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

[smokeandglasses]

Are you looking for another argument to have on top of everything else?

[Dragons never forger arguments or grudges, after all. He's still carrying anger over their last fight, and it seems like Concord is too.]

And if it were me, I would at least take you to a real beach.

[He can be mad at Concord and still spoil him.]

[virtuesignal]

I'm cross with you.

[And Ali is cross with him- that's why they'd separated for- what- a year now? Something like that. Concord loses... track of time when Ali is not around. Not that they didn't see one another near constantly in that span, needing to work together even if they're at odds on certain things. Ali's hording tendencies with the nation's riches, his resistance to collective action... Concord's complete inability to cope with times of peace, spiraling him into his worst habits...

Just to name a few on Concord's immediate mind.]

Fake sounds like a way to spite me. [Concord grunts, reaching down to press his hands into the sand... it is sand, but there is no magic to it. It is not of the world. Perhaps at one time it was connected to a true place, but it has lost that connection. Why do this?]

[smokeandglasses]

[Ali watches this display, still frowning to hide his curiosity. He can't sense the magic of the world like Concord can, feeling it down to the individual grains of sand. He'll have to trust Concord's words on that. Luckily, even when they have arguments, Ali still trusts Concord with all his heart and soul.]

I'm not that spiteful...

[He says this like he didn't go hide in the mountains one time, a place too steep for beings without flight to travel to.]

You don't think 'she' did this, do you?

[He wouldn't be surprised if their new-ish friend had decided to intervene and end their spat early. No, he will not give her the pleasure of hearing him say her name out loud here either, just in case she is nearby and can hear him.]

[virtuesignal]

You are.

[He's the same way. They've always been this way.]

... she... I doubt it. This is too vivid to be a mere hallucination. [Concord can lift the sand in his fists and let it drain out in so many individual grains. A dream would lack such details, or there would be something more surreal to the basic interactions. It's also so unfamiliar, so removed from their place and even time,]

I call it fake, but it is clearly very... constructed. It feels like mortal invention surrounds us on all sides. More vast than I've ever known. Like being the belly of one of those factories you are so protective of.

[smokeandglasses]

[If only they could make something like this in a factory.]

First off, just because I have investments in them doesn't make them my factories. But more importantly-

[He looks out, over the sand, over the water. Surely there must be and end to it, an abrupt wall that someone will crash into if they go too far out, but he can't see it from where he's standing.]

...we wouldn't be able to make something as convincing as this. Not even if someone brought in a bunch of sand and water from an actual beach.

[And if this was imported from elsewhere, Concord would surely feel the connection to the Earth through them, right?]

[virtuesignal]

You protect them from any account- No. No. We're not having at this, not now...

[Concord grumbles out, moving to stand only to have Ali still slightly standing upon his hair, catching him with a groan so he sits back down and hangs his head. He'd notice anybody else resting upon his mane except Ali... just his luck,]

... we are far from Ulrych, Ali. I feel far, far from home.

[It makes him... tired. Concord isn't at risk for being away, the country could go on without him and visa-versa. Yet, the recognition of that is strangely devastating to contend with.]

[smokeandglasses]

[It always goes back to that, doesn't it? They've always had their arguments, but in the last few years it feels like all they do is argue. Ali is not innocent in this, he starts arguments just as much as Concord, but their arguments always eventually reach a point where Ali starts to miss being around Concord without fighting. Then the internal fight becomes Ali's want for companionship versus his need to be right.

But there is one thing that always breaks him out of that cycle of arguing, and that's Concord's health. Seeing Concord move only to sit back down makes Ali's brow crinkle with worry, and he quickly steps off of Concord's hair and crouches down to looks Concord in the face.]

Is it...too exhausting? To be so far away?

[Already his mind is kicking into overdrive, fretting over small details like he usually does. If Concord is tired then maybe he needs rest. There's beds in this cabin, and Ali can go out looking for food and other necessities-]

[virtuesignal]

[They're both so stubborn in their own ways.

