maskormenacelogs | [OPENish] ~LIFE NEEDS MORE BEACHES & BONFIRES~

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[OPENish] ~LIFE NEEDS MORE BEACHES & BONFIRES~

WHO: Josuke, Kaneki, Hazel, Annie, Hide, Reiner, Usagi, Jolyne, Giorno and possibly Hisoka
WHERE: Cape Canaveral Beach
WHEN: Saturday Night, February 7th
WHAT: BONFIRE! BOOZE! ROASTED MARSHMALLOWS! ...skinny dipping?
WARNINGS: Teenagers. Shenanigans. Probably mentions of nudity. TBA IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE!
NOTES: More or less OPEN? I mean, if one of the above characters would have or did invite yours (talk to the muns!) then please come join us! Opener's in prose, but feel free to use whatever works the best!

They'd come from their homes to the military base in Cape Canaveral, and that was where they'd agreed upon meeting one another.

The plan from thereon in was simple. (Maybe too simple to start with—Josuke had originally under planned, after all—but thanks to some helpful 'intervention' things were on course and running smoothly.) A hop, skip, and a jump away was the beach, but in order to be sure they were appropriately distanced from military property, those who were able and willing were to visit the garage and borrow vehicles that could be used to usher their small group a little ways down the coastline.

And by the time they had all arrived at the designated location—an end of the beach decorated with bits of driftwood and only a very light dappling of footprints—the sky was already beginning to darken. The bands of color that had once streaked the horizon like the layers of a sedimentary rock were now fading to a beautiful blue-grey monochrome; the rippling waves looked less like glimmering silk and more like impenetrable velvet; and the sun was barely a glowing sliver, minutes away from disappearing entirely behind the skyline.

It was cool, but not cold, and as the fire was struck, as it reached brightly skyward, flames dancing and crackling, warmth soon began to fan outward.

Around the bonfire were blankets and towels for people to sit on. There were snacks of all kinds: marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers, chips, and hot dogs—and there were skewers with which to stab several of these foods. There was a volleyball, too, pairs of binoculars, someone's media player and headphones, and a small cooler full of drinks on ice: water, some selections of soda, and of course...the alcohol. In short, everything anyone calling themselves a 'teenager' might need to cut loose on a Saturday night.

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[she watches his weird process with an eyebrow quirked in amusement, an expression which she works to erase when he turns back to her. it's not too hard, since her thoughts are pretty quickly occupied with trying to remember her record.]

My best..? Geez, it was - oh! Right, I got twelve in a row once. That was on the trip we took to celebrate me getting into college.

[which is probably not the best memory to conjure up right now, but she's already sliding into some good-natured teasing without a second thought as she bends to pick out another rock.]

I don't really think you're going to manage it, though.

[It's not weird! You gotta have just the right rock, you know? Nice and slim and smooth, those skip the best, cutting through the air and bouncing off the top of the water...!]

Man...I don't think I ever asked how old you are. Would it be weird if I did?

[An innocent enough question, stemming from simple curiosity. They were close, but there was still a lot about each other they hadn't really talked about.

But in case she didn't want to say, he carried on a second later with wide eyes...]

Seriously though, twelve...I have no clue how I'll manage that. [He could maybe use his Stand but, at least for right now, he's content to try the good old fashioned way. No cheating.] Best I've ever gotten before's about four, I think? Maybe five!

[Gearing up and getting ready to toss, he looks over at Hazel and says...]

Watch this, though! You're gonna be impressed!

[And the rock is flung! It's going, going.........

It's a fucking dud and slips right beneath a wave with a gulp!]

...that was just a warm up throw.

[nope, there is absolutely no way that she could possibly stifle a loud snort after watching that display. as if to rub the failure in she neatly looses her next rock, netting a respectable three before it dips below the water.]

So, what, are they all going to be warmup throws?

[more laughter, more neglecting to mention that she's never gotten closer than like seven or eight skips after hitting that fantastic twelve. who needs to know that?]

But, uh, about the age thing. It's not weird to ask, but I don't really know the answer anymore.

[she focuses on the rocks as she speaks, tossing two experimentally in her hands to get a feel for the weight. with a distraction it's easier to keep the response casual and nonchalant.]

I was nineteen when I died, but there was something like ten years between that and coming back. But I was...away, I guess? So I don't know if it counts.

