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

listen here you little--

[bedroll]

[ By now, they have a rapport, if not something akin to routine. And part of that routine involves far less of Gladio being perhaps as chivalrous or charming as he might otherwise be. (Read: If Satoru wanted a drink, he was welcome to ask at any time.) There are hang ups, lingering since that fateful night in March, that he's still working through—even and especially now, when Satoru agrees to see the new sights, to sweat under the sun with him in the kind of clothing Gladio prefers. Sure, he'd complimented the kid in a teasing, backhanded sort of way when he'd slipped into that gaudy printed shirt, mostly because he looked so good in it. And maybe that's a new part of the routine, or a new branding of the old one: Gladio fighting with his increasingly hard to ignore inclinations, and the questions about himself those inclinations try to force him to face.

Not even for the first time today are they are the forefront of his mind, gaze drifting over the shape of Satoru as he sizes up the row of potential watermelons. There's plenty he still doesn't know, maybe doesn't really want to know, about what he can and can't do with those strange powers of his. Not that he really knows whether to believe some of the things Satoru says about them, with how fantastic some of them sound to him, a guy who's seen all kinds of technology that apparently only shows up in "science fiction" movies in Japan. He's rolling that conversation over again in his mind when Satoru turns to him, grinning suspiciously. ]

I already regret this. [ Said to himself, to the heavens, as he rolls his eyes and gestures to the MC to take that one to the tarp. He meets her there, rolling his shoulders, and not so surreptitiously adjusting himself in his shorts. The tarp is as sticky as it looked from the sidelines, his sandals sounding like Velcro as he approaches the center, in full view of the throng of hopefuls and, honestly, just horny onlookers.

And he takes a few moments after it's set down, since there's no hard time limit, to knock on the shell himself and heft it a little. His gaze is razor sharp as he glances at Satoru, mouth frowning with his consternation. He's no expert at this by far, but he knows a set-up when he sees one.

A choice word is muttered under his breath as he shakes his head, his breathing already slowing, focus honing deliberately. It's just another form of training: a way to channel his strength and spirit from top to bottom instead of bottom to top. He has the leg strength, the core strength for this; he has the knowledge of his body for this.

And yet, despite all of this—from his practiced squat to his booming kiai—his hard, targeted landing only manages to just crack the rind, not shatter it. The rind itself responds in kind to the assault by sending a discomforting spike of pain through his glute and hamstring on the left side, though he only furrows his brow to show it. ]

Ah~ A real shame, big guy! We all thought you had it in one!

[ Not helpful, lady. He doesn't dare glance at Satoru as he re-centers for attempt two. ]

don't kill him~

[oversize]

Wah~. ( he says, a soft echo, as the staff move to take the watermelon from in front of him--it's going to be a hard sell, he knows, especially with gladiolus' reaction, but a part of him thinks that with the amount of power that he knows gladiolus has in his body, maybe it won't be so bad. maybe he won't break his ass trying to win a bet.

or maybe he will. he's not entirely sure which outcome he wants, as he pushes back up onto his feet, immediately skirting around the crowd that's gathered around the ring. with a few gentle elbows, he makes it to the front, already grinning as he lowers his sunglasses back down, as though they might help shield his amusement.

there's a large, loud sound, and he thinks that maybe gladiolus has cracked through the center of the earth--but it's just that the watermelon has split, just a little bit; he offers a careless shrug, but gladiolus isn't even looking at him, already circling around like he's going to go back in for another smash.

with a soft frown, he immediately juts a hand up into the air, yelling-- )

Wait...! Wait! Look at that!

( look at what? most of the crowd turns to look at him, and the announcer even looks at him in expectation--of course, his other hand is curled down at his hip, fingers flexed to flick the smallest burst of red out towards the crack in the fruit.

with another shout, he waves his free arm around, as though impatient--

--and the watermelon immediately cracks, split apart, pieces exploding out...all onto gladiolus' front. )

SIGH the emasculation......

[bedroll]

[ Is it disappointing? Of course, mmaybe not even so much that it happened in front of a crowd of strangers, but that it happened in front of the kid. Not that he's gunning to impress him at this point, at least not with the strength that he'd dismissed at a glance the very moment they'd met. But his ego still feels bruised maybe even more than his ass as he sizes up the barely-there dent he's made in the melon Satoru had picked out. Definitely on purpose. Maybe he does want to be impressed, despite what that mouth of his says.

Speaking of his mouth, the shouting of course catches Gladio's attention too, brow dark with irritation. It's not so much at the interruption as it is...well, okay, it's probably mostly the interruption, dragging out his humiliation just a little bit longer, probably with some smart-ass comment about his failure. Color him surprised (which apparently is red) when the melon suddenly bursts open, as if the crack had released some sort of pressure built up within the rind and all it needed was a few moments more to react.

