Afternoon Daydreams

Hotaru

It’s a pleasant shiver that trips its way up her spine at the unexpected endearment, no matter how hollow. Halovian men are stalwart and noble, yes, but certainly not devilish or enticingly three-dimensional. She definitely needs to visit more often. For her daughter of course - no other reason.

Taking his arm and falling into step beside him, the Valkyrie lets him lead the way. It will be a good test of his tastes, and she admittedly can’t resist sating her touch starvation for a moment. She will certainly be eager to judge the quality of the beach bar he chooses. “I’m not much of a drinker, but I like to enjoy the ridiculous themed cocktails they serve out here,” she admits with a smile, conveniently leaving out that the last time she’d gotten truly drunk in Torchline she’d burned down a building, threatened political upheaval between two regions, been held and interrogated by her exes, was freed from jail by her demigod baby daddy, and got away with it effectively scot-free.

He might remember the burned building as a native. The rest was merely flavor.

soak me in your moonshine
and fuck me on fire

If Hotaru decided to visit more often, it certainly wouldn't hurt George's feelings at all.

He led the way down the beach, enjoying the sensation of a beautiful woman on his arm. There was something to be said for the way heads turned towards Hotaru, as though like moths to a flame; it brought him no small amount of joy to watch the way people glared at their beaus when the latter stared a little too long.

"Then this particular bar will be perfect for you," George assured her, completely unfazed by her lack of interest in alcohol. He himself could take it or leave it; he preferred the fruitier cocktails of the beach to a cold beer, any day. "They are heavy on the theme, light on the liquor." And as he talked, he led her up to a cute little bar that was clearly themed for the beach. A horseshoe-shaped bar was covered by a roof that looked as though it were made of palm fronds, little stools dotting the sand in front of the counter. A stand of palm trees framed the back of the bar. Little lights were strung along the trees and the roof line; it was almost prettier at night than it was during the day.

"Welcome to the High Tide," he said. "Admittedly not the most creative of names, but I think you'll like the drinks."

xoxo, George

Hotaru

She is not the only one being stared at, though the women are far more sly than their partners who end up with elbows in their ribs and hissed threats in their ears. They're an unfairly beautiful pair, which makes their leisurely stroll all the more delightful for how it draws so many eyes. Though Ru does not miss the spectacle they create, George is more interesting by far, so her attention scarcely strays. Until he shows her to a fun little bar of course - clearly themed, but with far more care and more permanence than the peddlers beneath their shade tents.

"Cute, I like the effort they've put in," she laughs slightly, charmed by the kitschy nature of the place. "Though they're missing a golden opportunity for a slogan about being taken under at high tide. Perhaps they did it intentionally if they are light-handed with their pours." She certainly won't be the one to complain about it.

The shade makes her blink, adjusting her eyes as the roof overhead suddenly plunges them both into shadow. Tilting her head at George, she smiles. "Care to sit or walk with our drinks? I can cover our tab." She's scarcely a tourist here, no matter how long it has been since she called it home. The bartender takes note of them and starts to make his way over, and Ru uses her hand on George's arm to gently pull him closer, meeting the bartender with a come-hither smile that she hadn't bothered to pull on George. "Hello darling, could we have one Sex on the Beach and one Miana Mojito?" The bartender agrees easily, cheeks a little flushed, and turns to set about making their drinks. Ru winks at George, squeezing the inside of his elbow. "That way we can share and try both, hm?"

soak me in your moonshine
and fuck me on fire

George was pleased that his choice of bar seemed to have met Hotaru's expectations, and he offered a crooked grin as she laughed. As they stepped into the shade, she offered to pay their tab, which had George immediately chuckling. If she thought she was going to pay, that was fine by him - but she'd find that their check conveniently never came. The bartender was the owner of the bar, and he owed George a favor or two.

The charming smile and use of a pet name for the bartender did nothing to deter the thief as he stepped closer to Hotaru, boldly reaching to put an arm around her waist. She had pulled him closer, after all. If it bothered him that she'd ordered for him, it didn't show - and, truthfully, he'd never been one to be fucked about that kind of thing anyway. "We can walk, if you'd like. Maybe take that dip you mentioned," he added, amusement sparkling in his eyes at the way the bartender went pink, clearly entranced by Hotaru's charm.

