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

[deniles]

Hm, don't fault me too much for trying.

[At least he stops there, so there's improvement.]

Oh? Interested in a fight?

[Violence is good. He likes that almost as much as the other thing.]

[reformedsinner]

[There is. Hakkai appreciates his willingness to keep it at casual flirting, too.]

Mm, not with anyone I don't intend to kill.

I wouldn't mind a leftover zombie.

[Violence can be good; there's a certain meditative fulfillment to brutal destruction. He knows when he's too angry to be trusted with a friendly fight, though. He's been that angry since Gojyo disappeared.]

[deniles]

Mmm, a shame. I was certainly hoping you could teach someone I'm having issues with a lesson.

[He chuckles lightly, rubbing his chin. He's not going to ask about Hakkai's anger, or the reasons he wants to fight.

Somehow, he thinks, that's not exactly what Hakkai wants to have brought up.]

I'm sure you can find one or two. This place will probably make them again.

[reformedsinner]

You're having issues with someone, Niles? I'm shocked.

[When he's such an easygoing and nonabrasive person! Hakkai's tone may possibly be a little teasing, but the humor drains out of it as he continues.]

... I hope it doesn't, but you're probably right.

[deniles]

Let me fix that. Someone who I did nothing wrong to.

[Except, you know, threaten to kill, refuse to talk to, and try to show him up at every available point.]

Oh, everyone hopes it won't. But we all know better than that.

[reformedsinner]

Would they agree that you did nothing wrong to them?

[Really, Niles? Hakkai flashes a faint smirk at him, and breathes out, letting the smile go.]

... I suppose I should tell you Gojyo's gone, by the way.

[He hasn't the faintest idea whether Niles will care; he'd guessed they'd been intimate, but Gojyo is (was) casual about that sort of thing, and Niles certainly acts casual about it. And then there's whatever made Niles so unwilling to get near the temple. They could, he supposes, have fought.]

[deniles]

No, but he hates my guts anyways, so he'd be a biased party.

[He chuckles for a moment, before pausing.]

...Good riddance.

[It comes out very harsh. But he has bad blood with Gojyo, and would much rather not have heard his name ever again.]

[reformedsinner]

Mm. [It does come out harsh. Hakkai almost flinches from it before he catches himself, glancing away.]

... Did the two of you fight? I should have asked before, I suppose.

cw: slurs

[deniles]

...He called me a fag. Insulted my god's son. So yes, you could say we got into a fight.

[He ran his fingers through his hair. Hakkai had to know, if he was talking to Niles about Gojyo. No sense in being secretive.]

Last I saw him, he was still being an asshole. So I let him fight a hoard of zombies alone.

[reformedsinner]

Luckily, he didn't have much trouble with them.

[Gojyo is reasonably good in a fight, after all, and if he'd dug in out of -- who knows? Wounded pride? Hakkai has to admit to himself that he doesn't have the slightest idea how Gojyo would treat a casual male fling, and his memory is of no help there -- well, then, leaving him to do his fighting on his own is an understandable response.

If he'd been hurt Hakkai would still have broken Niles' legs for leaving him to it, of course.

He tilts his head slightly to one side.]

Honestly, I'm a little surprised it bothered you that much.

[It's not that crude insults aren't hurtful, and Hakkai would have burned Gojyo's lunches for him for a solid week if he'd caught him throwing that particular one around, but anyone who flirts as aggressively and indiscriminately as Niles must have absorbed his share of rude or cruel rejections.]

[deniles]

[He's fully prepared for his legs to be broken.]

Then I should be thankful you're not about to kill me.

[He has no shame in what he did, but he knows how Hakkai treats people he cares about.]

...It bothered me more in the fact that the moment I came over, he launched into shouting at me and calling me slurs.

[He shook his head.]

I can deal with rudeness from a stranger I hit on. From a man who I had gotten cozy with? It's a bit harder to reconcile that fact.

[reformedsinner]

Ah. That didn't happen to be just about the same time you took your feelings out on those carpets, did it?

[All does become quite unfortunately clear. Gojyo had barely gotten back then...

He restrains the urge to explain or justify. If Gojyo had still been here, Hakkai would have insisted he apologize. He's not. Wherever he is, Niles' feelings about being unfairly attacked don't really matter now.

His lips quirk briefly, and he glances away.]

