TDM 04

[goldmods]

【 Thank you for choosing the Golden Peacock, 5-star resort and casino. You are currently registered as a WILDCARD in our system.

Due to a high volume of check-ins, temporary accommodations have been made on our brand new beachfront for new guests. We will endeavor to have all guests moved into their reserved rooms as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience. Affected guests may convene with the nearest lifeguard or reception for a complimentary swimsuit, at their earliest convenience.

Please remember that beach-appropriate attire is mandatory. Guests found breaking dress code may be escorted off the beach until they return in proper swimwear. We hope you enjoy your stay, and have a beachy keen experience. 】

BEACHFRONT PROPERTY

A BRAND NEW DEVELOPMENT

As the resort moves into what it claims is summer, the days grow longer. The sun is projected well into the evening, the heat of its warmth dialed up to a level some guests complain is unreasonable. Then there’s the most excessive transformation of all – half the Cloud Dwelling Gardens have been transformed into a sparkling beach of white sands and blue waves, seemingly overnight. Statues nearby have been dressed up with wide hats and stylish sarongs. Upbeat music fills the air without any discernible source.

A section of the beach has been reserved for a collection of bungalows. These cute pastel homes open straight onto the sand, and are comparable in size and amenity to a rank 7 or 8 suite. All screens within these bungalows are fixed to a channel that airs reruns of Boobwatch around the clock, a classic TV series about blue-footed boobys running in slow-motion across the beach. Staff and long-standing guests all agree — there’s no better summer programming than this!

IT’S FREE REAL ESTATE

▷ Thanks to a classic move called “overbooking,” new arrivals are being checked in to all this wondrous new property that’s just opened up. The catch? Why, characters are stuffed up to 4 in a room, of course. Don’t worry, that’s what the bunk beds are for!

▷ Characters still wake up naked save for a robe, as is standard for the Golden Peacock. This round’s robes are a light and breezy linen, patterned with tropical flowers and colorful designs. Some of these robes are more sheer than others. Watch out that the gentle breeze on the beach doesn’t reveal more than you wanted.

▷ Existing characters are welcome to temporarily take up residence in any empty slots in these homes. The staff understand that sometimes you want to pretend to be a brand new guest again, all bright-eyed and ready for adventure. They can even lock you out of your real room for an extra bit of authenticity. No need to ask! It’s all taken care of already.

THOSE WHO POUND SAND

▷ Several lifeguards have been newly hired to protect the beach and its visitors. These burly fellows and lasses all have three things in common: skimpy swimwear, rippling muscles, and seagull heads. They spend most of their time hanging out in groups, flexing and gossiping loudly. If characters approach them for their complimentary swimwear, they will provide whatever they’re currently wearing for them to use... by force, if necessary.

▷ Characters who seem particularly vulnerable or are holding something particularly tasty may find themselves surrounded by these lifeguards out of nowhere. The seagulls are relentless, pushing and shoving and pulling hair until they get what they want. Hope you didn’t like your sand castle very much. Those on the lower end of the rank scale will suffer the worst harassment, and they may even go out of their way to harass wildcards, 2s, and 3s just for the heck of it.

▷ Being new hires and fairly low on the resort staff hierarchy, these troublemakers can be easily chased off by someone of a high enough rank, or an assertive enough presence to pass as one. T-they’re not scared! They just remembered they have a mandatory group cawing session to get to! Buzz off!

FUN IN THE SUN

DON'T FORGET TO OIL UP

What’s a beach without fun and games? Dreadfully boring! That’s why all of the beach classics have been expertly set up by staff, including strip volleyball nets, giant boob-shaped beach balls, and plenty of floaties for use in the shallower areas of the temporary ocean. A row of parasols with paired lounge chairs underneath them are placed in some prime viewing areas for festivities. Any time you get thirsty, there’s always a cooler full of canned drinks conveniently nearby, courtesy of Cock-a-Doodle-Doo’s. Sometimes you can hear the staff whispering to each other, “What if it’s too perfect? We won’t be able to deal with the ratings dip once the beach ends!”