George met the bartender's eyes for a moment, raising an eyebrow; the man nodded back in silent understanding. There would be no paying for anything - and the thief suspected, based on the flustered look the bartender shot towards Hotaru, that that would have been the case even without his influence.

xoxo, George

Hotaru

For once oblivious to someone else’s plots and plans (which will surely pleasantly surprise her soon) Hotaru merely indulges in flustering the bartender while she has the opportunity to do so. And while George has no way of knowing, the easy way he steps close and lingers, just barely pressed against her even as she flirts with the bartender makes something far deeper inside her uncurl and take note. Too many men either vie for her attention or revel in having received it, as if her interest is merely a badge to shine in the faces of others - only to sour and seethe when the same personality that had intrigued them is given to anyone else, insecure in their belief that she would return to them every time if they only had the guts to keep her close.

Only having dipped into her head for that brief moment, Ru leans back slightly and covers the arm he loops around her waist with her own in silent assurance that George is not only welcome but encouraged to crowd in close. Fingers playing with the webbings of his own, a private little game beneath the bar nobody else can see. It makes it easier to tilt her head towards him when they’re pressed so close, smiling up at him with a mischievous glint to her eyes. “Perfect. There’s a great tide pool down the beach as I’m sure you know.” Calmer waters to soak in, though she wouldn’t object to wrapping her legs around his waist while they weather the waves.

The drinks are slid across the bar, and Ru leans over to grab them, plainly exposing her chest and the slope of her neck as she smiles beatifically. “Thank you love.” She is just reaching for her clutch when the bartender, pink-faced, waves it away - and glances briefly at George with a nod before heading to serve someone else. Impressed, Ru arches a brow at George and bumps him with her hip to signal they can emerge back into the sun with their drinks. “That was the sneakiest way to steal the bill I’ve ever seen. I’m quite impressed.”

soak me in your moonshine
and fuck me on fire

Let's get one thing straight about George: flirtatious, he was; jealous, he was not. If someone wanted to be with him, then he'd trust them not to stray too terribly far - just as he would hope the same generosity would be extended to him in turn. And if someone didn't want to be with him? Well, he'd wish them happy trails and say goodbye. That was not to say that he wanted Hotaru to say goodbye just yet. After all, she'd thoroughly captured his attention. She was beautiful, of course, but also witty and clever; in other words, she was right up George's alley.

George did know the tide pool that she referred to, and he nodded in agreement. He'd be happy to stroll further down the beach with a lovely woman on his arm, admiring the way that she made heads turn. In fact, the way she carried herself - regal, confident, self-aware - was just as alluring to him as her looks.

The bartender hurried back with their drinks and gave George a nod, which the thief returned with a smile of thanks. Drinks now in hand, George raised an eyebrow at Hotaru's compliment, favoring her with a crooked grin. "You'll find I'm full of surprises," he told her as they emerged into the sun. He began to lead the way down the beach towards the tide pool that she had spoken of, strolling leisurely with his arm still loosely about her waist, fingertips barely skimming her bare skin.

xoxo, George

Hotaru

For such a simple touch, the fingertips at her waist are electrifying and distracting - keep her attention fully on him instead of the heads that continue to turn. With no idea what tomorrow's opening holds, this is the first taste of flirting and intentional touch that Ru has had in far too long. One night stands in Halo are perfunctory things, and she does not indulge often because of how well-known she is there. This drawn out get-to-know-me? Intoxicating. "I'll definitely have to come around more to figure out those secrets." The gleam of her eyes is covetous, desiring to know what he hides in his head - perhaps for reasons beyond her standard inclination to weaponize and leverage information.

Maybe. He is quite magnetic.

