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

@ joshua

[noburden]

"Did you get the back of your neck?" Jill asks Joshua, as if she hadn't been the one to assault him with the bottle of sunscreen as soon as they arrived. She frowns from beneath her sun hat. She can't recall, and stepping around him reveals a suspicious lack of white cast. Probably not.

"Stay there, I'll grab the bottle."

@ dion

[noburden]

Dion should know better than to get too close to the water when Jill is near. But but now, Jill also knows he's willing to strike back. Or first, should the demons win. It may be why she keeps a respectful distance as she nears with a pleasant smile.

"You should go cool off your feet."

Just expose your back to her, Dion. What could go wrong?

@ clive

[noburden]

They've been here for a minute, and all is well. No blood. No arguing. No real bickering, no looks, no deepening frowns. Jill is almost hesitant to remark on it given how fragile things have been between the pair, but as she sinks her toes into wet sand and the waves make sure no one overhears, she can't help herself.

"You and Dion seem to be getting along." In general. Not that she's been watching them like a hawk or anything.

@ my wife

[rosarianoath]

Clive meanders around behind her, just out of the water’s reach, his hands deep in the pockets of his hoodie. (Worn open, of course, but it’s enough to draw less attention to himself.) His gaze drops to the surf, where it tumbles around her ankles and then tries to get him.

“We’re on our best behaviour,” he remarks. “For our own sakes as much as yours and Joshua’s.”

put a ring on it

[noburden]

"I appreciate it," she says wryly, but there's a fair amount of sincerity behind it. "I would be happy to do more things with all of us, but I suppose I should see how the rest of the day goes before I start making more plans, hmm?"

Let's see if everyone survives being around a large body of water.

Not on the beach!!

[rosarianoath]

“A fair assessment,” he says. Danger feels well behind him, but a dog that bites can’t be trusted to not bite again.

Clive watches the water stretch out, inches from his toes, before it creeps back. Again and again.

“I think you can make more plans. I won’t get in the way of them.”

excuses

[noburden]

"I'll enjoy the present, for now," she says, taking a few more steps into the water, turning her back to the waves and reaching a hand out, inviting Clive to step closer.

"I do wonder... what's changed?"

LMAO

[rosarianoath]

Ugh, not the water. It was inevitable, on a trip like this, so he takes a few steps forward, expression neutral. It feels childish to grimace at such a thing.

“There’s enough misery in this world without carrying on some feud,” he says.

[noburden]

Actions speak louder than words. She's not ready to fully relax when Dion and Clive are together, but she wants to hope.

She takes his hand and tugs him closer. Get into the water, coward.

"Took you both long enough."

[rosarianoath]

"Well," he says, moving towards her obediently, even if he hates the feeling of sand sliding away around his feet as the waves suck back into the ocean. He'll tolerate it. For her. But he'll also use that hand to twirl her around, to clasp her back to his chest, so they can look out at the water together. "I cannot take the credit for starting it."

[noburden]

Jill goes with a soft laugh, and leans back into him as she tips her head up to look at him.

"Group effort," she replies. "I don't think I would love two people entirely incapable of getting along."

[rosarianoath]

He lets her weight bear against him comfortably, his feet sinking in the sand.

"I think affection for you could bring even the most hotheaded people together," he muses, tilting his head to the side so she can lean back. "Or the most stubborn, perhaps. But we've done our best, despite our worst impulses."

[noburden]

"Is that the sort of person I surround myself with? Hotheaded and stubborn?" She hums playfully, amused.

"I don't know if that would apply to our dear Joshua."

Clive dies of grief

[rosarianoath]

“You don't recall how often the nurses would find him reading late instead of sleeping soundly?” He leans his cheek against her temple. “I think that’s it’s one kind of stubborn.”

calm down padme

[noburden]

Jill huffs out a laugh, louder.

"He still does that. How often I see the light from under his door!"

It's a sweeter sort of stubborn and therefore gets a pass.

"The refusal of carrots no matter how I prepare them, however... you're right. He is stubborn."

Dies in general instead

[rosarianoath]

Clive huffs, fond and exasperated at once.

“The carrots,” he repeats. “I confess I’ve yet to understand that resistance, but the young lord gets what he wants. Not even the brandied ones you make, too.”

[noburden]

Jill clicks her tongue. "Nor the carrot cake," she sighs. "At least I have you, ever eager to try my failed attempts to get him to like carrots."

[rosarianoath]

“I’ll eat anything.”

And he has eaten everything.

He kisses the side of her face, knowing only the ocean will see it.

“I like anything you cook.”

[noburden]

"As long as you don't have to step into the water to get it, of course," she hums.

[rosarianoath]

Caught. He rumbles under his breath.

“I’m in it, aren’t I?”

[noburden]

"This hardly counts."

She turns in his arms and wraps hers around him.

"It feels nice and cool, doesn't it?"

[rosarianoath]

“It’s fine,” he says, arms settling around her waist. The longer he stands in it, the less offensive it feels. “It’s nice to watch you enjoy it.”

[noburden]

"It's fine," she parrots, amused. "You won't drown. The ocean is nice when it's not crashing down upon you."

[rosarianoath]

"I'm not worried about drowning."

He'd have to be pretty foolish to drown in front of so many people, without even a battle to excuse himself by. That said, it's easier to think about that than the way she's up against him wearing so little on a public beach.

"I'll keep an eye on our things if you all want to go swimming."

[noburden]

"And what if we wish for you to join us?" She asks, giving a little tug towards the water.