New Feather Party, Summer Edition!

[ribbonbon]

Who: Everyone!
What: New Feather Beach Party!
When: June 18th, 1:00 until...whenever!
Where: The Beach
Summary: Funtime Ocean/Beach Shenannigans!
Rating: G-PG

It's been a lot of hard work, but the New Feather Party is set up and ready to go! A make-shift canopy has been set up, underneath which are a few small tables covered with various foods, some made by Welcome Center staff(though people are encouraged to bring dishes of their own to share!) along with some small ice-filled coolers full of various drinks. There are also a few beach balls, some buckets full of water balloons and some small water pistols (All Pilouette could find were the basic kind; no pumps here!) scattered about for for a bit of fun in the hot weather.

((OOC: There are subthreads, but feel free to post your own top level comments as well!))

Comments

[tearmeanewone]

That doesn't make any sense. [Elizabeth raises a helpless eyebrow at Gai, then watches someone go by in a bikini she's just barely contained by.]

I thought the point of going to the ocean was to seabathe. Not to... be as unclothed as possible. Has that changed?

[voidseeing]

Those are just for showing off. They aren't exactly designed for much in the way of swimming, which is why it's common to hear a girl shrieking because a wave took part of her bikini off. I don't know why you would even go into the ocean wearing one of those in the first place.

[Sure, they're hot, but they're also impractical.]

[tearmeanewone]

[...Elizabeth doesn't know why either. And frankly, she's having a bit of a panic attack just thinking about being topless in the middle of the ocean. This is the woman who's been shot at repeatedly.]

I can see why men are so excited about seeing women at beaches, if the likelihood of seeing someone naked is high.

[voidseeing]

Not as high as most men would like. Most of the time they have to content themselves with just looking at the bikinis, not what's under them.

Of course, they don't leave all that much to the imagination to begin with.

[And if Elizabeth decided she wanted to wear one, he would be the last person to object to that.]

[tearmeanewone]

It's true... [Elizabeth straightens her skirt over her knees a little, feeling somewhat self-conscious. Maybe she should have picked something a little more normal, but then again she's not sure she can be a little naked in front of someone yet.]

Well, what do you think of mine? [Changing the subject! Elizabeth poses a little with her umbrella.] It's... not a bikini but...

[voidseeing]

[Gai looks her up and down for a moment before smiling. It's an honestly assessing look rather than an "I want to take that bathing suit off" look, though it's clear that he does in fact like what he sees.]

I think it suits you. It's far more interesting than mine, that's for sure.

[tearmeanewone]

[As Gai surveys her, Elizabeth rolls onto her hip a little, tries to look like a pinup or something that might be comparable to a bikini. She smiles, happy when he seems to approve even though she isn't nearly naked.]

Maybe some stripes. Stripes are interesting!

[voidseeing]

You think I'd look good in stripes?

[He sounds amused. That's a suggestion that no one has ever made to him before. But if she really wants it, he'll consider it for her sake.

Then, since he's been staring at her, he figures it's only fair to return the favor and give her something to look at if she wants. Time for the t-shirt to come off, leaving him in just his swim trunks. And he's not nearly as self-conscious as she is-- if she wants to stare, she can go right ahead.]

[tearmeanewone]

...

[Elizabeth had an answer.]

[Not... anymore.]

[It was something intelligent.]

[She's absolutely sure it was intelligent.]

[But this is the first male chest she's seen that wasn't Robert or Booker or a drawing in a book.]

[So now she's stupid.]

...what?

[voidseeing]

[It's okay, Elizabeth, Gai can understand how taking his shirt off might have that kind of effect on someone. He's very diligent about his training, meaning that he's in excellent physical shape even despite his illness.

... that wide-eyed look on her face is sort of adorable, though. (And may be feeding his ego more than a bit.)]

We were talking about stripes. What do you think?

[tearmeanewone]

...stripes! Yes! [Recover, recover, she's fallen through the air more than once, it's just like that right now. Sort of. She looks back out at the ocean--as cut attractive as Gai is in just swim trunks, they just had a conversation about bikinis leaving nearly nothing to the imagination.]

I like stripes. Pinstripes or thicker ones, they all add some, ah, visual interest....

[voidseeing]

[... okay, that's it, Gai can't resist the urge to tease just a little. Really, he just finds her fascination and her sudden inability to articulate to be CUTE, and since she's usually the one bringing him up short, he can't help but want to capitalize on the moment while it lasts.]