Seashells have been arbitrarily scattered along the shoreline, coming in both natural shapes and ones a little more... erotic. The sexiest ones of all are conch shells that let you hear the moans of another guest when held up to your ear; supposedly, if you hook up with the person on the other end of the shell, you’ll be extra lucky in the casino for the rest of the summer. All in all, it’s a carefully tailored creation that can be called nothing short of paradise.

THE BEACH BUNNY BARBECUE BONANZA

▷ This booth constantly has smoke billowing out the top and is manned during the entire day by one man – Steve, formerly from reception. It seems this is his punishment duty for be-bathrooming all of the arrivals, last time. Those willing to lend Steve a sympathetic ear will be entreated to bring him water, since the sweltering heat of the booth dries him out like nobody’s business. No matter how characters try to help him, though, a tragedy always occurs and the water always ends up spilled across the sand. That curse really is something, huh?

▷ The signature item at this cookout are the Flamin’ Hop Skewers. Made due to the current overpopulation in the Conservatory, these spicy-sweet — emphasis on the spicy — glazed skewers temporarily grant those who consume them the soul of a rabbit, including their insatiable desire to mate. Any rabbits that resort-goers have formed an attachment with have not been culled, so don’t worry about your precious buns!

▷ The booth also boasts several other exotic meats and vegetables that are considerably safer to eat, for guests who find themselves unable to overcome their attachment. Some of these skewers also feature fruits, including the hybrid ones from the previous gardening collab with the Dizzy Pigeon. Characters are free to revisit any of the Orchard prompts under the Smoky Nectar section of our PREVIOUS TDM.

A SHOW OF STRENGTH

▷ When the projected sun is at its highest, staff members will start bringing out tarps and watermelons, fresh from the gardens. What’s that, you ask? Oh, of course these were donated willingly! What a strange question!

▷ The goal is to smash the watermelon the staff give you until the succulent red fruit inside is splattered all across the tarp, perfect for falling comically into or... eating, if you’re into that. The rules are that you must use your buttocks to do so, and you only get two tries. Successfully cracking open the watermelon on the first try will earn characters a large payout, and if it’s on the second try, a medium payout.

▷ Failing to bust a watermelon at all won’t have any penalties associated with it, and you can always try again tomorrow! In order to keep their watermelon supplies steady for the duration of the beach festivities, the staff do ask that guests attempt this no more than once per day.

DAYDREAM PARASOLS

▷ Every umbrella set up on the sands has two lounge chairs set up underneath it, with a shared table between them. The chairs are padded and oh-so-comfy — sitting in them for too long while another person is present will result in both characters falling into a deep sleep.

▷ While asleep, characters will discover they’re sharing a dream with their umbrella-mate. The dream is always set on the same beach as the waking world, but there are floating clouds and sparkles in a range of pastel colors. Other beachgoers are faceless, if not entirely absent. It’s just the two of you.

▷ Anything the characters think of can drift in and out of the dreamscape, including but not limited to items from home, scary monsters to dramatically rescue your partner from, and strange abilities to fly or float through the air. However, characters will also be at full suit activation in the dream. Once both characters orgasm or they naturally wake up from their naps, they’ll find things are entirely back to normal, as much as they ever are in the resort.

NOTES

▶ All new arrivals have been issued four food and four clothing vouchers. These vouchers are as good as money around the resort. The staff will strongly insist on characters picking out "summery" attire with it, though.

▶ Existing characters may be booted into the bungalows or locked out of their room against their will. We leave it up to player discretion if this happens and the degree to which they're removed from their normal suite.

▶ For the Daydream Parasols, wildcards may be afflicted by whichever suit their player prefers for the duration of the dream. This will have no bearing on their suit selection when applying, and suit effects should not manifest once back in the waking world. It's just a dream, after all!

