012 | The Beach Episode

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Beach party
When: All day June 5
Where: The beach
Summary: A beach party for all of the Far Shore residents

[01-27 Edit: Continue your threads at the overflow post to evade captcha!]



There were certainly a lot of broken hearts and emotional roller coasters recently, so the Heavens have decided it's time to allow their people to let loose and have some fun for a little while. Through some magic - or possibly just a lot of money - they have managed to rent out an entire private beach for the event so that they won't be interrupted by any Near Shore residents. The beach is beautiful and well-maintained, the ocean goes for as far as the eye can see, and rocky outcroppings offer a handy place to dive into the water on a test of courage.

It's a beautiful summer day, perfect for swimming and cracking watermelons and playing some beach volleyball. There's even some soft music permeating the air so that nothing is every silent on this fun-filled day.

New arrivals, after having been met at the Meeting Hall, would have been immediately redirected to this party. After all, they should be enjoying themselves as well.



Swimwear

Anyone who doesn't have swimwear will be provided with swimwear to fit their needs. Unfortunately, the Heavens don't have access to a lot of swimwear, so you'll likely wind up with something ugly, something old, or something just plain weird.

Playful Fish

The sea critters are excited about the party too. They're happy to swim up to anyone in the water and will even come up to the shallows to take a look at the fun happening on the shore. Toe nibbling and brushes of scales are in your future, so you'd better get used to the idea if you plan on being in the water.

Barbecue

Some basics have been provided, but everyone has been asked to bring a little something to the barbecue as well if they can. So you're more than welcome to grab one of the many grills and start frying things up. Heck, there are even fishing poles available if you feel like hauling in a few of those friendly fish to grill. Additionally, summery drinks have been provided, including iced tea, lemonade, water, and horribly fruity cocktails.

After Dark

Just because the sun is down doesn't mean that the party's stopping! The barbecue will continue well into the night, lit now by the stars and a huge, roaring bonfire. The bonfire is maintained by Amaterasu's shinki and climbs higher than any bonfire has the right to. Also, there are floating lights in the water so that people can continue swimming now that it's dark. And if you happen to get too drunk to go home, don't worry. A white-clad shinki will be happy to put you back to bed at the end of the night. Additionally, some sparklers and small bottle rockets have been provided for your entertainment.

In Summary:

• Get some sun
• Go for a swim
• Make sure you're in a swimsuit
• Enjoy the food and activities
• Don't drown
• Have fun~

Comments

[leapingchuu]

It really wasn't something to worry about; Viktor found the blush adorable and had to take a moment to wonder at himself internally. While the reaction to his praise made him feel incredible and like doing it again forever, that made no sense and he was already being creepy enough to someone he didn't even know.

But he couldn't shake the feeling of this being vaguely familiar, and it bothered him. He knew nothing of the person he'd been, nothing of his personality, his likes (aside from drinking and watching handsome men dance in water) or dislikes or anything else at all. He was trying his best not to let it bother him, since it didn't appear that he was able to change it regardless, but it was tough.

Still, this conversation was cheering him up quite a lot, and he decided to simply let himself go with it.

"Was it? I'm glad! If what you're doing isn't fun, there isn't a lot of point to it, I don't think..."

Where had that come from? He had no idea, but his mind seemed very insistent about it. S H R U G.

"If you'd like to continue, I can give you some privacy. But if you might like to go back to the beach to get some food with me, I'd be happy to escort you."

[latebloomingeros]

Yuuri frowned, indecisive. He was enjoying himself out in the water, and didn't particularly want to go back in and be near all the rest of the strangers gathered around the bonfire on the shore, but... It felt like saying no would disappoint the man, somehow, and Yuuri was rapidly finding that he didn't feel at all comfortable with disappointing people.

"I'm not sure I really need any escorting," he found himself saying, after a slightly awkward moment's thought. "I mean... anyway, I think I'd like to keep doing what I was doing a little while longer, anyway..."

[leapingchuu]

Viktor just smiled, noticing the awkwardness but not wanting to call any attention to it. He was incredibly hesitant to make this person feel bad about anything, and from what he could see, it would be easy to do.

So he just stretched his arms out and started to slowly move himself away to keep to his word of giving some privacy!

"Okay! I think I might just swim around a little too, then. And if you'd like to get something when you're done out here, the invitation still stands!"

And with that, he swam away, long butterfly strokes on his back taking him rather quickly into the distance. He had no memory of swimming, but this seemed easy enough, and his arms were long enough to make it fun!