No, they're not all going to be warm up throws...

[Just the ones that really suck.

Picks up another rock, a little less selective this time because who even knows, maybe a bumpy flat rock will catch the top of the water better.

He has no freaking clue what he's doing.]

So you're like...what, twenty-nine roughly? Or still technically nineteen? ...you don't look much older than me is why I'm asking! But maybe it's because you're so short.

Do you really want to say that while I've got a pile of ammunition at my feet?

[she quirks an eyebrow at him, and somehow the rock tossing becomes a little...threatening.

but after a moment she turns and hurls it out across the water like a good girl, albeit with more force than she'd have liked. it gets maybe a single skip before disappearing.]

...I don't know. I wasn't living those ten years, you know? And I sure as hell don't feel twenty-nine.

[she huffs a little, although whether at her poor skipping performance or the topic at hand is impossible to tell. knowing Hazel, she's probably fixating on the rock as a refuge.]

Not that it really matters now, I guess. Nothing's going to change anymore.

[NOT THREATENED! NOPE!

...but he doesn't exactly push the short button again, either.

Instead, he watches Hazel throw her rock and observes as it plunks defeatedly into a wave after a lone skip.

And then he's watching her. Taking note of the way she always seems to get defensive or uncomfortable when talking about herself. Not that he blames her, but it seems like she's...done an awful lot of running away from what she is as opposed to honestly coming to terms with it.

Is that it, he wonders? Could that really be the problem here?]

...can I ask, is that what's been eating at you?

What?

[she turns to look at him fully, the pebbles forgotten for the moment. Hazel had thought that she was doing a decent job at keeping any depressing stuff out of her countenance, so it startles her to have that question asked. for the moment there's no defensiveness in her posture - just that surprise at being called out.]

[Yeah, for all your careful deflections and schooling of your countenance, Hazel, one fact remains indisputable: you came all the way out here by yourself, and knowing what Josuke does know about you, he can't help but worry.]

You heard me. I'm asking if you're alright.

[she shakes her head, even going so far as to flap a hand reassuringly at him. there is no way she's going to bring this night down for anybody just because she needs a little while to sort out her own stupidity.]

Of course I'm fine! Nobody's accidentally stuck their hand in the fire yet, and I'm getting my skipping groove back. Who wouldn't be fine with that going on?

...really hoping nobody does that, either, though if they do, it's not a problem.

[Not for him. Which is probably the reason that, for all his talk about drinking? He's actually not downing much himself. A sip here, a sip there, and lots of water and soda and food. He's staying clear-headed in case...something happens. He's been around enough freak accidents to know clear-headed's a good idea just in case pretty much all the time. Which doesn't mean he's not having fun still, because he totally is.]

Anyway, I wouldn't call that a skipping groove. More like a flop...!

Oh yeah, like you're one to talk. What happened to beating my record here and now?

[she leans over a little and gives him a playful nudge in the ribs. yeah, she hasn't forgotten all that big man talk in the beginning. that's the kind of thing that haunts a guy for months afterward.]

I am beating it! Watch!

[asdfksadjgh

chucks his chunky rock!

And it gets a couple skips in, surprisingly, before a wave rolls it under.

Son of a—]

Gimme another rock, Hazel. I'm gonna wipe the floor with your record before the night's out.

[UNKIND LAUGHTER

Hazel does do him the courtesy of gently tossing him another stone before she takes a seat on the beach, still giggling a little bit under her breath.]

I think I'm better off sitting while I wait for that.

Oi, oi...you want me to throw you next? How about a little bit of encouragement? It's not like it can hurt anything, especially if you don't think I can do it.

Well, I'm about as aerodynamic as that last toss...[she starts laughing again, but collects herself a little more quickly this time.]

But sure, I'll give you all the good luck I've got.

[because, you know, she's such a lucky person. Hazel grins cheekily at him before shoving her fingers in her mouth to produce an impressively loud whistle which is followed up by some facetiously energetic cheering. someone's obviously having a good time here.]

Go go go! You kick that ocean's ass!

...that's more like it.

[He doesn't care if the cheering is cheeky and utter bullshit, it's cute and it gets him pumped.

Tossing the rock up and down in his hand, he gets a feel for it before turning to face the water again.]

You're having fun, right? Hanging out with all of us?

[With him?]

I wouldn't still be here if I wasn't, no matter how much I like you.

