[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

[empires-lapdog.livejournal.com]

"It is fine, we can stay as long as you like. Even if you cannot see the ocean, hearing it and smelling it will be nice. You can always sunbathe, as well." He smiled lightly, leading her out of Garden, into the sunshine. It was nice out, but a little hotter than he was used to. Well, most places felt like they were hot, when you spent all your time in Narshe.

Taking her down to the beach, Noah smirked lightly. "I will be glad to accompany you to your room later on," he murmured in her ear, though he was polite enough not to make an obvious suggestion. The exchange was already flirtatious enough.

[herownhero.livejournal.com]

The transition between the interior of Garden and the outdoors was obvious in the sudden rise of temperature. Though she couldn't see the sunshine, she could feel the heat of the rays against her skin-- it was a pleasant feeling, one that reminded her of the beaches back in Balamb.

The way he murmured his words into her ear made her flush a bit, and also caused her heartbeat to increase slightly. She smiled and gave his hand intertwined with hers a squeeze before moving closer to him. "The sun and the beach are nice and all, but I'd rather spend time with you." She spoke softly. Quistis knew that Gabranth would head back to Narshe soon, and there was no way of knowing when they would be able to meet again.

"A nice change from Narshe, isn't it?" She commented as their padded their way through the soft sand.

[herownhero.livejournal.com]

Thanks to her blind status, Selphie's voice came as a surprise to Quistis and forced the blond to abruptly pause her steps. Her hand tightened around Gabranth's, and automatically her arm gave a small jerk as if to hide their joined hands behind her back, but she realized that it would be no use; obviously Selphie had caught it. So once she straightened her posture, Quistis tried to keep her expression neutral, though there was a small lift to the corner of her lips as well as a faint blush to her cheeks.

"We're..." Dating? The word seemed too odd for the two of them, but 'involved' was also too vague. Taking a moment to search through her mind for an appropriate term, she finally spoke after pinning down one she felt was suitable. "... in a relationship, yes."

[empires-lapdog.livejournal.com]

He felt absuloutely and utterly awkward with the situation. Selphie had obviously figured it out and if she was joking or not, the idea of people betting on something like this, something involving him, made his stomach knot a little. He didn't know what to say at all, but Quistis answered first and he squeezed her hand as she finally ended what shreds of secrecy they had left.

"Aye, we are," he murmured, nodding lightly and stepping just a little closer to Quistis' side, unable to help the slight twitch up of his lips. It was the first time he'd admitted to being in a relationship with anyone, regardless of how many women he'd been with in the past.

[herownhero.livejournal.com]

The silence that followed after Gabranth's words confused Quistis, but when she heard Selphie's voice from behind, she couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed though she was mostly pleased. Smiling, she turned her head to nudge Noah slightly, her grip on his hand tightening.

She heard the soft grinding of sand as Selphie began to jog away, but the words that followed after the brief paused cause Quistis to redden some. Lifting her chin, she tilted her head to the side, her sightly gaze directed to the ocean though her words were aimed to Noah. "You better follow her orders; I wouldn't want to suffer from Selphie's wrath. You have no idea what her limit break is capable of."

[empires-lapdog.livejournal.com]

As Selphie jogged away and issued the warning, he couldn't help but be amused but he felt Quistis' hand tighten on his and he lowered his gaze to the beautiful blonde beside him. "I would never knowingly break your heart, but if I were to do so, she has first place at punishing me for it," he answered, leaning to kiss her cheek discreetly.

Leading her on, he headed towards the edge of the ocean, looking out at the horizon as the surf lapped at their feet. "Is there aught you wish to do whilst we are here?"

[herownhero.livejournal.com]

"I'll hold you to your words, then." Quistis replied with a smile, placing her free hand upon his chest briefly. When they continued forward, she considered his question for a moment and shrugged.

"Well, I can't really swim right now. Maybe we can just walk along the edge of the water? If you want to swim, though, I can stay on the sand."

