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

[crestsidestory]

[ Recognition follows right on the heels of her question as her eyes widen with surprise beneath the mask and absorb him. No mask could keep her from knowing his blue-sky eyes or the bearded jaw she has found herself petting more and more often or the soft precision of his accent. He is one person the House didn't need to place in her path today -- they would have met regardless -- but the fact that he has been wrapped so exquisitely and delivered to her is by far the nicest thing their captors have ever done.

For a moment her lips are at visible risk of crooking into a too welcoming smile, too fond, but she maintains the game for just a bit longer. ]

I was not expecting a gift. [ Slowly, her watch all but forgotten, she crosses one leg over the other. He looks entirely touchable and would be an effortless fit on an emperor's arm. ] But I do find you agreeable.

[ She points one slender finger up, making a twirling motion. ]

Turn around for me. All the way.

[blumenthal]

[ The pretense is cute, and though their plans for tonight certainly weren't this, he has no qualms with being wrapped up in shiny new paper and delivered to her for her birthday, if she finds it entertaining. He feels his face heat beneath his mask as he begins to turn in place as instructed, but along with his flush comes a bashful grin. Indulging her playful examination, he flips his cape out of the way so she can see his front better, and then--glancing over his shoulder--does the same when his back is to her. ]

You approve? I suppose I could change if you didn't, but I spent quite some time getting ready.

[ When he's completed his slow twirl, he allows himself to look at her again, taking in the details of her outfit. It skews decidedly risqué compared to her usual taste, and he can't help feeling that of the two of them, he's getting a better present here. ]

If you don't like scruffy redheads, I am afraid there is less I can do for you in that regard.

[ That isn't remotely true. With his mastery of transmutation he could physically alter every detail about himself, no illusion necessary. He could give himself any form or features he chose, human or otherwise. Thankfully he knows her, so he's well aware that offer would be less appealing to a woman whose enemies use magic to steal the faces and identities of others than it would be to most people. ]

[crestsidestory]

I am fond of a particular scruffy redhead. You look very similar.

[ The smile she finally allows to curve her lips holds nothing of that fondness in reserve, a mask worn across her eyes but a filter lost. She rises from the couch so she can step right up to him and her hands, without waiting for an invitation, meet behind his neck, her thumbs stroking along bare skin just above the collar of his jacket. ]

There is no need to change. I like this very much. [ It's an admission made as though it should be kept between the two of them, low and intimate, another shared secret. The hood on her head slips slowly backward while her head is tipped to look at him. ] It's a handsome novelty that I won't forget.

[ In fact, saying that gives her an idea that she wishes she had thought of before now. ]

To make certain I don't, I could take a picture of us.

[blumenthal]

Then it seems both he and I must be very lucky.

[ He's seen fondness on Edelgard's face before. Or he thought he had. The unmistakable affection in the way she looks at him now, draping her arms over his shoulders right away, is like that emotion unveiled and unselfconscious. It pulls hard at the same feeling in him, which threatens to be overwhelming if he lets it, just as her thumbs against the back of his neck threaten to elicit a shiver.

This close, he can only slide his arms around her, both hands meeting at the small of her back, as he looks down into her upturned face with wide eyes and a slightly bewildered smile. ]

Ah, ja, if you'd like.

[ He's taken a handful of pictures by now, so why is he so nervous? Is it because she called him handsome and wants to remember how he looks tonight? ]

Does your friend not dress up often?

[crestsidestory]

[ One of the best feelings she has ever experienced is being met in kind. To be matched in passion, in skill, in trust for each other or distrust for someone else, in the ambition that keeps her eyes cast toward the future. Hubert has often been her closest match, their lives so irrevocably intertwined that nothing else makes sense.

When Caleb's hands meet behind her back it isn't the first time -- or even the second or third -- that she has felt he meets her precisely. Today that prompts even more of a warmth in her chest and face than it would normally. ]

No, understandably. [ She'll move her hand so she can deal with her watch in a moment but it would not do for her to leave him feeling as though his normal behavior is lacking when it is anything but. ] But I have never known him to need a coat of polish in order to shine.

[ Before their eye contact can make her feel too much as though her neckline also reveals her bare and beating heart, she withdraws her hands so she can scroll through the menu on her watch. Without stepping back or giving indication that she expects to be released she finds photo mode, sets a ten-second timer, and raises her wrist to capture the moment. ]

You should lean in. We have ten seconds.

[ The height difference is a small hurdle when the watch is on her wrist but she tiptoes to help, her free hand anchored on his shoulder. ]

[blumenthal]

[ Oh, that's a very sweet compliment. It has the reassuring effect it was meant to and then some as Caleb swallows back the automatic instinct to respond with a belittling joke about himself. She sounds so sincere, and he doesn't want to undermine that. He's grateful, but it's hard to express.