As they approach the tide pool, Ru sips a little faster at her drink until the light buzz of alcohol settles in her skin. Best not waste it if she ends up forgetting it while they swim. Separating from his side, the Valkyrie snags at his hand instead to forge her way into the surf first, setting her drink down on a flat rock and using that newly freed hand to shamelessly pry free her skirt wrap to drop it onto the sand. Turning, she pulls on his hand with a grin. "Can I convince you to forgo a layer since I did?" Eyes glittering mischievously, aware he would have to lose his trunks to keep that promise.

soak me in your moonshine
and fuck me on fire

Heaven above sent me love
But it wasn't enough, no it wasn't enough

If what George hid in his head was what the Valkyrie wanted to know, she would have to come around more often. It wasn't every day that the thief bared his thoughts to strangers, after all, no matter how alluring they were. It was in his nature to play things close to the vest - it was a lesson he'd had to learn the hard way in his youth, when he'd been betrayed by someone he'd thought trustworthy and was subsequently caught stealing something of great value. He was saved from punishment only because the guard owed his ma a favor. He'd learned not to trust so easily, after that.

But this afternoon wasn't about trusting or not trusting, not really. It was about getting to know someone who had an air of mystery about her. She drew him in like a moth to flame, and somewhere in the back of his mind, he hoped he wouldn't get burned.

Not that it stopped him, of course. He was a cautious man in many things, but he was free with his flirtation, and things with Hotaru were getting too interesting to stop now. Especially when she dropped her skirt wrap, turning to grin at him mischievously. Gods, but she was beautiful, and he took a moment to admire her petite figure. "It's only fair," he agreed with a grin, "But I notice that you have more layers to lose." For all his bluster, he wasn't used to skinny dipping with a near-perfect stranger (and he did mean near-perfect), and it was only the fact that he wasn't one to back down from a challenge that stopped him from finding an excuse to avoid it.

He took a deep swallow of his drink before setting it beside hers on the flat rock nearby (gods above, what was he doing), then released her hand to remove his trunks with a flourish. Looking at Hotaru with a mischievous grin of his own, he took her hand again, tugged her closer, and scooped her up to begin trying to carry her into the surf.

'Cause I've been a devil, I've been a saint
Somebody help me, I can't change

George

Hotaru

He'll find that everything she shares is carefully curated to create the illusion of knowing her. Time and small measures of trust and daring would be the only things guaranteed to allow them to know one another better - but that didn't mean they couldn't have fun.

His eyes are like trails of heat against her skin that the sun on her shoulders cannot hope to contend against, and Hotaru is moments from twisting her words to try and entice him into stripping when he simply does. Admittedly for just a moment, Hotaru's composure breaks, cheeks flushing a light pink and mouth dropping in surprise at the exact same moment as the corners turn upward, positively delighted with her success. Only a surprised, eager noise has a chance to escape her throat as she takes in his bare body - which lasts a devastatingly short amount of time as he pulls her forward and over his shoulder with ease.

Hotaru yelps a humorous noise and clings to his sun-warm skin, her laughter coming in peals of bell-like noise the moment his shoulder is no longer robbing her lungs of air. Though she is far from helpless in his grasp, she dangles there willingly, and sneaks a hand down his back to grope shamelessly at his backside. "I can't even enjoy the view this way!" she complains through her laughter. Though what view she does have is magnificent.

soak me in your moonshine
and fuck me on fire

Heaven above sent me love
But it wasn't enough, no it wasn't enough

George laughed aloud at the momentary flash of surprise on Hotaru's face as he actually did as she asked. He was never one to back down from a challenge, and though he was normally a touch more modest, he found himself wanting to surprise her. It was perhaps a vaguely youthful notion, that by doing what she wanted he might impress her, but he leaned into it all the same. It would be fun while it lasted, anyway.

Her laughter was like music to his ears, catching in its seeming sincerity, and he grinned widely as he considered dumping her among the waves just to see how she'd react. As her hand snaked down to grope him, leaving trails of fire where it touched his body, a faint flush brightened his cheeks, and he was glad that he was holding her to where she couldn't see. "Ah, but I can't make things too easy for you," he teased, running his free hand lightly up the back of her thigh under the guise of steadying her on his shoulder. "But maybe if you ask nicely..."

