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]

[Oh...it's been a while since he's seen Concord's hair loose like this. For a moment he's caught in a daze as he realizes this. How many evenings did they spend with him slowly combing it out before braiding it back up for the night? He feels a pang in his heart, but he quickly shoves it down deep. He doesn't even notice Concord draping the second robe over his shoulders in that moment.

He won't ask to brush it, even though he really, really wants to. He's too prideful to ask, it's like being the first one to try to make up after a fight and he's not in a place where he's ready to do that yet. So he'll wait for Concord to offer it instead.]

Yeah, okay. It's probably best not to have it loose on a beach anyway.

[Imagine all the sand it would get in it.]

[virtuesignal]

I don't want anybody to get any idea about touching it. [he'll walk around buck naked without a care to it, but the idea a stranger reaches out to touch his mane without permission is mortifying. People back home knew better, knew what Concord was and that such touch could get you thrown out a window... if he was feeling merciful.

At least his hair will magically not get stuck on anything, regardless of it's length. Only touch can grab onto it, it sort of just wisps through anything else unwanted...]

You probably cannot lead the way, with your eyesight... just stay close. [Concord is. Also. Disoriented. The lack of place due this being so constructed does not help him with anything like a sense of direction. The dumb leading the blind, how considerate of him to insist...]

Glasses. Clothing. Brush... [He's listing priorities]

[smokeandglasses]

You can put clothing before glasses, you know. I'm not blind.

[As if to prove his point, he reaches out to take Concord's arm while they walk. His hand bumps into Concord's bicep for a moment though, which isn't helping to prove his point and only makes Ali more irritated.]

I got by fine for decades without them!

[Does he still want glasses? Yes, but the point is that he doesn't want to have his pride bruised by seeming incapable.]

[virtuesignal]

[The arm Ali reaches out for smooths around his back and hangs at his waist, keeping the man close as they walk together. No losing track of him... and Concord just missed just casual intimacy between them.

A year of cold professionalism makes him so very eager to just hold Ali close. Doing so protectively is a fine enough excuse for it,]

Your ability to see far outweighs having my ass covered, Ali. [so it is the highest priority, a sweet notion, even if Concord makes it sound entirely practical,]

[smokeandglasses]

[The fact that he has to squint a little to see Concord helps with expressing his displeasure in this moment. He does like being close to Concord- the fact that he stays there and will just walk beside the man is proof enough of that- but he can still be irritated on top of that.]

What a noble sacrifice.

[virtuesignal]

It's nothing like that... [Concord chafes against such annoyance, Ali increasingly seeing his more virtuous side as... Concord doesn't know. When the dragon is pissed off like this, anything at all seems to frustrate him, niceness included.

Luckily, there is a staff manned stand nearby the bungalows. WELCOME to the GOLDEN PEACOCK, it says, and Concord is rather surprised he can read it. If they're so far from home, what are the odds this place speaks a language he knows? He knows quite a few, but still...

The staff jump to see Concord and Ali approaching arm-in-arm. The pair get a whole rundown (an info page worth, even) of information on the place they've found themselves. The Game 52. How... crass. Concord interjects eventually, still just standing around naked, pointing to Ali's face. As if it is just obvious to everybody he's missing something important,]

Where can we find him a pair of glasses? [Priorities.]

[smokeandglasses]

[Ali has to squint to read anything here. He's not too surprised by being able to understand the writing, he still thinks this place is an illusion conjured up by someone they know. But the rules of this Game 52 are. Concerning. Hmm.

He doesn't have much time to think about it now though, because he's speaking right up after Concord.]

And some clothes. Clothes would be good.

[Luckily the devices on their wrist are also a bank, apparently, because once they're told that they can just use that to pay for things Ali is already delving right into the banking app and looking over it. They get directions to one of the stores, and as they're walking off Ali is already chattering excitedly about what he's seen on the app.]

Look at this, it's just like the paper records we keep, but it's all on this screen. Here, let's go buy something, I want to see if it updates immediately.