[there's a lot more truth in this statement than Hazel probably realizes. ever since she'd been resurrected, her reaction to any problem that personally involved her was to run. she can't even deal with herself - how the hell was she supposed to grapple with something else thrown on top of that? it was easier to just keep running.

her smile quiets down a little, and although there's still a healthy amount of playfulness around the edges she gives a more sincere answer now.]

No, this is nice. Everyone's just hanging out and being stupid, you don't have to worry about anything worse than sand in your swim trunks. It's...normal.

...can I tell you a secret?

[she looks up at the sudden question before nodding, teasing gone from her face.]

Yeah, sure. I won't tell.

It made me really happy when you said it felt "normal".

[Not much of a secret, but it's true. Although, the secret part is...he doesn't want her blabbing this around. He's got a tough exterior to uphold! ...right. because he's such a tough guy.]

Seriously.

I've...been missing home a lot lately. Missing getting to do all the stupid shit I did with my friends. Missing my friends. But having made new ones here...I'm really glad we can do this. That it's not all government this and war that and be a hero!

We can just...be ourselves.

[He lets the rock in hand curve to his index finger before flicking it out across the water.

One, two, three...skips! Four! Five...! Aaannnddd....under. Not bad though, not bad!]

That was really good! Try and snap your wrist a little faster next time.

[genuine encouragement and advice! maybe you should tell her not-really-embarrassing at all secrets more often. Hazel smiles and digs her toes into the sand a little bit before addressing the more central topic.]

But, um. You did a really good job with this. For a little while I actually...forgot, about me. And that probably sounds really awful because this is about you right now, but I mean.

[she purses her lips, digging her toes into the beach a little deeper. damn, did her ability to phrase emotions die with the rest of her those ten years ago?]

We're all missing something. But we're all here now, so it's...ok. We can fill in the blanks for each other until we go home.

[did that help? did she sound like an asshole? whatever, it came from her nonexistent heart all the same. Hazel starts stacking up the remaining pebbles into a little pyramid so that she has something to look at that isn't her conversation partner.]

Or whatever.

It's not about me, dumbass, it's about us.

[He goes for another rock, slippery and slender, before returning to his spot in the sand, marked by his rather large footprints.]

But now I feel bad. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything? 'Cause now you're not forgetting and neither am I and shit's serious...

[He flashes a grin at her over her shoulder.]

Quick, say something! Anything! First thing that comes to mind!

[...and yeah, her words help. But Josuke doesn't really see it as "filling the blanks". The friendships he's forming here are just as real to him as the ones back home. He wonders if Hazel feels the same? But it's okay if she doesn't. He's just glad they have this time. He wants to make the most of it.]

[it's probably not something he should ask about, because the answer is a lot sadder than anything he's thought of - she's assuming that's what she is to most people, or what she'll inevitably become. what she'll have to be, if she wants to keep up this pretend game she's playing with her own life.

thankfully these thoughts aren't crossing her own mind at all. instead she extends her legs, running more sand over them as she pushes grooves into the beach, and gives him a facetiously thoughtful look.]

If you don't end up with food poisoning after tonight I'm going to be really surprised.

[she may not have eaten anything, but she sure as hell has been watching everyone else eat. and you truly have the tastebuds of a growing teenage boy, Josuke.

the fact that this is the first thing that comes to her mind is probably commentary on how much of a foodie being unable to consume anything has turned her into. that or the concept of a marshmallow hot dog is still haunting her, which is waaaay more likely. that was a nightmare in and of itself.]

[Maybe they can talk more about serious things some other night. For now, though? Josuke really is determined to try and keep things fun. For Hazel's sake mostly; she deserves the lightness and normalcy.

Which happens to come with teenage banter.]

If I do and I wind up getting sick, will you hold back my hair?

[Not that his concoctions earlier were that bad! ...but maybe mixing them with alcohol at all will produce some undesirable effects later on?

Oh well! Taste buts of a teenage boy, and the iron stomach to boot! He'll be just fine.]

[the banter works like a charm - she laughs, shaking her head emphatically. her tone is playful, though, because let's be real if he ever started barfing she'd totally hold his hair and find a hair tie for it and everything.]

How am I supposed to do that? Sit in front of you and push it up?

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[OPENish] ~LIFE NEEDS MORE BEACHES & BONFIRES~

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