While it was rather hot out due to the sun beating down overhead, thankfully the sea brought in a pleasant breeze. The gusts of wind made her skin prickle slightly and reminded her of just how little she was wearing, and she couldn't help but feel slightly exposed. Slowing her pace down, she kept at Gabranth's side to use his larger body to block the winds.

[empires-lapdog.livejournal.com]

"I'll swim later, perhaps," he murmured, keeping her hand and just walking her along the waters edge, the pace far more relaxed than the military march he was used to walking it. He was content with her at his side.

Noticing her trying to shield herself from the winds, Noah led her down towards the boardwalk, and under it, curling his arms around her, keeping her close. "We are under the boardwalk," he murmured, glad they were sheilded at least a little. He didn't exactly have devious intentions, but now he had her under the boardwalk, he could at least kiss her.

[herownhero.livejournal.com]

The feeling of the water lapping across her feet was pleasant, and she was more than happy to just walk alongside Gabranth as he lead her down the beach. It had been so long since she had last been on a real vacation, and to be able to spend time with Noah was an added bonus.

As he shifted the direction of their walk and she felt them leave the edge of the sea, Quistis grew curious, but didn't question their destination. The slight drop in temperature as well as the decrease in wind indicated that they were now in a more sheltered area, and when Gabranth informed her of where he had lead him, she smiled.

"We're alone now?" She asked as a hand slowly traveled up his arm , over his shoulder and along his neck until her fingers brushed his cheek, where she guided a kiss to his lips.

[lionsguard.livejournal.com]

And it was at that exact moment that Agrias moved to join her two friends beneath the boardwalk if only to alert them to the expected arrival of a particular airship upon the beach so as to minimize any potential discomfort Quistis might experience as a result of such unexpected sound. It would not due for Quistis to be surprised and while she more than trusted Gabranth to see that she was comfortable, she also intended to use the golden opportunity handed her by Fran and Balthier to check in upon the not-couple. She raised her voice as she approached, the footprints left by the pair betraying them.

"Quistis? Gabr --"

Having lifted her eyes to the pair, she halted a few mere feet from them.

"-- anth, you..."

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.

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.

[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?"

[empires-lapdog.livejournal.com]

Gabranth grimaced inwardly at the thought of the beach being overrun with sky pirates, particularly one that had once been specifically irritating to him, but he didn't let the expression show outwardly, though his hand did tighten on Quistis', just that little bit.

"I see. I shall keep her steady during its landing, and still as the pirates set foot on the sands." He wasn't impressed to be having those pirates all over the beach but he couldn't exactly keep them away. He had no jurisdiction and the pirates had every right to be upon a free land like this. He was still irritated that they'd be here, though.

[herownhero.livejournal.com]

Quistis was hardly pleased with the news of Balthier's impending arrival, as well. Why Agrias, a perfectly sensible women, managed to become friends with the Sky Pirate-- she'd never know, though it wasn't her place to question their friendship. She gaave a small nod to confirm that she had heard Agrias' announcement, though her last statement earns the other blond female a small frown.

"I can keep steady on my own, Agrias." Her words didn't necessarily come out in a snappy fashion, though there was a slight undertone of exasperation in her voice. Being blind didn't mean she couldn't even keep her own balance. She realized her words might have come out much harder than she had intended, and so Quistis squeezed Gabranth's hand as if in an apologetic manner before she spoke out to Agrias.

"Sorry-- I'm just not use to depending on people so much." She turned her head in Gabranth's direction, her voice a soft murmur. "I appreciate the help, really."

[lionsguard.livejournal.com]

Agrias was mindful of the small, intimate gestures the couple shared, but she made no outward show of it. She would not grudge her friends these things. Rather, she shook her head following Quistis' apology and prepared to take her leave.

"Think naught of it, Quistis," she replied, pausing to address them both. "Should you have need of me, I trust you will let me know. Gabranth, Quistis."

And with that, the blond knight took her leave of the couple and left with them their dignity for another day.