[virtuesignal]

["You can only wear beach-appropriate attire out here! Take a pair of trunks- oh, I think these will suit you," one of the staffers say, directed at Concord. He gets handed a simple, black speedo over the counter.

Beggars can't be choosers, so he puts those on without a fuss. Ali gets handed nothing because he's in two robes, two, that's nearly too much as is!

He's returned his hand to Ali's waist as they continue off the sands towards the rest of the hotel...]

Is this magic? It feels like invention, but looks like magic... [the difference is something Concord can sense, but it's confusing to see technology so far removed from their era it appears as if it's magical,]

[smokeandglasses]

[Somehow the speedo feels even more lewd. Concord is covered, sure, but it leave little to the imagination. Especially once Ali is able to buy a pair of glasses to wear and can see quite clearly. That speedo immediately draws his eyes to Concord's crotch before he looks away almost as quickly. He's trying to give a serious answer here!]

It feels more like an invention. It's almost like a wristwatch, but it can do far more. They definitely put electricity into this, there's no winding dial on the side. Given enough time, I bet we could have something like this too.

[That will be Ali's next goal once they get home: inventing smartwatches.]

[virtuesignal]

[The speedo also gives Concord reason to bundle up his hair more and use it instead to cover that nasty scar on his one side, front and back. He's more annoyed at people leering over that than his ass or dick...]

To think anywhere has advanced so much further than we have... I wonder how long it took them to achieve such feats. [Because Concord already felt like time was moving too quickly, the industrial era speeding up the rate of innovations by leaps and bounds. Set him ill at ease, he suspected the world would get much more danger much faster, that wars and conflicts would not be separated by centuries of peace any longer... but Ali was more optimistic with such creations- because they brought great wealth and he was and would always be a dragon at heart.

Ali gets some glasses with fun transition lens, darkening the moment the head into the "outdoors", something Concord notices with a bounce of eyebrows upward. Everything here is so bizarre,]

Can you see properly with those?

[smokeandglasses]

[This is another technological marvel and has Ali watching it in awe as it happens in real time. He can't even think of how this might be achieved. What the fuck. What witchcraft is at play here?]

It's not any darker than a pair of sunglasses actually, so I can see just fine. I guess my glasses became sunglasses somehow? This one might actually be magic, I have no idea how they managed it.

[He has so much to learn about this advanced civilization, he is going to be occupied for weeks.]

[virtuesignal]

[How is Ali supposed to focus on fucking in these conditions? Everything is so interesting and he's actually inquisitive about it. Concord just brushes it off after the initial shock. How? Somehow. That's enough for him,]

It was like smoke fogged them over as you walked into the sun. [what Concord hasn't grasped yet is just a screen. The lifelike projections all fooling him handily for now, though they don't feel right,]

To protect your eyes, maybe. That seems like something your clever glasswork could achieve with the right magic tempered in. [Concord isn't a very creative minded guy, but that tracks to him. Fire dragon made glass, able to smoke over to dim in high light... maybe that is it, he can't offer more than the vague idea.]

[smokeandglasses]

[Wait until he discovers the sex-pods. Concord is going to have to help him investigate that.]

Huh...You know, you might be onto something there. A glass tempered to be a different color at different temperatures, perhaps? So the warmer it is, the darker they get. But it would require a special kind of glass...

[There's still a decade before modern sunglasses are invented, and even longer before transition lenses become a thing. Maybe Ali will help pioneer that discovery in their world after seeing them here.

He goes on this tangent for a good ten minutes before he realizes they're back at the beach and there's tasks to do here.]

Oh, right. We should be....mingling, I guess?

[virtuesignal]

[Having missed Ali's chattering, Concord simply walks and listens, lulled to a calm with the other man rambling on and on like he does. The unicorn would fall asleep in dull meetings about finances, but listening to Ali speak passionately and enthusiastically was something he didn't get annoyed with, not ever,]

I need a drink- [Concord mutters, before stopping in his tracks, arm still wrapped around Ali's waist, holding him a bit tighter at the question,]

-Wait. What do you mean mingling-? Ali, are you ready to indulge this game of theirs? Just like that?

