snowblind style angst

[powersouls]

[They're in one of the nicer houses at the moment. Whoever lived here must have been rich, and while the place is looking a little worse for wear, it's still huge. That makes it a pain to search, but they're also more likely to find something useful.

Royce used to collect weapons almost obsessively, but Tifa doesn't think there's much point to that now. To be fair, weapons were never at the top of her list, but now there's no one to use them against. It's not like they do anything against the anomalies, after all. Personally, Tifa always holds out hope that she'll find something silly. It's fun to tease Royce, and she's secretly trying to find something even more hideous than that sweater that she can give him.

There's a big, ornate dresser pushed up against one wall that Tifa is rifling through. She's long since stopped wondering how it's possible that they can search a house and find something that they're certain wasn't there a few days ago. It's just another mystery of the town, like what keeps restocking the supply points or how the tablets stay charged. This drawer mostly seems to be a bunch of paperwork, full of bills and things she doesn't see any use in stopping to read. At the bottom, though, she finds a fake, glittery pink flower, slightly crushed but still intact. She snorts softly, pulling it out and then glances over at Royce.]

Hey, Royce.

[He should probably know by now from that tone that she's going to do something stupid.]

Comments

[bywolves]

[ Royce absolutely shudders when she runs her fingers along his sides. He's not self-conscious, never really has been, but he is aware that he's much skinnier than he used to be. That she can probably feel his ribs if she touches. It feels nice, though. Really nice.

She breaks the kiss to look at him, and Royce watches her almost thoughtfully, eyes slightly lidded. ]

Mm. [ Is his agreement, soft and empathetic. A pause, and then he rests his hands more firmly on her hips before tilting up into her a little, expression unsure but not hesitant. Honestly, quietly: ] I want to touch you, but I don't know what you like or... what's fine to do.

[powersouls]

[Tifa has no real illusions about how scrawny they both must look. It's not like either of them were very bulky to begin with when they got here, and two years of living like this hasn't done either of them any favors, but she doesn't care. The skin to skin contact is a little intoxicating.

His statement, though, catches her off guard. It's more of a question, probably, because she assumes he expects her to tell him what to do, but... She's not great with talking about things like this. It's hard for her, and while she might have more experience than him, it's not an impressive amount by any stretch of the imagination. She pulls away to sit up, unbuttoning her coat and tossing it aside. The sweater goes next. The downside, of course, is that she's freezing in just her shirt and she starts shivering immediately. The upside more than makes up for it, though—she can lay down again and press herself against him without all that bulky fabric between them.]

Well... [She starts, running her hands down his arms. She's just enjoying the fact that she can do this now, as well as giving herself a second to work up her courage.] You can touch me wherever you want. Don't be nervous. I trust you.

[bywolves]

[ He makes a soft, concerned sort of noise when she pulls the sweater away, when she starts shivering. But she presses herself up against him and he actually shivers himself - it's not so much from the cold, this time. He makes sure both blankets that they have are tucked as closely as possible around them, because he absolutely does not want her to be cold.

Carefully, he brings a hand up to tuck her hair behind her ear, smoothing his fingers along her neck and shoulder and then back up again. Resting his hand on her cheek, Royce gives her a little smile, genuine and warm. If it looks strange on his face, it's not nearly as strange as how it feels, but. He's not complaining. She brings it out in him. ]

I trust you. [ It's a lot. It's hard to say. But he does. He leans up to press a kiss to her lips, and he means for it to be brief, but he gets caught up in it, tangling his fingers in her hair - deepens the kiss, and shifts under her. The way he shifts coaxes a quiet noise out of him between kisses. He can't help it, kissing her has a hell of an effect on his whole body. ]

[powersouls]

[The smile is sweet—everything about the way he's treating her right now is, and unfamiliar or not, she likes him like this. Relaxed. Happy. Considering everything that's happened, it's a relief that he can still wind down this way. This is a side of him she's still getting used to, and so when he tells her he trusts her, she's left a little speechless. Maybe it's silly. She knows that he trusts her, and he's shown it through his actions a million times over, but she also knows how much it takes for him to say it, and it makes her heart skip a beat.

Before she can respond, though, he kisses her, and she gets caught up in it, too. He makes that noise, and suddenly she feels breathless, her hips shifting into his automatically. Her hands slide up his chest, stopping to cling to his shoulders in an unconscious attempt to ground herself.]