by Tseng's appearance at her door—she received something small on every birthday. Shinra's emissary came bearing carefully curated gifts to keep the company in Aerith's favor. Trinkets that never ended up anywhere around her house, and books that Tseng never saw her read. A clockwork ritual of diplomacy wrapped in ribbons and polite smiles. Until at some point, he better learned her tastes and came into his own within the company, choosing the gifts. She reads the gardening handbooks and wears the work gloves... sometimes.
Her presents haven't been from Shinra in a long time, in that sense. No velvet-covered leash of corporate interests ties it up now. Tseng stands under the fractured light, looking from the wrapped, pale violet box to her. He holds it out. ] Happy birthday, Aerith.
will be sobbing forever about this tku
Now there's no doubt in her mind that when he turns up today, beautifully wrapped gift in hand, he hasn't brought her anything from the company. Warmth sits cozily deep in her chest as she gets back to her feet, straightening up from her flowers to walk around the makeshift flowerbed and lift the box out of his hands. ]
I was wondering when you would show up today. [ She's smiling too brightly for those words to be anything but an underestimate. She's been waiting for him. Enjoying today wouldn't feel complete or possible if he didn't.
It takes her a moment to look away from him and down to the present, carefully unfastening the ribbon before opening the gift the rest of the way, intensely curious by the time she's able to peer inside the box. ]
ur so welcome 😌
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Sex Pollen Adventures
Tifa hadn't had a lot of friends, not really. Losing Jessie and Biggs -- well, she was holding on that much tighter to the people she still had. Part of why she didn't mind being paired with Aerith was she knew she could protect her. Of all their abilities, Aerith's made her the most vulnerable; casting and praying required stillness, openness. Tifa could be useful, and Aerith never fought her on it.
Today, that teamwork led them into the jungles near Costa del Sol. It was hot. Stick hot. Tifa was glad she never wore anything that wasn't breathable, but thoughts of being stripped down to her bra and bike shorts play in the back of her mind. Hell, she'd take a swimsuit. Or just being naked, if there was anywhere she could do that that people wouldn't be wildly weird about it. Some of the fancier hotels probably had private breezy outdoor space. Not that Tifa really supports the franchised hotel and Shinra money here too, but Johnny's place sorely lacks and privacy for nude lounging.
A fact that normally she wouldn't notice, the same way that right now, she doesn't notice it's odd she's having it.
Instead she tilts her face to the mix of sky and lush foliage, inhaling deeply. ]
That smells amazing. You know anything about tropical plants?
[ There's no way it's anything else. Floral, bright, peaceful. Only the Planet can do that. ]
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Time with Tifa is extra special for a whole host of reasons, some Aerith hasn't yet been willing to sit down with herself and truly delve into like she knows she ought to. They can just be, and be happy, and it would be more than enough for Aerith. Still, she likes the time alone, and when the rich, tropical perfume of some not-so-distance bloom fills the air, she draws an extra deep breath, making a point to relish how good of a day this is.
Tifa's question pulls Aerith out of her thoughts with a curious little hum. She steps closer, falling in beside the other woman as her head turns and her gaze roves this way and that. ] I've only read about it in a guide I got from the library, but, if I'm right then– [ Cutting herself off with a soft, triumphant 'aha' Aerith points a few yards to the east of where they're standing, where the tree line yields to a glade, and a blanket of pale purple blossoms dapple the grass like stars. ]
Correl Lilies! They're only supposed to bloom for a few hours a year! Come on, Tifa, I want to get a closer look! [ There's an extra bounce in Aerith's step when she surges ahead, too excited to notice the heat slowly sweeping over her skin the closer she came to the grove of flowers. It's only when she halts on the edge, staring out at the flowers, that an intense pulse of want throbs between her thighs, making her suddenly, shockingly aware of how wet she's become out of nowhere. It's such a surprise, Aerith freezes, seeming to stare at the flowers transfixed, even as her mind reels and her blood races, boggling over the sudden, crushing wave of desire that's sweeping through her. ]
Does it seem hotter over here to you? [ There's a tremble in her voice that hadn't been there less than a minute ago, a change she desperately hopes Tifa doesn't notice, even as the swiftly rousing hunger making her heart pound hard against her ribs sorely wants the other woman to call her on it. ]
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