But Concord can't resist Ali's tenderness towards him. His concern, so earnest and genuine, anytime it is shown. He drops the hand from his face and looks to Ali with frustration, red in the face. Might look for a moment like a fever, but it's simply an all too familiar yearning-

How long had they been apart, just for this to happen? Concord reaches for him, grips that thin robe at the collar nearly tight enough to tear through the think fabric of it with his calloused hands.]

Kiss me and remind me what home tastes like, Ali. [Concord won't just do it, in case Ali doesn't want to. The dragon is probably still too mad at him, or simply too disoriented by the situation to accept such abrupt affection]

[smokeandglasses]

[It hasn't been that long in the grand scheme of things, but in this moment it feels far too long. Maybe eventually they'll learn to not let fights drag out for a year. Despite being more progressive than most immortals, that's the one place where Ali is like his brethren. He can be just as stubborn as Concord sometimes.

But this? He won't be stubborn over such an earnest request. He takes in a soft breath and cups the side of Concord's face with his hand before leaning in to kiss Concord on the lips. He keeps it sweet and doesn't tease Concord with it, he wants to feel home just as much as Concord does.]

[virtuesignal]

[Ali is sweet to indulge him in this. Concord's grip loosens on the fabric, smooths instead to flatten his board palm over top the robe at Ali's shoulder. Holding him firmly, bracing Ali against the kiss Concord pushes back into him. In some way, it is a reunion kiss, but not a one of forgiveness, not yet.

Doesn't change the fact that Ali is home to Concord. If Ali is around, Concord can feel the binds of their kingdom through him, through their history. Such things echo, on and on, without fading. Without being quiet as Concord's voice, parting the kiss but nuzzling his face against Ali's, sighing in something of relief]

I missed you. And I'm still cross with you. [but glad Ali is here, truly]

[smokeandglasses]

[Though dragons are solitary creatures and don't usually enjoy physical contact, Ali has come to love all the little affectionate touches Concord gives him. Maybe it's because he's in human form, humans are much more communal after all. Or maybe being pretty much married to someone does this to a person. But regardless of the why, Ali finds himself laughing lightly as he presses his face back against Concord's in return.]

You can miss me and be cross with me at the same time.

[His heart says "I missed you too," but he can't quite voice those same words. Not yet. But they have time for him to come around.]

[virtuesignal]

I know. I do so all the time. [Basically any time Ali is gone, it's heartwrenching for the unicorn. Yet, he still instigates as much as often as Ali does. Perhaps more, being the aggressive and stubborn one, unable to hold his tongue when Ali's morals are slipping beneath him like so much shifting sand.

Concord kisses him again, shorter, but punctuated. So he can peel himself back, sighing again,]

... that was refreshing. [not because of any actually magical reason, just because he likes to kiss Ali and it makes him feel better by merit of that alone. But Ali is free to completely misinterpret this as overly literal]

[smokeandglasses]

[They'll probably be arguing again in a couple days, or possibly even later today. That's just how things go with them, especially in the middle of a Big Fight. But for now, Ali is just relieved that Concord is here and doesn't seem to be any sicker than usual. He would say it's one less worry, but he always worries about Concord.]

If you want refreshing, how about we go lay down for a bit. We can explore this place later, when you're feeling up to it.

[His kisses are absolutely magical and he will give Concord all the energy he could want with them. (They are not, but he will believe that regardless.)]

[virtuesignal]

We don't know if this place is safe, Ali. I'm not resting if you might be in danger.

[No matter how cross he is, Concord will always put his life on the line for Ali. No matter what. Sure, this place seems picturesque, but there is something wrong about it. Deeply wrong. To simply go back and rest seems like a trap. They should be alert and aware until they know what is happening...

Concord jumps in place as his watch rings- it's the welcome message! Baffled by the realization there is a strange shackle on his wrist, he lifts it between them- the voice cheerful;

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-" it goes on.

Huh.]

[smokeandglasses]

[Ali also jumps as his watch rings, he had completely forgotten about it until this moment.]

A....5-star resort?

[Why are they here of all places, they have work to do!]

There's no way Mipsie didn't do this to us.