▶ The dreamscape has no explicit time limit, so feel free to make them as long or as short as desired. Dreams should also be sexy first and foremost. While you can include your mom dying in the background if you'd like, you have to be horny about it too.

TWINKLING CURRENTS

THE PARTY NEVER STOPS

As the sun sets in a cascade of colors over the water, lamps are lit and floating lights surface from the depths. Stars twinkle in the sky, and Steve is finally released from his smoky shackles. Though the daytime amenities have gone to sleep, the night promises its own set of beachy wonders sure to please even the most distinguished of vacationers.

Flyers posted in the lobby and in the hallways promise of a bar ran by the most enchanting mermaids you could ever want to fuck, as well as a fireworks show in every color, including ones you’ve never heard of. With the seagulls gone to bed, peace settles across the sands, tinted blue, yellow, and pink from the myriad of lights. For those seeking a more subdued, romantic air — this is the beach for you.

SWIM UP TO THE BAR

▷ While the advertisements promised mermaids, they were careful not to include any photos or illustrations. Wading out into the sea to the floating bar quickly illustrates why: these merfolk are fish on top, not the bottom! If asked about this configuration or accused of being unsexy, they’ll lift their elegant legs out of the water and exclaim, “How else would you be able to fuck us if not for these!” Though a few guests seem unsatisfied by this clarification, there are no complaints about the drinks themselves.

▷ HOLDING ON TO SUMMER. This cocktail brings seaberry-gin, limoncello, white crème de cacao, and freshly squeezed lemon juice over pebbled ice, wrapping you in decadent flavors accenting the season. Drinking this cocktail can cause you to be overcome with the desire to lean back and sink into the ocean itself, but fret not! It also grants you the wonderful ability to breathe underwater, no gills required! And it’s topped with a yummy little ball of white chocolate.

▷ MANGO STAR. A delightfully bright drink in a highball glass, the combination of elderflower rose syrup and seaberry-gin floats a summery pink over the orange mixture of mango juice, lime juice and honey syrup on the bottom. On top are two cute little stars cut out of mango, accented with mint leaves. Guests who drink this cocktail report some confusion in the identity of other guests, as just one drink is enough to shift perception of others. Other characters may appear to be different guests of the resort, or familiar faces from home.

▷ SEABERRY FLORADORA. This is a vibrant cocktail made of seaberry-gin, ginger beer, lime juice and raspberry syrup, highlighted by floral ice cubes and edible flowers. Despite its bright pink color indicating a level of cheerfulness for the summer, this flavorful cocktail causes guests to be quickly overwhelmed with a sense of loneliness. The longer this sensation goes on, the more guests will try to seek out company to aid in the ache, even if it means appearing quite desperate in the process. Each successive drink will increase the severity of the effect.

▷ BLACKBERRY ROSEMARY GIMLET. Blackberries, rosemary sprigs, simple syrup, and a combination of seaberry-gin and lime juice make this aromatic cocktail. It’s double strained over ice and garnished with a blackberry on a pick, giving it a regal appearance. Drinking this cocktail causes obsessive and possessive behavior, however — sometimes to extreme levels. Should your partner choose this cocktail to drink, you may not want to mention anything that could make them jealous. Each successive drink will increase the severity of the effect.

▷ JUST SOME SEAWATER? Questioning the mermaids and mermen on how they came to be the way that they are will result in them offering you an item off the sea-cret menu. Taking a glass from the bar, they dip it into the ocean and offer it right over to you. Drinking the seawater does, in fact, turn you into a very sexy reverse merman or mermaid. This occurs whether or not you drink it from the glass or take in a gulp while swimming, so watch out!

ACROSS THE NIGHT SKY

▷ Where else could you get a perfect view of the stars? Despite the sea of lights below, the artificial nature of the skies in the resort means that all guests get an unrivaled view of the galaxy. Which galaxy? Why, any of them — characters will see a shifting range of constellations from night to night, including ones they don’t recognize, ones shaped a bit like something you might find in Love Dove, and ones that are identical to those from their home. Happy gazing!