[smokeandglasses]

I meant talking to the people here. You know, to get information about this place?

[Please! He's not going to immediately jump into bed with someone just because he was told to! That would not help with their fight at all either.]

We can't trust the staff to give completely honest answers, so others who have been stuck here for longer may have more valuable information.

[virtuesignal]

....... [Concord frowns, feeling immediately silly for accusing Ali of that so quickly. He's the naive one, the one who would usually take something told to him at face value. Honestly, if Ali wasn't as his side just like this, Concord would just believe the staff for all they told him. Just like that.

His protectiveness of the other man is all that makes him cautious...

Though he's not the type to immediately indulge, regardless of believing the game is truthful or not,]

You should do that talking. [Obviously.]

[smokeandglasses]

[Ali is frowning at Concord now, because he knows exactly what that extended silence means.]

You really were going to take their word as the truth, weren't you?

[This man is hopeless. And unfortunately, he's Ali's hopeless man.

He'll do the talking though, it's fine. He's usually the diplomatic one anyway.]

[virtuesignal]

.... weren't we going to look for proper clothes, first?

[if the red face and flustered expression didn't give it away, the dodge of topic sure would.

He is Ali's most hopeless man.......]

[smokeandglasses]

[He pointedly looks down to the speedo Concord is wearing.

He was probably about to say some quip about hardly even finding that, but he has to look away because Concord honestly does look great in a speedo. Fuck.]

[virtuesignal]

[That pointed look makes Concord snort out a closed mouth laugh,]

I'm not too immodest for you, am I?

[Ali honestly looks adorable in his layered robes, his legs reaching bare from beneath the short line of the hem. Long enough to cover him, only scarcely thick enough with two overtop one another... there's something more tantalizing about that then just seeing him nude. At least, for Concord. He has his usual, strange sensibilities,]

[smokeandglasses]

No, it's fine, that's probably the beach fashion here.

[It looks far better than the stripey swimsuits that were the fashion for men not too long ago.]

Besides, we've been immodest before. That's nothing new.

[He's trying his best to act like it's no big deal, because maybe if he acts like he doesn't care then Concord won't be able to tell he actually likes it a lot.]

[virtuesignal]

You're only that way in private.

[Concord is a beast of nature, so he doesn't ever mind immodesty for himself. Sure, he likes his well kept uniforms and looking presentable, especially for official business. This place appears to be very, very unofficial.

He hand on Ali's waist shifts juuuust the slightest bit lower as he leans down, quietly asking,]

We could go somewhere like that, couldn't we? [Private, he means. Back where they woke up, maybe. Since they got a few things sorted, though Concord has forgotten he wanted to find a brush for his hair entirely by now.]

[smokeandglasses]

[It's true, he's a bit uptight when he's around other people. It's only when he's in private, behind a locked door with the curtains drawn, that he'll actually allow himself to be immodest with someone else.

All in all, he's not opposed to the idea. Especially not with Concord being the one to ask first. Logically he knows there's a lot of other things they should be doing, but it's been a year since they were close to each other without yelling, so...]

Your hair will get messy.

[It's not an objection, strictly speaking. Sometimes Ali gets to comb out Concord's hair, and he wouldn't mind doing that again. Though he won't ask directly for that right.]

[virtuesignal]

[Once he's leaned in close there is no fighting the urge to nuzzle against Ali's mop of black hair, pressing his nose into it. That smoky smell, a bit bonfire and bit brimstone... Concord breaths it in. He missed Ali letting him get so close,]

Your fingers have always made the best comb for it, Ali. [he sounds a bit muffled, buried in the dragon's hair still, whoops. From his tone, he's definitely smiling a bit smugly,]

[smokeandglasses]

[The gesture might be awkward for someone who doesn't know Concord, but Ali finds this very comforting. It's practically a display of affection as far as he's concerned.]

Are you saying you want me to comb your hair?

[He reaches out and runs his finger through the last couple inches at the end of Concord's long hair. It's another display of affection between them, and a rather intimate one at that. Centuries ago Ali didn't know the significance that unicorns put into grooming their hair, but he's definitely learned it by now.]