[Vacation! Open thread]

[livelyangel.livejournal.com]

Characters: Rinoa, OPEN
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: It's time to hit the beach! Get out your bikinis and swimming trunks, girls and boys. Yes, even you, Squall. Party style! Feel free to threadhop, start your own threads etc.
Location: Costa Faguita
Date: May, 1804
Warnings: None

This was the life. Rinoa relaxed on a sun lounger, soaking up the rays. Behind her sunglasses, her eyes were closed. She could hear the waves lapping gently against the beach in the background. It was as though the dragon invasion had never happened.

A group of holidaymakers passed by, laughing and joking as they headed for the sea. Rinoa sat up to take a look around. Hmm. Maybe it was time she went for a swim. But first she needed to reapply her sun cream. She smoothed back her hair and picked up her bottle of sun lotion. Now was there anyone around who might want to help? 

Comments

[livelyangel.livejournal.com]

"That would be pretty funny," Rinoa replied, grinning at the mental image, but she wasn't cruel enough to refuse him. People with fair complexions needed protection.

She shifted, swinging her legs around to sit next to him, and held out her hand for the bottle. For a second, a part of her worried what people might think, but her intentions were entirely innocent, after all. And that's what counted as far as Rinoa was concerned.

[livelyangel.livejournal.com]

"It's parked close by," said Rinoa. "If you go to the top of the sand dunes, you could see it from here. It's a military academy... sound like your thing, huh? Oh, and I'm the pilot."

She threw that last statement out as a casual aside, but it was obvious that Rinoa was very proud of this fact.

LOLOL Icon win, Anon. <3

[empires-lapdog.livejournal.com]

"Soewhat alone," he responded to her question, feeling her fingers wander his arm and find his face. Leaning in to help guide the kiss, he settled comfortably into it, entirely at ease with this now they'd done it countless times. He was sure that they'd both be painfully awkward were things to progress, yet this was comfortable. They each knew what they were doing here.

Then a voice came, a familiar one at that, and he pulled from the kiss, a stern face slipping in place just to mask the fact that his face had fluched slightly.

"Lady Agrias... Excuse us for our improper public affection." Gently easing away from Quistis, settling on merely holding her hand, he wondered how Agrias was going to react.

[xbalthierx.livejournal.com]

Hearing a vaguely familiar voice, Balthier lifted his gaze, smiling lightly at Rinoa. He recalled them both being particularly bitter towards each other, but he wasn't the kind of person to just hold a grudge.

Time went by a lot quicker if you sat thinking about how much you disliked someone, and Balthier wanted to savour every minute he could. Grudges were a waste of effort.

"Not particularly. Mjrn would be the first person I wish to see, though I'd like to see Selphie." He needed to check his partner's young sister was well first.

[xbalthierx.livejournal.com]

Vaguely startled by the hands over his eyes, the pirate smirked at the voice. He knew instantly who it was, glad to have her close and seemingly unharmed after recent dramas. His own body bore light scarring over his abdomen where the dragon had bit him, but he had enough scars on him to not worry about one more.

"Hmm... I'd wager that it's a beautiful young girl with a taste for the colour yellow?" Peeling her hands away, he turned and smiled, completely at ease as he hugged her, though it was rare for him to want that kind of public affection.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Rydia reached over to poke him in the ribs, upon seeing that smirk. There was a brief moment when she wondered if he was ticklish, but even she didn't care try to find out, yet. "Good. I take it she's resting now, but maybe in a bit?"

[livelyangel.livejournal.com]

"You're in luck. Mjrn's here too."

Rinoa paused, wondering whether to say anything else. In truth, she'd forgotten exactly what it was that had caused a rift between them in the first place. All that was left was a vague sort of dislike. If the problem had been closer, Rinoa would have confronted him about it. As it was, she didn't know what to confront him about.

[xbalthierx.livejournal.com]

"Oh? Well, then I shall seek her out unless Fran already found her."

He barely even remembered it either, but he was most certainly going to bring it up, because he didn't want any animosity between him and anyone, especially not a friend of Selphie's.

Clearing his throat, he crossed his arms. "Rinoa, correct? May I ask; what was it exactly that occurred between you and I that caused this... dislike between us?"

[livelyangel.livejournal.com]

Rinoa blinked, sitting up a little straighter. So Balthier had brought it up himself. "Um... I can't remember," she confessed sheepishly. "But you're a pirate, and I heard you were wanted for murder and I just thought you were one of the bad guys."

She shrugged. Stubbornness had caused Rinoa to cling to this opinion for so long, but she felt that stubbornness fizzling away in the summer heat. "But you're Selphie's friend and Mjrn's friend, and neither of them are stupid, so I guess you can't be that bad, right?"

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

"Rinoa!" Alarmed, Mjrn headed over and reached out to help her up.

Re: LOLOL Icon win, Anon. <3

[herownhero.livejournal.com]

When the voice which called out her name came from the distance, Quistis immediately pulled back from the kiss to turn towards the source. Though she couldn't see who had spoken, she was familiar enough with the voice to recognize it as Agrias'. She had no doubts that her initial expression was similar to that of a child with their hand caught in the cookie jar, though immediately she gained her composure, straightening her posture and tilting her chin up though the flush of her cheeks was still present.

"Agrias." Her tone was nonchalant, though it was a touch higher than normal. "Ah, yes... please excuse us."

She was unsure of exactly how Agrias was currently reacting due to her lack of sight, so Quistis merely stood and waited for a verbal response, the grip around Gabranth's hand tightening slightly.

