𝑨𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑻𝑯‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. (Hiatus)

flora

Hi everyone! I'm going through a bit of a rough time IRL and I'm using any sort of creative energy I can spare on individual writing projects. Thank you to everyone for interacting. I'll be back eventually 🩷 be kind and be well 🩷

—𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘦𝘢r—

// HE SO BABYGIRL SHAPED!

“but um! since you do look like a regular… what do you recommend here? i’m kinda trusting your expert cafeteria wisdom.”

aerith blinked.
“oh-! sorry, sorry! i didn’t mean to scare you,” she said as she leaned a little closer. “i get excited sometimes. it just… happens.”

her gaze flicked down to the cards, then back up to him. a small, sheepish smile.

a cat is laying on its back on a wooden floor next to a wall . ALT: a cat is laying on its back on a wooden floor next to a wall .

** wall market warriors

SIGH

she shook her head with a grin.

“boss? nope. just partners in crime. wall street warriors, you and me!”

“job perks, huh?” she teased. “you say that now! i’m kinda unbeatable at queen’s blood. you might wanna ask me to go easy on you while you still can!”

when his hands found her waist and pulled her closer, her own arms slid up around his neck.

“congratulations,” she chirped. “contract accepted. welcome to the job, bodyguard boyfriend!” 🌸

“right here!” she said as she grabbed his hand and guided it through the air, drawing a big loopy signature on her invisible paper.

“and for the record! queen’s blood is a card game. i’ll teach you.”

she plucked a yellow flower from beneath her feet and put it behind his ear.

she watched him count through the terms with her green eyes sparkling more and more. when he leaned in, she leaned right back with her nose almost brushing his.

“wow… you didn’t even argue! she giggled.

where do i sign? she beamed.

she swallowed, green eyes tracing the cracked markings with worry and her thumbs brushing lightly over her sister’s fingers.

“that looks like it hurts a lot… it’s okay. i have a cure materia inside. right there by the window.

we’ll take care of it. you’re not dealing with this alone. not ever.”

aerith sucked in a sharp breath to keep herself from freaking out. she didn’t let go of tamara’s hands.

“okay… okay.” her voice was soft and careful. “i’m not freaking out. see? totally calm.”

“relax. i think it’s really sweet! sooooo… when did that start?”

she glanced over at her sister with a knowing smile.

“when did you start liking him?” 🌸

“ohhh no, no, no! that was definitely something! you don’t blush over ‘nothing,’ tamara.”

she plucked a small yellow flower and twirled it between her fingers mischievously.

flora

i’ll get to replies tomorrow/over the weekend! finals done i just need a recharge night with a nice dinner and some anime lmao 😭

“four! you have to play queen’s blood with me. even if i win.

five. be yourself. ’cause i like you. a lot.”

she tucked her hands behind her back.

“sound fair, bodyguard boyfriend?”

“one! i can take care of myself just fine! but every once in a while, if i find myself in a pickle against the bad guys of the week, you help me out.”

“two! you have to grin at least twice a day. no exceptions.”

“three!” she leaned in a little. “kisses.”

“respectfully smokin’ hot-! ohhh, i see.”
she did a little twirl for him. “is blue my color? i think it might be.”

she tapped her chin.

“let’s seeee… the contract is pretty long,” she said. she held up an invisible paper and pointed at it. “but i’ll summarize.”

aerith immediately burst into applause!!

“WOOO!! YEAH!! GET IT, COWBOY!”

she cupped her hands around her mouth.

“that’s RANGE! that’s passion! keep goin’! don’t you dare stop at ninety-nine!”

“wow-! okay, that escalated really fast! smokin’ hot, huh? respectfully noted!

oh? so now you wanna rescind your contract?” a gasp. “even though it’s a once-in-a-lifetime, completely priceless opportunity?”

“ohhh, so you were going to confess something and chickened out? wow, priest! you really should practice what you preach. pretty hypocritical, if you ask me.

the rules are in the contract for being a bodyguard boyfriend. obviously. you didn’t read the fine print?”

“on purpose?! me? never! but pleaaase please please, can i? can i? can i? i promise i’ll be a very good audience!”

“respectful, huh? because i’m pretty sure it’s very disrespectful not to call your favorite flower seller pretty. might even be against the rules!”

YV-337 Light Freighter by Alexander Ivanov. A slim, brutalist-style cargo freighter with a mostly flat front area and a single set of turbolaser cannons set underneath it. The ship is long and fairly thin, a box shape that tapers off after 60% of the ship and then has a sublight engine set at the end junction, which flares up and into the same boxy square as the front. The ship is on a plain black background and facing to the left.

"I can get you almost anywhere—for a price."

“all of the above!!! pretty’s an all-encompassing word, y’know! so basically… you’re perfect! but vocal range? home on the range? now i’m curious!! c’mon, cowboy. sing for me!”

“hey! no fair. you don’t get to flee and steal all the compliments! it’s my turn to be called pretty!”

// STATING SIMPLE FACTS TODAY!

“helloooooooo? anyone home in there?”