The flesh inside isn't particularly sweet, but a large piece of it does splat against his cheek before falling uselessly to the tarp, beside his sandal. It's perhaps the only time his all-black outfit has proven to be of any benefit, since at least it won't stain despite the way he's absolutely covered. ]

Would you look at that, folks! [ There's excitement in her voice, but more than a little skepticism in her expression as the MC redirects everyone's attention to the tarp. ] I've certainly seen stranger things in this competetion, but since I didn't see anything at all, it seems like our Strongman managed a one-shot after all~ Come collect your participation ribbon, big guy.

[ Sheepish, confused, and drenched in watermelon juice, he squelches his way toward the table to get his ribbon as his Watch chimes with his prize money. He then makes a bee-line to Satoru, sticky hand scooping him up by a scrawny elbow to scoot them hurriedly away, towards the nearest drink stand. ]

You're buying. Drinks and an ice pack.

[oversize]

( he doesn't think he's ever seen gladiolus so red, and he can't tell, from this distance, whether it's out of embarrassment or rage--he's thinking it must be embarrassment, or some measure of bashfulness, when the announcer declares him a winner; some of the people near him clap, but he's slamming his palms together vigorously enough that it does encourage some whooping and cheering, though not all that much. apparently it's a rare sight, having someone actually win the game, which tells him that it's another way that this stupid resort makes them look, well, stupid: he won't say that to gladiolus, because he doesn't know if that will piss him off or not.

either way, he watches, mildly, as gladiolus goes to get his ribbon--he's already swinging his gaze back around to the 'field', watching the staff clean up a bit of the watermelon pieces for the next person; the grip at his elbow has him tumbling back on his heels, a playful yelp of surprise. )

What? Oh. Really? ( he's keeping pace with gladiolus' long legs, pedaling his own quicker as they move away from the crowd and out towards one of the drink bars down the sand. ) Does it hurt that bad?

( he tilts back, some, as though he can watch gladiolus' ass as they walk. )

Maybe you ought to lay out on one of the chairs, then. I'll ice you.

( it's said so sweetly, he could maybe be believed; either way, he settles in against gladiolus' side as they approach the drink bar, immediately waving a hand to get someone's attention for their order. expectant, his gaze turns to gladiolus: he's buying, sure, but gladiolus gets to pick the poison. )

[bedroll]

You ever dropped your ass on a rock before?

[ There's a fair bit more grumbling, low and incomprehensible, as they initially make their way away from the crowd. As they go, there's another raucous groan of collective disappointment as yet another idiot fails their first attempt. He can't think about that though, with the ache in his back traveling down his thigh a little and the hurried length of his strides not helping.

At the very least he's settled into something more mild irritation than outright fury by the time they've gotten far enough away to no longer hear the MC. His ass still hurts, though, and despite the icing he can hear dripping from every word, he wants to trust the offer. Even if he doesn't quite yet, he still slips a hand around Satoru's waist, palm flat and heavy at his hip to hold him close. He can't imagine the resort cares too much about carding the guests. His other hand holds up two fingers, adding on— ]

One sweet, one dry. Actually, extra sweet, if you can. And a bag of ice.

[ The vague request nets two very different drinks: one yellow with a pair of white chocolate balls nested on top and the other a juicy purple, with flowers in the ice cubes. He doesn't catch the names, but assumes the one with chocolate is the sweeter of the two, and passes it to Satoru without hesitation. His other hand gratefully accepts the bag, and he can't help wondering how many other patrons have had a similar order today. ]

Where to? You really gonna ice my ass? [ He can't help laughing a little at the question himself, already anticipating that shit-eating grin with the response. ]

[oversize]

I'm really gonna ice your ass.

( it's said without hesitation, as he draws his drink closer, holding it with both hands so that he can bring it up to his mouth for a taste; the liquor isn't too heavy-handed, which he's grateful for, given the fact that all the sunlight and the hot weather is sure to give him a headache faster, and the liquor would be no help. another swallow has him tasting all the flavors--he immediately rolls his tongue over the top of the drink so that he can slide the chocolate balls in, pushing them into his cheeks.

it tastes good, at least. not quite as good as an iced coffee might be, on a day like this, but the alcohol might help gladio's spirits a little.

once his watch has been swiped for payment, he takes his glass in one hand so that he can reach for the ice with the other, taking it right out of gladio's hold; his chin nods forward towards a row of beach chairs a short walk away from them. a few have umbrellas, and a few unlucky ones do not: so they'll have to walk a little fast if they want to claim one. )

It'll feel better if there's skin to skin contact, right?