▷ A fireworks show is held every night, from 10PM until 1AM. The noises are just loud enough to block out a whispered confession timed correctly, but aren’t quite enough to inhibit conversation. Most of the fireworks are from a design series known as Matteo’s Masterpieces, and range from the standard burst to abstract shapes to... well, you know. Unlike the sloppy doodles found in the margins of books while Swan Lake was decaying, all of the boobs and dicks blasted across the sky are very well rendered. For fireworks.

SANDY SCAVENGING

A GAME OF BEACHES

It wouldn't be the Golden Peacock without a game for guests to play! All guests that wander into the beach area may find themselves receiving one of two Watch messages. Some very special guests may even receive both challenges — or continuously receive a new challenge when the last 24 hours is up. The resort just wants you to have the most fun possible!

SCAVENGER HUNT: EASY MODE (SFW)

Hello, dear guest. You have been randomly selected to play our EASY MODE: SCAVENGER HUNT! You have 24 hours to complete this hunt. Once completed, please submit your collected items to the nearest SEAGULL LIFEGUARD to claim your reward of Great Tit! Dessert Vouchers and a large payout.

Guests who do not complete the hunt in 24 hours will be hunted down and then publicly spanked by a SEAGULL LIFEGUARD.

Please note that items scavenged may not be personal items. They must be collected from other sources. Good luck!

1. Collect one unfinished drink.

2. Collect two kisses.

3. Collect three pairs of sunglasses.

4. Collect four sets of sandals.

5. Collect five feathers from a lifeguard.

SCAVENGER HUNT: HARD MODE (NSFW)

Hello, dear guest. You have been randomly selected to play our HARD MODE: SCAVENGER HUNT! You have 24 hours to complete this hunt. Once completed, please submit your collected items to the nearest SEAGULL LIFEGUARD to claim your reward of Naked Yolk Kink Vouchers and an extra-large payout. Winners will also be given a limited edition WINNER pin. Any guests wearing a WINNER pin will be treated as kings and queens of the beach, and be permitted to command any other guests as they see fit.

Guests who do not complete the hunt in 24 hours will be hunted down, stripped, and then strapped into the fuck pillory by our SEAGULL LIFEGUARDS. Losers will be free game for other guests to use for their pleasure.

Please note that items scavenged may not be personal items. They must be collected from other sources. Good luck!

1. Collect one cup of cum.

2. Collect two bite marks.

3. Collect three pubic hairs.

4. Collect four nudes (nude images).

5. Collect five bathing suit bottoms.

NOTES

▶ All effects from the swim-up bar last around 2-3 hours, but may be extended by having another drink.

INTO THE DEPTHS

IT'S HIGH TIDE WE GET OUT OF HERE

Though the beach experience is perfect on the surface, things are less elegant behind the scenes. Wave-making machines pulse and rattle down below, shaking the ceiling of the basement suites. Water leaks from pipes, streaking across walls and pooling on the uneven floors. The maintenance levels are abuzz with staff setting out buckets and pans, shooing lost guests away with a heightened level of urgency. Someone got a little too enthusiastic with mopping, they claim. Nothing to worry about at all!

Even the ocean itself isn’t without its issues. Despite appearing as a boundless expanse from the shore, the walls of the Golden Peacock are a very real factor. To avoid any undue damage to the screens that comprise the sky, the sea stops abruptly before it reaches them, cascading into a waterfall all the way down to the depths of the resort. Gentle currents become swirling vortexes and choppy waves, sure to pull down any guests that aren’t careful about where they swim. A few gull-guards patrol the line of buoys that mark the end of the safe swimming area, but the primary line of defense the resort relies on is the utter disinterest most of its guests have.

