melodiesoflife | Love Springs Eternal (??)

Love Springs Eternal (??)

Who: ERRYBODY
What: It's Valentine's Day, and there are matchmaking notices everywhere. Here's an open log for one and all to post their shenanigans, meet ups, freak outs, and whatever else they're going to do about this.
When: forward dated to Feb. 14
Where: All over Aqures Ixen
Warnings: Ridiculousness.

[Plastering the city are notices matching up all of the Heroes of Light with one another, both the best and the worst. Moogles are having a grand old time handing them out and hanging them up, and are encouraging Heroes to speak with their top matches.

Naturally, reactions to this are mixed. Some Heroes are intrigued, some annoyed, some offended. Despite their feelings or misgivings, the rest of the city is still celebrating Valentine's Day as well, and now the thoughts of love are everywhere.

OOC: This is an open log for everyone to use for Valentine's Day stuff! Feel free to make your own prompts.]

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[Terra feels her heart lurch in her chest as he looks away. She never imagined someone getting so close to her and she realizes now that it hurts. She's never felt a pain that can compare, even with the tests and horrors of her past.]

It isn't something that you did. [Her words were slow, shaking slightly as she tries her best to continue. Her eyes glance away as she continues.] It's something that happened.

[Terra dares to look back at him, tears finding their way to the corner of her eyes.] You were a hero Sephiroth. A rift broke open and with it came wave after wave of monsters. In that battle our ability to regenerate was taken and you... [She feels the tears spill from her eyes but she refuses to look away.] ...you died.

[It hurt so much, even now; she missed had him so much. Now that he's here again she wants to do everything in her power to prevent that. To be able to live together and be happy; even if it's only for a little while longer. She doesn't want to waist any more time.]

[He's never felt so much of a deep ache, so far into the middle of his chest that it might indeed be classified as pain, as what sunk into him as first Terra's words began to shake with the telling of them when she looks away as if searching for the strength to continue. An overwhelming feeling, that he just wants to step forward and hold her in one piece lest she crumble away- is halted as she meets his eye contact again.

He's seen her eyes shine like that before, but not like this before. Combined with her revelation regarding the vision, that eternal sinking feeling within him abruptly turns and it feels like it might come spiking out of his chest. A sharp breath taken in, as the dots quickly connect with what he's seen of Terra's behavior recently. He feels as if looking at her directly will just cause more tears now and -even though he wants to do so much more- Sephiroth therefore looks away, biting his lip. Back down at the ground, a few paces to the side of them.]

I- I see.

[Is this worse or a better scenario than he'd initially feared? Stuck somewhere in the middle it doesn't take long before Sephiroth feels his own face start to grow hot, a tightening sensation just behind his eyes is attempted to be controlled by frowning deeper. He feels like his heart might well have turned itself inside out.

He can't even very well say that he wouldn't do that again; being a hero is very much in his nature even though he doesn't consciously give himself the credit anymore. Waves and waves of monsters, she'd said, yea - that sounds exactly like the sort of thing he'd do.]

You mean, Crystal Stasis....it...just stopped?

Yes.

[Her eyes were on him and her voice was soft. She told him the worse of it, everything after that is only a ripple affect through a pond caused by that singular moment. She takes a small step forward hoping to catch his gaze.]

I'm sorry... I didn't tell you before.

[her voice slowly gained strength.]

Sephiroth... I don't want you to die.

[Terra feels tears spill from her eyes as she closes the space between them. She doesn't want any more space, she doesn't want him to stay away. She wants him here; to remain at her side, to lift her heart when she's worried or sad.]

[One of the reasons he's spent the last night away from her is the very automatic fact that whenever she looks for his gaze, it's there like an undeniable force just demands him to take it. He can't very well keep looking away when she's moved closer, either. Sephiroth's arms still stay by his sides though, tension building in every fiber of his muscles there as if they're trying to will him to just...hold her.]

No. It's...it's alright. [He blinks, wetness on the inside edges of his own eyes being successfully dismissed back inside of him. Terra is allowed to cry all she likes, but it's not for him to make it even worse by letting his own spill in her presence.]