Isn't it lucky you won't have to worry about him any longer.

[deniles]

It's funny, isn't it? I've never been that good of a liar.

[He never really was banned from the temple, technically, although Gojyo did tell him to leave and not come back.

Hakkai is too smart for his own good.]

Isn't it just?

[He looks towards Hakkai. He doesn't really care too much now. But Hakkai did bring him up, after all.]

I apologize. For once. I'm sure you didn't want to hear about any of that.

[reformedsinner]

You're a terrible liar. So was he.

[So it didn't take too much to put the pieces together, even without letting on to either of them that he knew what was happening.

He crosses his arms, avoiding Niles' gaze. He happens to be an excellent liar, under normal circumstances, but he doesn't see the point of lying at the moment and he'd rather not know if he's being pitied.]

I can't accept that apology, though. I'm the one who asked.

-- I'd apologize on his behalf, if it weren't that it's meaningless coming from a different person.

[deniles]

...Then it's comforting to know how honest our last conversation was.

[Because Niles can see through most lies, even being bad at them himself. So knowing how Gojyo really felt... is it the best way to say goodbye?]

...An apology from him would be meaningless too. As I know he'd never be sorry.

[He shrugs his shoulders.]

An apology comes from guilt. There's little doubt he felt no guilt over that.

[reformedsinner]

You didn't know him very well, did you?

[Hakkai's tone is mild. Gojyo, feeling no guilt over shouting and cursing at someone he'd been intimate with to drive them away? Really? Hakkai's certain he'd have been kicking himself for it. He's also certain that if Gojyo hadn't apologized before his disappearance, it's because he'd convinced himself it was for the best somehow, or somehow necessary to keep Niles away.

It's just too bad Hakkai hadn't pointed out to them he knew before it was too late. Who knows? Maybe he'll figure out how to rescue Gojyo after all, eventually.]

[deniles]

...I tried to know him better.

[It was true. That's how he got called those names in the first place.]

He wouldn't let me get to know him better. So if I'm wrong about who he was, that would be why.

[He doesn't know how things would have happened, had Hakkai known. In Niles's mind, nothing good would have come out of it either way. He still doesn't know what Hakkai and Gojyo's relationship was truly like anyways.]

[reformedsinner]

Ah... I didn't mean it as an insult. It took me a long time to understand him, too.

[Much longer than the short few months he'd known Gojyo in the Heavens. Hakkai had hardly begun to understand him at all when he disappeared: Gojyo had been right about that.

He's still avoiding Niles' gaze, his own expression distant.]

[deniles]

I didn't take it as an insult.

[He moves to place a hand on Hakkai's shoulder. If he's allowed. It's soft. Gentle. Easy.]

I just wanted you to know why I see him the way I do.

[reformedsinner]

[Niles' hand settles on Hakkai's shoulder, and Hakkai, startled, flinches violently at the touch. He catches his breath and forces himself to stand straight again, flashing Niles an unfelt smile.]

I, ah. Of course.

... I do understand that.

[deniles]

[However, the hand is removed the moment Hakkai flinches. Nope. Not okay. Whatever the reason, it's not okay, and he's not going to force it anymore.

He actually likes Hakkai, after all.]

...Glad to hear it.

[reformedsinner]

[As much as the flinch had been a startled reaction more than a rejection, Hakkai isn't complaining that Niles didn't insist on offering comfort.

He doesn't want to be pitied, and he doesn't want to be coddled. He doesn't want to be comforted, either, not when there's nothing in the comfort that can really help.

He blinks against a wave of helpless exhaustion, and lifts one hand to his throat, rubbing his fingers over his new name.]

Anyway, I think you were talking about someone else with a grudge?

[deniles]

Somehow, I think the mood is wrong for my bitterness.

[As it had been far more about how upset he was about something, frankly ridiculous.]

Let's have a chat again soon.

[reformedsinner]

Ha ha, you won't even let me change the mood? How strict of you.

[Hakkai catches himself -- he really must stop that habit -- and lets his hand fall to his side. He smiles faintly.]

If you prefer, then. Later.

[deniles]

I look forward to it.

[He smiles with a nod. Sorry, Hakkai. He's not very interested in trying to change the mood now. He wants to come back when they just didn't talk about Gojyo.

And when he doesn't feel like he pissed off one of the few friends he has here.]