[It would be just like her, to see Ali and Concord fighting and push them together at an exclusive resort to get them to kiss and make up.]

[virtuesignal]

Mips... [Concord growls, clearly agreeing with Ali's assessment. Sphinx are usually only capable of conjuring up illusions, but Mipsie is... unique. New. Special for her kind. A product of the modern age... somehow she must have been able to do this, right?

Not that Concord doesn't appreciate the sentiment, but what of home? What of all their shared responsibilities!? Concord is fuming, in his usual, quiet way...]

I don't know what to do about this. You are the clever one. [Concord doesn't do the thinking, he does the feeling and the fighting.]

[smokeandglasses]

[It's true, Ali is the one who can step back and look at things logically. And while he would like to blame Mipsie and just be done with it, he has to consider all possibilities first.]

Our first step would be to find the check-in desk and try to leave. If this is just a normal resort, they should understand that we're government workers and aren't on leave at the moment.

If there's something more magical to this though, then we would have to meet the conditions of whatever being put us here. If that's Mipsie, then we might really be stuck here until-

["Until you apologize" is what he wants to say, but he also doesn't want to get Concord riled up when he's naked and they're possibly trapped in some magic spell. ]

-until we work out our differences and make up.

[virtuesignal]

[Concord just loudly sighs again, the noise largely out his nose with an accompanying horse-like affect. Work out their differences... their differences are what make them such a pair, so lasting.

Making up is an easier task, but Concord just can't be ready for that. He's mad at Ali for the initial dispute and he's mad at him for putting so much space between them for a year... and he's mad at himself for not having the words to explain his anger.

So, without further word, he moves to lift himself to stand. He lifts both arms up over his head to stretch out. All while, just, hanging free and all natural for any nearby on the beach to admire...]

[smokeandglasses]

[Guess who is right there to admire too.

Though as soon as Ali sees Concord stand up, his eyes are drawn to Concord's lower half and he quickly turns pink and looks away.]

Please put some clothes on first, Concord.

[virtuesignal]

[He just keeps stretching until he feels his back crack pleasantly behind him. After that, he'll drop his arms to his sides and reach the one closest to Ali to ruffle his hair,]

The robe is too short for me. You wear both to cover up. [he drops his hand to Ali's nose and pokes at one of the marks there from where his glasses usually sat. They really arrived with nothing, huh]

... can you even see right now?

[smokeandglasses]

[Ali wants to complain about being ruffled and poked, but he really did miss this. So he'll let Concord get away with it this time, though he does flinch when Concord pokes his nose.]

I'm not completely blind, I can see enough to know it's there.

[And then, a bit quieter:]

It's distracting me and I'm supposed to be the clever one here.

[He's trying to behave, but he hasn't been around Concord in a year and he's naked and right there.]

[virtuesignal]

[Concord cannot help himself when Ali is getting flustered like this. Since the other man is still sat, he reaches his broad hand to card through Ali's hair. Then, cradling his head on the opposite side, pulls the dragon closer, smooshing Ali's face against Concord's thigh... just right by his dick, yep.

Smirking down at him for it, since Ali looks very cute at this angle especially!]

This is distracting-? How so? [Concord is quite dumb, but this very clearly just him playing dumb to tease,]

[smokeandglasses]

[Well. He doesn't need his glasses at THAT range. How can Concord be so sweet and so vulgar at the same time?]

I know you're not that dense!

[He's not trying to get away yet though, because he's trying to decide if he should give in to his own impulses or stand up and go on with trying to find the front desk. Ugh! If it were anyone else he wouldn't be so distracted!]

[virtuesignal]

[Concord also isn't letting go of him, not when Ali's making none effort to escape. His hand pets along Ali's hair as he's held so close,]

I don't see you pushing away from me, Ali.

[smokeandglasses]

[He knows what Concord is doing with all of that attention to his hair too. Not subtle at all.]

Well you already said no to relaxing in bed, so we should get something to wear and go look for the front desk.

[He's not pushing Concord away exactly, but he will instead reach up to take his hand in his own as he moves to stand up. There! He pushed away! (He did not push away.) Look at how serious he is!]