I'm glad that you've finally come to tell me.

[He's had suspicions, after all, now it was verified. They can move on. The creases in his expression retreat entirely as Terra's voice gains some real conviction to it. Before he's really thought about it, his hands are around the tops of her arms, squeezing firmly but not to harm. Just to let her know...that he is there.]

Nobody wants to die, Terra. But nobody can tell the future, either.

[His gaze searches her face, his heart going out to every tear that falls freely down her cheeks. But at the same time Terra needs to understand...that even if he tried to do everything to avoid the same outcome, it might eventually come around another way.]

[The pressure of his hands immediately helped and Terra felt herself drawn closer to him. There was comfort, warmth and safety in his arms. She hadn't wanted to push him away.]

I know that.

[She stated simply taking another step towards him. Her fingers rose so that one hand was lightly resting on his.]

But I'm still going to do everything I can to prevent it. [Terra spoke with a soft determination that she had only showed occasionally before now.] I will protect you, just as you are always protecting me. You're to important to me...

[Terra shakes her head but keeps her eyes on his.]

I will do whatever I can to stay at your side.

[He hadn't wanted to pull her closer before out of fear that she might have pushed away which is just one of the reasons he hadn't pried any details out of her before. Much as she'd given him space to work out his own -mostly still unresolved- issues it's only fair.

As she steps closer again and raises her hand to rest lightly on top of his, that familiar feeling as if all the small hairs on his arm were standing up is both comforting and a little surprising to him; did he really crave her touch that much?

Coupled with her words, those soft yet confident sounds it didn't take long for that feeling of rising emotion to come to rest just behind his eyes again. Sephiroth blinks a couple more times before stretching both of his arms out and closing the gap. Encircling her shoulders as carefully as he could while he steps into a light hug, not being sure if she wanted that though and so it was a loose one.]

Terra I- [With his head tucked in against the side of hers, a single tear broke out at the corner of one of his eyes, a crack against his stern self-control.]

-I don't know what to say. I just don't want to be the one who ends up causing you anymore pain.

[Terra lightly rested her head on his chest. Her eyes slip closed and she listens to the steady rhythmic chanting of his heartbeat. Her arms wrap around his waist, her grip on him tight as if she never wanted to let him go again.

He's already caused her pain but she can't tell him that. There is one thing that the sights of the future has helped her understand. Yes, Sephiroth can cause her the greatest pain in the world but he can also be the source of the greatest happiness too.]

It's worth it. [She whispers softly against her chest feeling tears rise gather at her eyes once more.] I've never been more happy, than being with you.

[Terra's words rang with a deep truth and her tone suggests that she hasn't even realized how close he's become.] Just say you'll stay with me... for as long as you can.

[As Terra slips her arms around his waist, it's enough of a clear invitation to wrap his own arms more around her as well. Terra is so petite that one of his arms is bent and rests his gloved palm against the back of her shoulder blade. He was a little surprised in how tightly she gripped at him, a tell tale flutter to the pace of his heartbeat the only indication that he'd noticed though. He only ever seemed to be aware of it more when she was pressed against him like that.

Does happiness really outbalance pain? He wonders how she came to that conclusion but can't make the words come out on account of the small hidden river that continues to run down one side of his face.

It's a wet sound, the way that he swallows and presses his lips together before speaking. Inclining the side of his head towards the top of hers a little more; it pulls at his lower back a little, but that's the furthest from his concerns in this moment.]

I can't imagine anything that will prevent that. I want to be with you, too.

[As for whether he can really yet fathom the way she makes him feel as love? It's changed from an urge to protect into something more personal, for sure, but with his logical way of thinking being so prevalent it makes it harder. He knows he'd do anything to keep her safe, to make her happy...]

[ A weight slowly lifts from her shoulders and she finds each breath easier than the last. The turbulent nature of her thoughts slowly calms and ebbs like the ocean settling after a storm. She feels Sephiroth’s warm breath against her head, the tremble of his heartbeat as she holds him close. She doesn’t want to hold back anymore and slowly, as they stand there, her tears dry turning to stains on her cheeks.