TUMBLING DOWN

▷ Characters who stray past the line of buoys out in the far sea will find themselves caught in a riptide that sucks them straight over the edge of the water. This applies both to characters swimming, or characters in some sort of vessel, such as a small rowboat borrowed from the staff.

▷ Feel free to make up any sort of vehicle rentals in general, as long as they’re reasonable in size — they should be able to accommodate 1-2 characters at most. A waverider would be okay, but a yacht would not.

▷ While falling down the waterfall, characters will temporarily black out before hitting anything solid. They will resurface anywhere there is standing water, whether that be a flooded hallway, in the Crane’s Respite, or even in someone’s open toilet bowl. There are no limitations on where in the resort the resurfacing can happen; even the bathrooms at Roost aren’t safe from this teleportation.

A RISING FLOOD

▷ Drainage is a difficult aspect to manage. Though the majority of the seawater is recycled to maintain the ocean above, enough of it is siphoned off for deeper filtration that the resort’s plumbing systems simply can’t handle the volume. Leaks are happening on all floors below ground, increasing in depth the further down into the basement characters go.

▷ Characters living in the rank 2, 3, and 4 suites may notice that in addition to having leaks in the hallway, their own rooms are also flooding. This can range anywhere from a constant, unpleasantly damp floor, to having an entire cascade of water blow them and any other unsuspecting guests down several hallways the moment their door is opened. Life vests are recommended.

▷ The flooding will intensify as the event goes on, culminating in some of the maintenance levels being entirely underwater towards the end of the event. Once the event is over, the flooding will recede within about a day, leaving only a few water stains here and there as evidence of their presence.

NOTES

▶ Any amount of standing water is a valid target for a character’s resurfacing, even something as minor as a glass of water. For situations where a character would not actively fit into the source of their arrival, they will be violently flung out of it, knocking over or spilling it in the process if that’s possible.

▶ As always, players are free to control the level to which their individual characters are affected, and being flooded out of their space is not mandatory.

---

OOC NOTES

INVITES | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS

▶ BLANKET CW: alcohol; altered states; aphrodisiacs; breeding urge; delusions; forced clotheswearing; hallucinations; harassment and bullying; jealousy; thalassophobia; transformation; unreality

▶ All characters on the TDM are WILDCARDS, which means they have not yet been assigned a card value. The house is still observing and deciding. As rank and suits are assigned upon acceptance your character's suit will not manifest until they are accepted into the game.

▶ All TDMs are game canon. This TDM acts as the game's June event. The beach will ICly be present from June 15th - June 30th.

▶ Current characters may top level on the TDM. Any current characters posting to the TDM should note they are current in their subject header.

▶ The top level directory is for new characters only. We want to make sure new characters are prioritized and receive attention!

▶ If you aren't satisfied with these prompts, please feel free to check out our LOCATIONS to explore more of the resort! There are recent additions to the locations page as well, for those who have yet to see them!

▶ Smut threads that take place on this TDM can be used for rewards. If both parties in the smut thread join the game, you may retroactively apply the character's initial card values to your 52 bank. If one character does not join the game the thread will not be applicable toward rewards (as that character would not have a card value). The character that does join would still receive a small payout for the encounter. Hopefully it was a fun thread regardless!

▶ We ask you to kindly add content warnings to your threads as appropriate.

▶ If you do not currently have permissions and kinks listed in your character’s journal we suggest leaving a note in your top level of any limits or boundaries for other players to reference.

▶ Don't forget your sunscreen! We'd hate for any chicken wings to come out burnt.

NAVIGATION • LOG • NETWORK • OOC • MEME

Comments

parasols!

[bardische]

[ spending time with Nami somewhat in public is new, and it's been...lovely. She's easy to talk with, and he enjoys her gentle bullying, as always. But he noticed the way her eyes constantly went the the water, or more specifically, the vessels on them.