'Cause I've been a devil, I've been a saint
Somebody help me, I can't change

George

Hotaru

Admittedly his boldness is charming, and though she has no idea that this flirts with the boundaries of his normal comfort zone, his boyish desire to show off has clearly won her over. Or at least broken down her defenses enough for something sincere to shine through; the bright sound of her laughter, the juvenile groping of his ass, things she would normally hide or refine into something more elegant.

Quite accustomed to being dumped in water from a tall man's shoulder (thank you Deimos) she can't help but anticipate it even when it does not come. His hand is warm and steady on her thigh, and Hotaru's nerves alight instantaneously beneath the bold, exploratory nature of his touch.

Oh, but two can play at this game.

Using her hands on the back of his waist to lift herself slightly so she can turn her head and have him hear her better, the Valkyrie smirks. Heterochromatic eyes half-lid themselves, and her voice drops into a sultry croon that is downright indecent. "Please, George? I want to see you so badly." She lets her voice go breathy, like the very beginnings of a moan, on that very last word. Hands sliding slowly down both sides of his spine as she lowers herself back down, grinning unrepentantly.

soak me in your moonshine
and fuck me on fire

Heaven above sent me love
But it wasn't enough, no it wasn't enough

Whatever he had been anticipating of this chance encounter, wading into the water, completely naked, carrying Hotaru over his shoulder was decidedly not it. Not that he was complaining, really - he was enjoying himself immensely, but as the Valkyrie flirted with the edges of his comfort zone, his mind scrambled to try to think of ways to distract her. He could dump her unceremoniously in the water, but he rather thought that might end their game a little early, and that was not his intent. He'd prefer it if their flirtations were as drawn out as possible, however juvenile they were.

He could feel her shifting on his shoulder, lifting herself up to turn her head towards him - and nearly dropped her with surprise at the husky voice in his ear. Swallowing hard, and very nearly coming undone under her expert ministrations, his mind scrambled for something sexy and witty and flirty to say back, only to find that nothing was there other than a deep arousal that he couldn't seem to think around.

Everywhere their bodies touched was aflame, and he was suddenly glad for the coolness of the ocean to help calm his suddenly raging desire. "Gods, woman," he groaned after a moment. "You really know how to tease a man." Still, he kept her on his shoulder, unwilling to let the game end quite yet.

'Cause I've been a devil, I've been a saint
Somebody help me, I can't change

George

Hotaru

She can practically taste the white noise that enters his brain, and the prolonged silence only provides her space to cackle quietly into his skin. But the game is far from over it seems. He seems to have a few remaining threads of resistance that she must snip and brutalize, and that's more than alright with her.

"I could say the same for you," she laughs, and presses a lingering kiss to his spine. If he won't put her down just yet, she intends to take full advantage. "Though I can always wrap my legs around your waist. Then I won't be able to see any of the good stuff - isn't that more fun?" If his resolve is too strong to break with teasing, perhaps some good old fashioned bartering will work.

soak me in your moonshine
and fuck me on fire

Heaven above sent me love
But it wasn't enough, no it wasn't enough

If the shaking of Hotaru's quiet laughter bothered the thief, he wasn't aware of it; perhaps he should be embarrassed, but he was too busy being amused by the boldness he'd been presented with. He'd never met a woman quite like Hotaru, and it was with a great deal of bemusement that he considered his next move. If Hotaru's goal was to break down his defenses, it was working - to a point. He would flirt and play and tease, but he'd never been a casual sex kind of man, and though he wasn't sure where her mind was taking her, he was already making plans to stop himself before things went too far. (I know, he's no fun.)

Her kiss on his spine sent a thrill through his body, an he laughed as he glanced over his shoulder to try and catch sight of her face. As compromises went, hers was a good one, and he grinned, suddenly dipping as though to throw her in the water but catching her instead, one arm beneath her and one arm behind her, to settle her at his waist. "Is that what you had in mind?" he asked in a low rumble, his eyes sparkling with mischief and desire.

'Cause I've been a devil, I've been a saint
Somebody help me, I can't change

George