[latebloomingeros]

Yuuri stayed behind, continuing his "dance" for some time as the sky above them darkened, setting the stars into sharper relief. When he started to grow tired, he did look around for the stranger a little bit, feeling like he'd brushed him off a bit rudely, but... well, in the dark, without his glasses, he didn't have much luck.

Speaking of his glasses, though...

There hadn't really been anyone to leave them with when he came out to swim, so Yuuri had left them on some rocks a little ways in from the edge of the sea. At least, that was where he thought he'd left them, but maybe he remembered the place wrong? Either that, or they weren't where he'd left them for some reason...

So, after he's come in from swimming, Viktor might find Yuuri stumbling around on the shore, squinting at everything around him and looking increasingly anxious about something.

"They were right here, weren't they?"

[leapingchuu]

Viktor did find him.

He'd stayed out in the water probably a little longer than he should have, what with all the fish still trying to nibble on him. But swimming had felt really good, and the burn in his muscles had made him want to continue, strange as it sounded. Well, he guessed he was in fairly decent shape, so working out probably wasn't something he'd been too averse to!

Still, by the time he made his way to the sand, he was exhausted and knew he'd be sore the next day.

All that was forgotten when he realized that the figure stumbling up the beach toward him, squinting at the sand, was the man he'd spoken to in the water. The one who danced with the lights reflecting off his eyes.

"What are you looking for?"

It was a soft question, and he did his best not to startle him, because he was positive he hadn't been noticed yet.

[latebloomingeros]

Yuuri started a little bit when he was spoken to, but relaxed somewhat when he spotted the man.

"Oh, it's you?"

Come to think of it, he hadn't gotten his name before, had he?

"I'm just... trying to find my glasses. I thought I left them around here when I went out to swim, but I can't seem to find them now."

[leapingchuu]

"It's definitely me! Well, as far as I know, anyway. My name is Viktor, if you need something to call me! It's about all I can remember. Kind of a silly name, isn't it?"

But he didn't appear too bothered by it, his attention having shifted to the sand at his feet.

"Hmmm, I haven't seen any glasses, but I can help you look! I think I can probably see a little bit better than you can right now."

But the man was beautiful, nearly blind or not. The light of the bonfire and the smaller lights in the water kept catching on his skin as he walked, and Viktor had to keep himself from taking his hand. Where had that come from?

[latebloomingeros]

Truth be told, his vision wasn't all that bad -- not enough that he was a danger to himself wandering around, not enough that he couldn't tell faces apart from a smallish room's length away -- but it was still a little hard to search for small items in unfamiliar territory without them. He smiled, grateful.

"What's silly about it? I'm Yuuri, by the way... Um, would it be very much trouble to help? I can see well enough to get around, but searching in the dark is a little bit..."

Yuuri shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed about it. "I'm sure I didn't leave them too far from here."

[leapingchuu]

"It sounds like an old man's name, a little."

Not that he would know, but...yeah.

"That's a beautiful name! Yuuri..."

He stretched the sounds out a lot longer than he should have, trying to taste the word and loving how it felt when he said it.

"I wouldn't have offered if it was going to be trouble! It's too dark to be looking on your own, anyway. And the two of us can probably find them faster than if you kept trying on your own."

Before he knew it, his hand was extended. He didn't expect anything, but he really hoped Yuuri might take it.

[latebloomingeros]

"I don't think it sounds that old-fashioned. Anyway, it's a pretty impressive sort of name, isn't it?"

He flashed a shy little smile at Viktor, but hesitated when he saw that hand offered to him. That was rather sudden, wasn't it? It felt...

It felt unsafe to wonder why he'd be acting so familiar, as though he shouldn't let himself think any more about it. He took a deep breath, then rather abruptly turned away from Viktor, his heart suddenly pounding in fear.

"Th... That's true. Thank you -- I'll, I'll start looking over here..."

[leapingchuu]

"Impressive? Hmmm, I hadn't thought of it that way!"

It was a nice thought, though! But his smile left his face entirely when Yuuri turned away from him. He wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but the tension in the air was obvious, and he retracted his hand immediately.

"I'm sorry! I think I just like to, uh, touch people? At least to hug them. I've hugged quite a few people on the beach today, and I seem to want to do that more when I drink?

I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

He hadn't even really realized he was doing it, but he just wanted to be close to him. He could see that being creepy, though, and he hated that he'd upset the other man. He just turned away himself, head down to make it look like he was searching for the glasses.

[latebloomingeros]

[[OOC: Continued here if you want to continue! Apologies for the delay.]]