IT'S A BEACH PARTY

[noburden]

Jill finally gets her day at the beach with her boys.

Did she pack far too much food? Possibly, but the cooler and basket(s) fill up some of the space on the massive blanket set out on the sand, an umbrella shading a corner of it. Someone will eat it at some point. She opted to forego the alcohol (no beer cans), but there's sparkling lemonades and apple cider and plain ol' water. Torgal even has his own bowls filled with water and some easily transportable mushy meat stuff. It's downwind, don't worry!

And it's hot. The sand stings before the flesh can adjust to being slightly cooked, like being on many tiny coals. Jill's been slathering sunscreen on herself and whoever dares look a little rosy. It's important. She's not tolerating any burns.

Today is going to be fun, peaceful, and without incident.

Pushing anyone into the waves doesn't count.

Comments

[noburden]

"A very diplomatic response," Jill says. "I don't think it will be fair to you, but... I hope you'll play to win."

[rosarianoath]

“It’s Dion,” Clive replies. “I definitely want to win.”

[noburden]

"It's me, too," Jill points out with a smile. "You want me to lose?"

[rosarianoath]

“I can make it up to you,” he replies, bumping the tip of his nose against hers.

[noburden]

"After we head home, I assume," Jill says. "But I could be too ashamed to face you after my defeat."

What then, Clive.

What then.

[rosarianoath]

“I could coax you out,” he says. He’s not entirely sure how, but somehow. “There must be something you’d smile at me for.”

[noburden]

"Smile? At you? I don't know about that," she says, smiling already with no attempt to curb it. "You may have to try very hard."

[rosarianoath]

He chuckles, despite the water, despite the discomfort.

“I could bring home your favourite pastries, to start.”

[noburden]

"To start... and then?" She smiles sweetly. Details, Clive.

"I might consider smiling."

[rosarianoath]

“I put on very small clothes for your entertainment.”

[noburden]

He got her. Jill's smile grows.

"I don't think that would make me smile."

A peek of half a ball would definitely make her smile on even her worst day.

[rosarianoath]

“No?” He doesn’t believe her. “How about if I wordlessly picked you up, slung you over my shoulder, and carried you off to bed?”

[noburden]

Unfair. He knows that's her favorite.

"... in the very small shorts?"

[rosarianoath]

“If they are nowhere to be found, it might be no shorts at all.”

[noburden]

"That... that has a good chance of making me smile," she says seriously. "It always does."

[rosarianoath]

“Ah,” he says. “Should I take my chances with that, or need I think of something to raise my chances further?”

[noburden]

Jill glances around to make sure no one is within earshot before speaking.

"A contingency plan is always a good idea."

[rosarianoath]

“Ahh,” he says, venturing onto the beach proper. He’ll carry her right to their camp. “Then I suppose I’ll have to tell the lady of my desires.”

[noburden]

"Should I be jealous?" She jokes, and steals a kiss. "That used to be me, once upon a time."

[rosarianoath]

“Are you a lady no longer?” he muses, boosting her a little higher in his arms to keep her face close. “Or would a grander title suit you better?”

[noburden]

"A grander title? Like what?"

[rosarianoath]

He gives a little amused sound.

“Wife, perhaps?”

[noburden]

Jill makes a little sound in her throat and tries not to think about how her heart squeezes.

"The only title I would ever care to have. Some day."

When he's ready. She's been ready since they were children.

[rosarianoath]

“Someday soon,” he promises. It’s felt close for a while, almost within reach. He couldn’t say why he hasn’t grasped it. “I want it for both of us.”

[noburden]

"So do I," she says with a smile, and it's physically impossible to talk about being his wife without needing to kiss him, and so she does.

"You're my husband."