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

He wasn't very ticklish, especially given the armor he wore, but he did make a face when she poked him. Still, since the subject remained on Zephyr, he didn't become annoyed at all. "She is, at the moment. At her age, she still does need a great deal of sleep... but I'll eventually take the excuse of checking on her to leave here." It was a perfect way to get himself out of here, really.

[lionsguard.livejournal.com]

Had Agrias been any less of a knight, she might have smiled slyly, knowingly at the couple and teased them shamelessly as opposed to melting her surprised expression into a mask of neutrality and holding it firmly in place. Not that she would ever be caught doing such a thing, let alone in any sort of public place, but for the two seconds she entertained the thought as a relative comparison, she imagined she would have been truly grateful had anyone who stumbled upon herself and... another... not make an ordeal about it, and so reaffirmed her decision not to do so whilst forcibly pushing the aforementioned relative comparison from her head as it simply didn't work.

She paused as Gabranth requested she excuse their display and continued the silent, meticulous process of layering her emotions through her expression as she looked between the two. That she had been right in giving them time alone was not, in truth, exactly what one would call a surprise and to have come upon a display such as this... for all the inappropriateness about it, she closed her eyes and shook her head, but not at all in disapproval as Quistis issued a request cut from the same fabric as that which Gabranth had only just issued.

Opening her eyes, she looked at the couple for an odd moment and then from Quistis to Gabranth, as she spoke, meaning woven skillfully into certain otherwise innocent words.

"The fault is mine," she replied, her tone calm with only the subtlest inflections -- knight to knight, friend to friend. "As I would see neither of you surprised, I thought it best to inform you that the Strahl makes for Costa Faguita. I trust you will keep Quistis steady, Gabranth?"

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

He certainly wouldn't have guessed her connection to the Garden... and it did earn respect points from him. Kain nodded thoughtfully. "It certainly would be worth seeing it sometime."

[xredthespianx.livejournal.com]

"You're far too sweet for your own good, Mjrn." Blank smiled one of his bright smiles and reached to take hold of Mjrn's hand lightly.

[livelyangel.livejournal.com]

Rinoa grabbed onto Mjrn for dear life, clinging on as she came up for air coughing and spluttering.

"Oops." If she hadn't been soaked before, she was now. Her hair was drenched and she'd swallowed more salt water than she would have liked. "Stupid seaweed."

But it didn't take long for Rinoa to see the humour in the situation. She started to laugh. "S-sorry, Mjrn. I guess I gave you a fright, huh?" She was still leaning on Mjrn as she looked up at her.

[livelyangel.livejournal.com]

"You're always welcome to take a tour!" Rinoa offered. "After Costa Faguita, we're heading off to Alexandria for the Queen's wedding."

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

The expression on Kain's face worried Penelo and a wave of guilt struck her for inducing it. Clearly the topic bothered him, and as much as she wanted to be understanding of his concerns, she didn't wish to highlight them further. She'd figured out a while back he was the sort of person who would share what he wanted when he wanted... with a little pushing. The little push was all she was willing to provide, and no more. "But you know, we can't live forever in the 'what ifs' and 'what will'. If it's going to happen, it will. Dwelling on the rest is no way to live."

Her mouth curved into a fond smile, remembering talking to little Larsa near some gardens. "I think it's important to live in the now. This place, for everything that happens, it's a kind of miracle. A world of second chances. It'd be silly to squander that. Good things can happen, things that are impossible at home." Like living a life on the ground, having her little cafe however briefly that might have been, seeing Ashe and Rasler's son.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

She shook her head. "No, I'm from Dalmasca. It's a country in Ivalice." one of many she'd seen over the years, but no need to bring that up. they'd had this talk before, but it hadn't progressed far, since he'd been surly. She had to admit he was a handy arm to have around in a fight. "You're from that Garden, right?" Pretty sure she'd heard him mention it.

[lionsguard.livejournal.com]

True to her word, Agrias had watched the skies for familiar wings and been rather quick to rise upon sighting them in the distance. She was eager to meet with the company borne by them, yes, but stood a moment to watch the Strahl. Of all of the airships she had seen in her time on Gaia, there truly was none quite like her... but standing and staring after the airship with a strange, unspoken fondness she scarcely realized would accomplish nothing, so she moved to continue her trek along the shoreline toward the group and the newly arrived airship. Neither Fran, nor Balthier would be difficult for her to pick out of the crowd.

It was not long after Agrias came into the more populated area of the beach that she spied a familiar pair of ears. Not those of Mjrn, but those of the partner of a certain heretical sky pirate whom she was happy to see in what appeared to be good health. Suffice to say she did not think twice about approaching the Viera.

"Fran," she greeted, and with a particular warmth and brightness seldom seen in some weeks.

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

Mjrn smiled back and did not pull away. She was just happy that her presence helped somehow. "You are kind to say so...." Then she glanced away from the waves. "Might you join me in attaining refreshment?"

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

Mjrn nodded, though she smiled in relief to see Rinoa resurface. "You are unharmed?" She looked Rinoa over, but relaxed a bit as she only seemed drenched.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Rydia nodded, unsurprised. "You have your duty. I understand." She knew he would likely grab any reason not to linger longer than he felt obliged, but raising Zephyr was a reason she could support. "Still...take the peaceful moment for what it is. I don't think we're likely to see many of them, in the coming months."

[ladiesmanirvine.livejournal.com]

A mischievous grin came across the cowboy's face as he asked, "Oh? So are you telling me you're just as wicked as myself? My my, this is quite a shock, if I do say so myself."

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

Kain nodded to that. "Very well. I might take the offer, although I'm... not entirely sure if I'll be at the wedding." He had a feeling he'd be coerced into it somehow or other.