Maybe that's why, after they doze off, he isn't surprised to see one off the beach, in the direction Nami is leading. But it's hard to focus on, when she's smiling at him that warmly, inviting him with her. ]

Whenever you ask [ he reminds her, following after with a smile of his own. ]

I've never been on a water vessel. [ It was fitting that she'd be the one to take him. ]

[cartographie]

[ Not a caravel with a ram's head (alas), but a formidable sailing vessel anyway, small enough for her to be able to handle by herself, and exciting enough of a sight for Nami to find it impossible to linger long. Her steps pick up speed the closer the shoreline comes, sparing a brief glance in Basch's direction to ensure he's still coming with her, before she chuckles quietly at his assessment. ]

You mean a boat? [ Leave it to Basch to put things in the most Basch way possible, and while she might have made a face at him any other time, his presence is unusually relaxing right now, familiar in a way she feels comfortable leaning into. ] Are you from a world with airships too?

[ Honestly, she's talked to enough of the residents around the casino that she's started to suspect she might be in the minority, as far as coming from a world without air travel goes.

A rope ladder waits, tossed over the side of the boat, and Nami doesn't think twice before scaling up it, the roughness of the rope against her hands exhilarating in its familiarity. ]

I missed this.

[ It's not like her to say the quiet part out loud like that, but it's hard not to revel as she stands on the deck of the sailboat, hands on her hips as her eyes take in the rigging, deciding on the quickest route to making the thing go, before quickly getting into motion. ]

[bardische]

[ She doesn't need to check that he's still following her; she'd have to turn him away if she wanted him to stop. But the glance back makes him smile, warm and less self-conscious than it would normally be. He always knows she wants him around, but it feels easier to believe today. ]

I haven't been on so much as a raft, except once or twice in basic training. But yes, we have airships. I haven't spent much time on those either. I move with ground caravans, or ride chocobos.

[ He's talking, but his attention is entirely on her: her eagerness, the ease and strength with which she scales the side of the boat, her knowing ability to assess the vessel. He climbs up after her, deft enough with the ladder but having to adjust for the bobbing of the boat and curl of the hull. Still, it's with enough time to see her spring into action. ]

If I can be of help, please direct me. Otherwise I will stay out of your way.

[cartographie]

[ Any other day she'd have to ask what a chocobo was, but right now Nami's much too transfixed on Basch. There's a solemn kind of grace to him, a trait she's always appreciated, but right now it's almost captivating – as though she were finally allowing herself to see him head on, instead of glancing carefully at him from the periphery.

She might have been content to stand there and let herself smile at him, were it not for the irresistible impulse to get moving, to get out on open water, the shimmer hanging in the air almost whispering that everything would fall into place once she did. ]

Just be here with me, that's all you have to do.

[ Moving like its second nature, she has the sails unfurled and caught on the breeze in almost no time at all, grinning widely at him as she hangs by the rudder, feeling the current and fine-tuning their position to go with it, compelled to get their vessel speeding faster, and looking happier than he's likely ever seen her before in the process. ]

Well? As cool as an airship?

[bardische]

[ He catches her gaze, just for a moment, and smiles back, eyes drinking her in just as much. Normally he'd cast his gaze down, or flush and make himself useful, but today he's just...enjoying her. And enjoying seeing her so happy.

And really, she's incredible when she springs into action, as well-practiced as a seasoned soldier, but as a set of tasks he knows nothing about. He can see the strength and precision in her actions, though, and its hardly any time before they start to move, with nothing but the wind and her movement. He's soon clutching the railing, staring in awe between the sea and his captain. ]

This is infinitely more magical. [ Earnest, as always. Airships worked from sky stone; impressive, yes, but...natural, in some way. This was brilliant. ]

[cartographie]

Because you're here. [ The remark's out of her mouth before Nami gets the chance to stop herself, the inclination to just keep talking too strong to resist. ] A fairy tale isn't a fairy tale without a prince, or a knight, and you're both.

