Flutter

Flutter: Dix - Neuf

"I'm sorry. This must still be so new for you. Don't worry. Everything will get better in time."

Nora sighed.

"I hope so." Nora whispered, trying to be more at ease.  

"Now what?" Tifa said, gazing around the room that she and Nora had arranged.

The brunette bounded off the bed and onto her feet, surprising the red head.

"Come!" Nora grabbed Tifa's hand and tugged her off of the bed. "I want to introduce you." 

Two wolves later...

 Tifa and Nora,  were scurrying on hand and knee, circling the room over and over again - two young tots on their backs, screeching and yelping in pleasure, amusement. 

Nora had dragged Tifa to the children's playroom. There, as suspected, she found Annabelle, and Peyton. They were just finishing up their lessons. At the sight of Nora, they were instantly delighted. It took a good five minutes before Nora managed to peel the two monkeys off of her body, but when she did, she turned them towards Tifa, who stood in the doorway awkwardly, shifting her feet.

"Peyton, Annabelle, this is Tifa, my friend." Nora had said, inching them closer.

"Hello." Annabelle peeped out, while Peyton assessed Tifa in silence.

"Tifa is new here and is going to be staying with us for a long time."

"Really?" Asked Peyton.

"Because," Tifa began, clearing her throat. "I'm here for Nora - to protect her."

"Protect her?" 

"Yes! I'm a solder!" Tifa uttered proudly.

"A solider!" Peyton cried, letting go of Nora's hand and walking to stand at Tifa's feet. "A real, true, fighting, solider?"

Tifa knelt down, to eye level.

"Yes indeed! And I'm here to guard Nora and you as well." 

"That's so cool! Can you use a sword?"

"Yes."

"Can you show me how?"

Tifa laughed out loud at the request.

"Well, sure I can. Maybe when you get a little older."

"Aww." Peyton pouted.

"I wanna be a soil-der, too!" Annabelle remarked, bouncing up and down energetically.

"You can't be." Peyton said.

"Can too!"

"Can not!"

"Can too."

"Whoa, there." Nora interjected, wanting to nip the quarrel before it turned into a shouting match. "Annabelle, can be a solider if she wants to in the future - and so can you Peyton. But you both have to study hard and learn your lessons so that you can become very good soldiers."

"I'll be the best there is." Peyton exclaimed. He straightened his back and marched steadily, nose in the air.

Nora shook her head and turned towards her friend.

"Aren't they adorable?" 

"What's a-door-able?" Anna asked, quirking her head.

"You are!" Nora smiled, taking Anna into her arms.

"I'm not a door! I'm a wolf!" She corrected.

Tifa threw her head back, quite taken with the two cherubs.