Judging from the way you just looked at me, I don't think there's a need to add any more visual interest.

[tearmeanewone]

[And that gets a positively scandalized and embarrassed look out of Elizabeth. Caught. And caught doing something indecent no less.]

That--

[Yep, still can't talk. Elizabeth hurriedly stands up, leaving her hat and parasol on the sand.]

I'm going to wade a little... in the ocean. If you want to come too. [So the abs will follow her, obviously. Not the most well-formed plan.]

[voidseeing]

[That, in Gai's opinion, was positively adorable. Okay, so he feels a little bad for teasing, but it's only fair given how much she teases him. He'll stop if he feels that she's genuinely upset; right now she just seems more flustered than anything else.

She's inviting him to come with her, so she can't be too upset about it. When she stands, so too does he, brushing the sand off his trunks before offering her his hand.]

I didn't come all the way out here just to sit around on the beach.

[tearmeanewone]

Why did you come? [Elizabeth takes it and does a very good job of not getting sucked into looking at Gai again--it's just so curious really...]

I mean, you aren't new. Did you have a friend arrive recently?

[voidseeing]

[It's just as well that she isn't looking at him, since he glances over at her, a bit surprised by the question given the fact that they'd met at the rave here.

But he recovers quickly, and smiles.]

The last time I came to a beach just to go swimming was when I was seven years old. I thought it might be fun to give it another try.

[Because it's something normal people do. Now, for once in his life, he has a reason to want to be normal.]

[tearmeanewone]

Oh. [Elizabeth realizes now that maybe that question was a little insensitive. Perhaps she was just too stuck in the 'New Feather' aspect given she had dragged Robert there.]

[She smiles up at Gai, convincing herself that the moment is probably more important than avoiding more teasing about the staring.] I'm glad you came. I've been so busy with Robert and Booker, I feel like I haven't seen you in a long time.

[voidseeing]

You know, you're welcome to drop by whenever you'd like if you want to get away from them for a little while. I doubt they'd blame you for wanting some space every now and then.

[And hey, it would mean they could have more time together, which is always a plus. But if there's one thing he understands, it's a need for space away from other people, and he suspects Elizabeth is much like he is in that respect.

He gives her hand a squeeze when she smiles at him, encouraging.]

[tearmeanewone]

I would love to... [She gives him a pained smile.] But I'm afraid I'll come home and someone will be dead on the floor.

I don't know why, but they just... don't like one another. [And clearly it's wearing on her a little, given her heavy sigh.] But I feel responsible for them both.

[voidseeing]

[Ah. That Gai also understands, having had to play referee between assorted Funeral Parlor members more often than he'd like to count. He's not pleased that it seems to be upsetting her, though.]

Just lock them both in separate bedrooms for the evening. Problem solved, unless you taught them how to pick locks too. That ought to at least get the message across.

[tearmeanewone]

Given the number of times Booker kept telling me to open doors and safes for him? I doubt he'd know which end of a lockpick to use. He'd just shoot the door off its hinges. [Elizabeth laughed at the image.] And Mr. Lutece would use a nail and a foot of string to escape.

But, if Booker knew I was on a date, he might not take the bait and we'd have a bigger problem.

[voidseeing]

You don't think I'm the perfect model of a fine, upstanding gentleman?

[He tosses his hair a little to emphasize this, though it's clear he's joking.]

I've been doing my best to keep the corrupting to a minimum so far, trip to the bar aside.

[tearmeanewone]

I don't think 'fine upstanding gentlemen' encourage intoxicated girls onto tables. [She grins, clearly she has absolutely no regrets about that night but also has absolutely no qualms over reminding Gai of the gallivanting he engaged in with her.]

Which, I think we should keep to ourselves. Even if it was my idea, I don't think I could convince Booker of that.

[voidseeing]

Which is why I said the trip to the bar didn't count. I'm not going to pretend I wasn't just as responsible for that.

[Even if it WAS fun as hell. How can you not enjoy dancing on a table?]

But he does seem to be the protective type. I'd be more concerned about keeping what happened after that a secret from him-- at least the dancing on the table had witnesses to confirm that it wasn't too bad.

[tearmeanewone]

We did leave together though. [Elizabeth looks back at the beach, wondering where Robert has gotten to. And when she doesn't see him--]

And it sounds as though you're saying what happened after was somehow 'bad'. But it was so good... I can't stop thinking about it. [She blushes, wondering if that was a little too honest to say. But who else could she tell? Absolutely no one.]