[ They're sweeter words than she'd ordinarily let herself say so easily, but on such a bright and sunny day like this one, with nothing but ocean around them on all sides, they come easily to her.

Basch has always been so caring in his solemnity, and for whatever reason, Nami can't remember why she never shows him how much she appreciates it. ]

finally back in the land of wifi

[bardische]

[ His smile is wide and warm, no hint of embarrassment in it for once as he meets her gaze squarely. He...suspected she harbored this warmth for him, though he's elated that she gives it to freely today. ]

I'm sorry to disappoint, my queen of the seas, but I am a man of no title and little importance from a country that no longer exists. But if you want me to be a prince, then I am a prince.

[ That he was her knight was a foregone point.

He does not realize, either, the way he's closed the space between them, looping an arm around her waist and pulling her to his side, gazing over the sea with her.

No wonder she misses this. It feels like...freedom. Hope. ]

[cartographie]

[ Nami should turn away from a smile like that, and preserve her dignity and flinty image, instead her expression softens, the grin on her face growing to mirror his as she savors the openness of his expression and the warmth that buds up deep in her chest at the sight of it. ]

You don't have to have anything to be a prince, Basch. You're enough.

[ When he bridges the space between them and slides an arm around her, she's on the verge of pointing out that all he's doing is proving her right when she's struck by how wonderful and warm being held like this is. ]

Besides, if you're going to be on my ship, you're gonna have to learn how to sail. [ Her eyes are narrowed at the corners when she looks away from the horizon and back up to him, but her expression is still impossibly fond, like she can't hide it and doesn't want to. ] You might be gorgeous while you're staring at the sky, but I'd still put you to work.

[bardische]

[ His smile only falters for him to bashfully glance away, letting out a little huff of protest and surprise at the words you're enough. She saw right through him. It only makes his touch and his voice that much warmer when he wraps around her.

Any time he's doubted her joy at his company seems utterly silly, in retrospect. Not with her looking at him like that. ]

I'd only expect as much. Besides, I'm terrible at being idle. I'd much rather you teach me how to help.

[ And to serve his queen in all things. ]

[cartographie]

[ He doesn't tell her anything she hasn't already figured out about Basch, but that doesn't lessen the appreciation in the smile she gives him in the slightest, a part of her deeply self-satisfied at the way he's got to take a moment to turn away in the wake of that passing compliment. Basch being easily flustered isn't new, but it's always charming. ]

What if, right now, the only way I want you to help me is to keep on holding me?

[ How many times has that been the case, but instead of asking directly, she's opted for the safety of keeping her arms around him and staying close in the hopes he'll catch her drift without her having to admit anything outright. ]

[bardische]

[ It's also not new information to him that Nami is this sweet on him -- a fact that makes him warm and affectionate -- but normally he takes care not to back her into a corner where she'd have to confront it.

Her comment only makes his flush deepen, but he meets her gaze, tugging her toward him as he steps around so she's cradled against his chest, his chin tucked against her head as he holds her properly, in the way he's usually worried will scare her off. ]

Then it will be very easy to make us both happy.

[cartographie]

[ It would scare her off, or at least leave her tensed up like a startled cat, but today Nami relaxes against Basch, delighting in the familiar warmth of his chest as it's drawn flush to hers. ]

Does this make you happy? [ Direct, obvious enjoyment is one thing, but seeking him out like this, asking him questions she doesn't have to for the sake of hearing him tell her, again, that he's happy like this with her – if it didn't feel so right she might have walked right off the boat and swam for shore. ]

I could get used to making you happy, Basch.

[bardische]

[ She relaxes into him, and he can't help the happy sigh that escapes him, calloused hands stroking her back, trailing up to scratch against her hair. ]

Being with you makes me happy. You letting me care for you even more so. [ Admissions he's been careful about in the past, but now he's happy to offer them. ]

I'd like for you to get used to it, because you already do so often. But I'd like to get used to telling you.