In his periphery he's aware of movement on the screen of her watch as she fusses with it, scrolling and then flipping between modes until she finds the one that will take a picture. But he doesn't look away from her, from his study of her face slightly tilted toward the screen and her concentration as she navigates a device that he doubts will ever feel truly intuitive to either of them, until he's prompted to. Ten seconds. His mind counts them, unprompted.

His body tilts just enough to accommodate facing her outstretched arm instead, and if possible now that she's on tiptoes he brings her closer with his arms around her back. As his face turns he leans down to meet her, making up for the height difference on his side. They aren't quite cheek to cheek, but he feels his temple brush the hood of her cape. At the ten second mark, when the screen of her watch lights up as it captures their image, his small smile is perhaps slightly awkward, but doesn't feel forced. ]

Let's take one without the masks sometime.

[ Even with his memory, he can understand the worth of having a perfectly reproduced visual reminder of a specific moment. Perhaps it's because of his memory that he recognizes the potential value of a picture. ]

[crestsidestory]

[ It's a surreal feeling to wear a little smile -- not even a performative one under these circumstances -- and position her face near his, both pointed at the watch around her wrist. She did a fairly thorough inspection of the watch's capabilities when she first arrived and so much of it meant so little to her then. It's almost embarrassing that it's taken her this long to think of taking a picture.

Still on her toes, she turns to meet his eyes again. ]

I would like that.

[ Very much, in fact. ]

In the meantime, however, do you mind one more? [ She asks politely but she is also angling her eyes back to the screen of her watch to set another timer. ] Facing me. For reference.

[ Say yes and do not perceive the flush creeping into her cheeks. ]

[blumenthal]

[ That's a very specific request. ]

I don't mind. [ But... ] Reference for what?

[ With a hook like that, he can't not ask. It's strange to have known her this long and realize that even when he racks his brain for possibilities, he has absolutely no idea what she means.

He does it, though. Or rather, he was already doing it, facing her with a look of mild incredulity as she resets her watch. ]

[crestsidestory]

It's nothing, truly.

[ Obviously he can't be compelled by the silent force of her will alone. "It's nothing" is precisely what someone says when it's something and she would not close her own teeth around that answer and feel satisfied but at the same time it is nothing of importance, nothing he should spend time thinking about.

It takes her a moment longer than it should to set the timer, buying herself that much more time before raising her arm and pointing her wrist at them both, noticeably more focused on him this time. As the seconds count down she satisfies herself with the angle and faces him again, her smile not without a hint of self-consciousness. ]

I have found it challenging to draw beards.

[ More accurately, it is one of the most monumental challenges she has faced but there is no mountain that she believes she cannot climb. This is a challenge she will eventually overcome.

With two seconds left her eyes dart between his, set off by the gold of his mask, and his lips, shamefully unkissed. She plants a kiss right in the corner of his mouth opposite the camera as the watch lights up. ]

[blumenthal]

[ As anticipated, it's nothing only turns the dial of his curiosity up several notches. The room's low light and the mask she wears make her flush harder to notice, but not impossible when standing this close. Whatever this nothing is, he can only guess that she may not have mentioned it before out of embarrassment. If that is the case, he really would let it go. There's no reason she has to share all of her interests with him, even if he really wants to know. But then she reveals just enough to answer his question and give his thoughts leave to run with the unexpected shock of it.

She draws? She draws him? She's drawn him enough to know she needs a reference for his beard?

By the time of the picture, his mild incredulity has become brow-arching bewilderment such that even the last-second kiss doesn't change his expression. A moment or two after the light from her watch fades, he draws back just enough that he can look down at her again. ]

I don't think we'll ever see the day that you stop surprising me, Edelgard von Hresvelg.

[ With the tone of his voice caught between amusement and wonder, it's evident that this is a good thing.

Fingers curl beneath her chin to keep it tilted up as he returns her kiss in a more direct brush of his lips over hers, but almost teasingly light. ]

[crestsidestory]

[ Her runaway flush is still a bit self-aware but now that embarrassment is cut with the most unexpected thoroughly pleased warmth. It takes her the span of a heartbeat but she smiles against the brush of his lips, leaning in like a sun-seeking flower. ]

I think it may be mutual, Caleb Widogast.

[ There is little of her usual propriety in the way her arms drape over his shoulders to keep him close. Her eyes sweep away from his, her focus behind his head momentarily as she taps at her watch. His own dings to alert him of a message but by that time she has one hand on his face, her eyes all soft affection, her thumb stroked along his jaw as if to prove that the significant hardship his beard has caused her on paper has made her no less fond of it. ]

You have been so obliging I thought you should have the pictures as well.