( his eyes stare up at gladiolus from behind his sunglasses as they walk. )

Like, if you take everything off.

[bedroll]

[ Between the insistence and the cheek packing, it's hard to look at Satoru and not laugh. It's funny, too, how this kind of thing is starting to feel normal. Spending time lounging, laughing, lazing around together like a real vacation. If he lets himself think about it too much, it almost makes him want to quit playing, or at least not really start trying to, and maybe even convince Satoru not to play either. It's impossible, of course, for how important they probably both are back home. But these little pockets of reprieve...they feel better than he would have ever believed just a few short months ago. ]

You're supposed to ice through a cloth.

[ Said matter-of-factly, amber eyes meeting blue with a quirked brow in lieu of any kind of stern expression. He can't muster those as well anymore. Still, when they find an empty pair of chairs, a wide pink and white parasol planted between them, he strips off his tank top anyway. Mostly to ensure their claim isn't challenged by the pair sneaking in from the other side. He rolls his shoulders, cracks his neck—all of the posturing one might expect from a man his size before he glances over, as if to ask if there is a problem. By the way the one of them, strong-looking but still half his size, tugs on the arm of the other, he's pretty sure there isn't one. ]

You just wanna look at my ass. What's in it for me?

[oversize]

( it's funny, really--a part of him isn't used to this sort of thing. normally, wherever he goes, there's a certain air of incredulity at the gojou clan heir, owner of the six eyes, user of limitless, that people keep their distance, not wanting to trigger his temper or trigger his desire to play around, both equally dangerous in their own right. but in this place, no one knows who he is, and no one can look at him outright and say that there's anything dangerous about a tall, leggy teenager with pale hair and sunglasses. gladiolus is often the one inspiring that sort of thing, and it happens here, too, where the couple edges away with just a little bit of him posturing.

a part of him likes it. it's like being protected, in a way, rather than having to protect himself all the time.

with his lips pressed together into a line, he bends to set his drink down on the table between the chairs. )

What's in it for you? Me touching your ass.

( as though that's like, the most obvious answer. )

Maybe I'll even have to get in there nice and close, and...

( an impish grin, but he leaves that thought off: instead, he stands there with faux impatience, weighing the bag of ice between both hands now. )

Anyway. Lie down~.

[bedroll]

You're sayin' all this like it's not part of the agreement.

[ His smile is dangerous, sharp and sardonic as he flashes it at Satoru before turning to set his cup beside the other. What even is their "agreement," especially now in the wake of a sizable rank up that's got him in a much nicer suite than the one they've been sharing. He hasn't asked any questions about how it happened, and doesn't dare to linger on any of them long enough to wonder why he cares. He doesn't care. What they're doing is simply for the comfort and familiarity of it.

Satoru is the only person still around from when he woke up here all those months ago. Even if that means nothing to the Resort, it's something he's going to lean on like a crutch despite himself.

Without any additional protest (okay, maybe just a bit of surprisingly self-conscious grumbling), he does indeed strip out of his shorts. And then his tank top, too, if only because it feels sort of backwards not to. Neither is folded, but instead tossed onto the other chair, before he eases his way onto his chair, wincing as he first sits before swiveling to lay prone. At least the plastic is far from cold, against his cheek as he turns to try to peek at Satoru, nor against his more tender parts, carefully hidden from public view. ]

Tell me the truth. Did you pick a hard one on purpose?

[oversize]

( his brows lift--it's an immediate show, and some nasty, jealous part of him wants to dart his head around, as though to wave his arms and demand that no one else look at him; but then what would be the point? there are plenty of people here who have seen gladiolus like this, he's sure, in or out of the bedroom, and it's not like he has any right to cover him up. instead, with a swallow, he uses his shoulder to nudge his sunglasses up further, as though they might hide the bright look in his eyes as he watches, shameless, while gladiolus strips. standing there, feeling the ice sweating in the bag, feeling the sun still beating down on his back--a little sweat trickles down his temple, and he doesn't bother wiping it away.

once gladiolus has settled onto his front, stretched out on the chair, he slides down himself, seated first on the edge, knees pressed together. )

Mm? ( it's a soft sound, considering, as he gently, carefully, shifts the ice over the end of gladiolus' spine, towards the start of the curve of his asscheeks. ) Well.

I guess you could say that~. I picked one that was really dense. You know. Six eyes.

( as if that should explain it all, as he slides the ice pack down a little further, holding it partly up so that the whole icy chill of it doesn't burn at gladiolus' skin. )

...But your ass is huge. ( er. ) I mean. The muscles. Ahaha~. So I figured it'd be fine...

( his way of apologizing? maybe. )