She’s silent for a long moment after, her head turns resting her ear against his chest. Bright blue orbs look up at him, her gaze and strength returning as they stand like statues amidst the ruble of the church. For a brief moment it feels like she has wings that lift and surround them both in light. Slowly the feeling fades, she hears her heart in her chest as it reminds her of the pressing thoughts and feelings.]

Sephiroth? [Her voice is soft, her throat dry as she tries to speak.] I think I’m in love with you.

[Terra knows it already, she’s known it for a while but she hasn’t said so in exact terms. At most she’s implied it and while she mentioned it in passing at the beginning of their night she wants to mention it again now.]

Is that alright?

[He doesn’t have to love her in return, not in the same way but she wants to be honest with him and honest with herself. She’s tired of being scared and keeping secrets.]

[Time just seems to lose all substance, the longer that they are stood silently in their embrace. It's punctuated by Sephiroth's strong, thundering heartbeat which seems to be creeping ever further up into his throat, stealing it's way into the space behind ears and eyes, as the moments slide by.

But he manages to keep his breathing steady enough, and his own fleeting tears are gone completely before Terra turns her head against his chest and looks up for his eyes again. Dampened thick black eyelashes look more prominent as a result and due to the angle he was looking down at her. The mako gleam that had been permanent in his eyes at one point seemed to come and go of it's own accord recently; tonight the color seemed almost hollow.

The smallest trace of moisture at one side of his eyes, obscured by jaw-length silver bangs.

They blink and widen, as if waking suddenly from a sleep, as Terra makes her confession. Not that Sephiroth hadn't dared to hope that it might be the case; indeed, she had mentioned several times in the recent past how fond she'd grown of him. But this was...well in this instance it was almost like being hit with a brick wall. It probably wasn't easy to tell his expression from the alarmed, yet at the same time satisfied flavor it seems to hold.]

But I-

[He doesn't know what he's done to bring this on himself. It had to be something he did or said but -fight or flight soon manifested itself in a rapid increase to his pulse rate, that all too familiar creeping tension which might have one or another reaction. To make it worse, he knew he didn't have the time to think what should be the appropriate response; this, indeed, would be it]

But you're sure?

[Knowing not only how much younger Terra was than him, a man now in his mid-rather-than early twenties, but how she had always had a naivety about her that wasn't natural either. Sephiroth doesn't want to take advantage; it wouldn't be right. He's still protecting her in a way...]

[Terra watches him feeling a sense of relief more than the twittering buzz of nervousness. She doesn’t know what he’ll say and yet she’s thankful to have had the chance to fall in love. To been given its sweet sting and to know what it feels like to have her heart be overcome with joy to the point of bursting. Even if he says no, even if he returns to being her protector or turns away from her forever, she’s happy to have known him and to have fallen in love with him.

She’s asking him for permission but she doesn’t think she can stop the way she feels.]

I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t sure.

[Her voice is calm and while it’s soft it’s also sure. There is no doubt in her mind that this is what she wants.]

[If there is one thing that might be more obvious to Terra in this moment, when compared to previously in spending time around him, in the face of her certainty Sephiroth seems altogether less-certain. It's almost as if he's several steps behind her within accepting it within himself; still at the 'could it be' or 'should it be' hurdle and trying to work out a way around rather than going for it.

It's probably a little strange, considering how well he often wore his confidence in other things.

Still he doesn't let her go; as if his arms have been frozen around her.]

I'm sorry...you're right it's a...dumb question.

[He takes a breath, finding it a little harder to breathe and talk as his pulse still hammers somewhere against his vocal chords. He sharply clears his throat.]

It's alright.

I just- [It's time to be more than honest again-] -it's difficult to work out.

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Love Springs Eternal (??)

[Closed - Terra] <3

[Closed - Terra] <3

[Closed - Terra] <3

[Closed - Terra] <3

[Closed - Terra] <3

[Closed - Terra] <3

[Closed - Terra] <3

[Closed - Terra] <3

[Closed - Terra] <3

[Closed - Terra] <3

[Closed - Terra] <3

[Closed - Terra] <3