[ It satisfies, in an odd way. One more thing, admittedly smaller than usual, for them to share. ]

I hope you will not be insulted if I say that meeting you here was not my idea.

[blumenthal]

Ah, danke.

[ The open fondness in her face is both difficult to parse and impossible to look away from. There is an unusual informality to her, like she's forgotten there is any difference between what she wants and what she lets herself have. Because this isn't like the indiscriminate desire they've both experienced before. The affection she directs toward him is deeply personal; her smile, the warmth in her eyes, her hand on his face, the easy way she presses against him.

He didn't know she could look at him like this. He has no defenses against it. ]

You mean you didn't invite me to a sex club for your birthday? [ he quips, the opposite of surprised. His eyes sparkle with barely restrained humor. ] I could not imagine this venue being your top choice, so I assumed something must have gone amiss.

[ A pointed glance toward the pair of broken handcuffs laying conspicuously on the floor. Both his hands settle on her back again, and a thumb sweeps up and down in a short arc against her spine. ]

[crestsidestory]

[ When he puts it that way it really does seem laughable. She gives a slight shake of her head, an undercurrent of amusement in her voice, and despite the lingering pink in her cheeks will be perfectly candid in her agreement: ]

No, if I had specifically intended to seduce you for my birthday it would not have been in a sex club.

[ Seduction was not planned; that does not mean sex never crossed her mind. But she could have gone her whole life without ever threading the words sex and club together. ]

Aside from the abrupt escort here, I have been treated surprisingly well today and I think we should take advantage of those perks when we leave. But I am reluctant to waste this nice costume-- [ Her hand lowers from his face to pat the pristine white of his shirt. ] --that apparently took you quite some time to put on. Will you sit with me?

[blumenthal]

[ He nearly asks where she would have chosen if seduction had been her intention, but holds off on the half-serious joking in favor of listening. It seems she's been given the resort's version of a birthday celebration, and as with most things here, it wasn't voluntary. But judging by her high spirits, this imposition was relatively benign compared to most. ]

Ja, natürlich. [ As if she really has to ask. Collecting her hand from his chest and giving it a gentle squeeze, he begins leading her in a couchward direction himself. ] I am your gift, and it would be a shame to take all of this off again so soon.

[ Unless it's you doing the undressing, his mind supplies, which brings a little color back to his face. Were he feeling just a fraction more shameless he could say that out loud, but surely he doesn't need to for her to hear it. ]

Now that we are together, I am content to stay as long as you like. It might even be worth taking a look around.

[ This may be a far cry from where they normally spend time together, but he is curious. ]

[crestsidestory]

[ His last statement is a minor seismic event in her mind, heat rising directly into her face. Of course they should explore. Especially since an anonymous sex club is not likely to become a spot she regularly visits. This is a perfect opportunity.

But now she feels more conscious of what she's doing. He has suggested something practical that normally she might suggest herself and instead she's preoccupied with his company and how best to enjoy it, location aside, preferably in close ongoing contact. Perhaps they should explore first and then lounge together, before she gets comfortable. ]

I agree. We'll investigate before we leave.

[ Because at the moment her hand is in his and he just reminded her that he is, apparently, her gift and the couch seems full of promise. If she can't indulge herself on her birthday in a place where she can do nothing about the situation at home she may be as hopelessly rigid as some people think. Lounging first, exploration second.

At the couch she slips out of her shoes, letting him take a seat first, and then sits sideways beside him, both legs draped across his lap. ]

My watch claims it is in anonymous mode. [ Lounging and exploration, in a way. A small compromise. ] I assume this is a feature of the club.

[blumenthal]

[ Caleb noted immediately that this outfit leaves a lot of leg on display, but now that those legs are stretched across his lap his noticing is much more direct. It's so strikingly casual for her--like the way she greeted him with arms around his neck, like sharing kisses just because. There is no small amount of indulgence in laying a hand over her knee, thumb stroking idly back and forth in a touch too familiar to be strictly friendly.

(He thinks, naturally, of the last time his hand slid up and between her legs. Sustaining a minor injury was entirely worthwhile, he'd say, in exchange for the memory of her seizing up with pleasure at his touch.)

But it's comfortable. He's glad to be exactly where he is. ]

That is interesting.

[ Both his brows hike up, and he tilts his wrist to see his own watch better. There are notifications alerting him to new messages, presumably the photos from Edelgard, but her name isn't displayed as it usually would be. In addition, his home screen shows the same thing: anonymous mode. ]

And potentially useful. There is no sender attached to the photo messages.

[ If that's the case for all communications here, and if it means their watches aren't keeping tabs on them the way he assumes they do normally, that could be game changing. ]