[cartographie]

[ Telling her – some part of Nami that's not lost to the dream or how her suit's calling all the shots and keeping her honest wants to bristle, feeling almost like a long unneeded reflex that fizzles out before it can begin. ]

I'm not used to hearing it. [ Her chin rests against his chest when she lifts her head to watch his face, the beat of her heart jumping up just half as those words leave her mouth. ] There's my crew, but that's different. [ A bond apart and above almost anything and everything else. Something that hurts to think about being away from, so she pointedly doesn't, her eyes creasing just at the corners instead, adopting more of a challenging expression than the open honesty of seconds ago. ]

Does that mean I get to keep telling you how much I like it and get you used to hearing it too?

[bardische]

I would like that [ he murmurs back, stroking her hair behind her ear. His own eyes are softly crinkled, the beginning of crow's feet spreading from the corners. ] I know you take risks with me. That's something I cherish. It makes me bold enough to do the same with you.

[ More truths he'd normally not voice, but right now he wants her to know. And he wants to smooth that hurt from her, the missing of important people. He understands.

Instead he lets his fingers trail across her cheek, down her neck and around her shoulder, his other arm holding her firmly to him. He kisses her hair, her forehead, and then very softly her lips. ]

[cartographie]

[ He conveys so much in the way he touches her. Deliberate and delicate in turn, for all the ways he might make her bristle, it doesn't take the bent rules of this treat to have her relaxing into his touch. ]

I've never been able to risk like this. [ The words come out in a quiet rush, and she's grateful for the kiss his presses to her lips a moment later. It's so easy to let him draw her in, to make her sigh happily and lift a hand to touch his cheek, her tongue brushing against his bottom lip before delicately licking into his mouth, deepening their kiss with a soft, happy sigh. ]

I like learning how with you, together.

[bardische]

I understand [ he murmurs, chest tightening that she's willing to say it. He's not sure he had the words when he was younger.

And then he's humming gently into her touch, the hand at his cheek and the way she gently but deliberately works her tongue against his mouth. He lets her lead, meeting each advancement with his own, keeping his hand wide and firm around her back. Cradling her. ]

As do I. My past arrangements were...nothing like this. Nothing like you. [ He kisses her again, lips parting more readily, body shifting to slot comfortable against hers, just wanting to be close. ]

[cartographie]

[ He doesn't know the details, the mountain of reasons why she's chosen to keep everyone at arm's length, but when Basch tells her that he understands, Nami believes him. Warmth spreads through her chest, encouraging her to hold onto that kiss for as long as she can, selfish and soft. ]

So, no criminals? [ She teases in a low, fond murmur against his lips before she tilts her chin up to nuzzle her cheek against his, leaning into the easy readiness that finds her seeking more of him out and relishing the way he holds her against him. ] I don't think there's anyone like you, Basch. [ Nami's lips brush against the shell of his ear, one of her hands traveling down his chest, forever mapping his body in small ways as she touches him, quietly learning him. ]

I want you closer to me tonight.

[bardische]

[ He laughs. It's easy, warm. No fear it's too much or not the right reaction. ]

Mostly military. Mostly transactional.

[ Whatever else he's going to say is gone in a sigh as she nuzzles against him. One hand curves over the back of her hair, smoothing it down to her neck, the other finding her to squeeze it.

He shivers as she breathes that compliment against his ear, not even considering brushing it away. ]

I want to be as close as you'll have me. I want to make every inch of you feel relaxed and radiant. And I want to fall asleep with you in my arms.

[ It's not like they haven't done those things before, but he's certainly never told her. He can't entirely fathom why in this moment, nuzzling against her, holding her like the precious thing she is, even as he knows they're both aware of his growing cock.

He suspects she's equally wet. He knows, by now, and that only thrills him more. They have become close, this odd pair. It makes his heart light. ]

[cartographie]

[ as foretold :* ]