open | come bury your toes in the sand

[redigere]

WHO: Naminé and friends; open to passersby
WHERE: Beach near Heropa
WHEN: October 15th
WHAT: BEACH PARTY! Feel free to create a new prompt if the ones below don't appeal to you.
WARNINGS: None for now!

It'd taken a lot of last minute scrambling, a lot of runs to the grocery store, and a lot of help from her friends. But as Naminé steps back from the set up, she smiles. Allows herself a little bit of pride in what she's accomplished.

The home tent is where all the food is. Fold up tables have been loaded with an array of sandwiches, finger foods, and drinks, and a cooler nearby has fish and other seafood goodies to be grilled at the bonfire once someone gets hungry for it. This is also where she'll direct friends to drop off snacks and homemade goodies. Please do not sneak any of the chocolate and marshmallows meant for s'mores later.

Close by is the rest area, which is really just a big spread of blankets and a couple fold up chairs on the sand. She doesn't expect everyone to want to stay standing up all day, after all. Naminé knows she's going to be there for a bit, chatting with friends who are visiting, and she may have started a tiny sandcastle and collection of sea shells at the edge of the blankets as well.

The volleyball net and accompanying volleyball are borrowed from a co-worker, so it definitely needs to get back to her in one piece. There's plenty of space for other sports and competitions though...perhaps a game of soccer? And how could anyone ignore the ocean? She and a few others will likely be waist deep in it, learning and practicing how to swim.

Not bad for her first party. Now all she has to do is wait for her guests.

Comments

volleyball net

[redigere]

[Naminé doesn't have any desire to play sports, but she enjoys watching how enthusiastic (and competitive) everyone is getting, so she's off to the side to do that, sipping lemonade. Gran catches her attention eventually, and she wanders over to see what he's up to. Not saying anything yet, though, since he looks very focused.]

[starlinings]

[It's not until he loses control of the ball (quietly chastising himself for not being flexible enough) that he notices Namine, tilting his head up to see her watching.

Had she been watching this whole time?

There's a slight flush to his cheeks as he holds the ball close.]

Namine-chan, do you play soccer?

[redigere]

[She waves from where she's sitting, giving him a little smile before shaking his head.]

No, I don't. I'm not much of a sports person. But it's fun to watch!

[starlinings]

[His smile spreads a little farther, looking down at the soccerball a little as he bounces it in his hands ever so slightly.]

Would you mind if I took a break next to you? I've got to think of how I should dribble it on the sand...it'd be nice to have some company.

[No pressure or anything, certainly, but it's more fun to enjoy someone's company when you're both sharing something, instead of just watching.

A lesson he'd learned back when he was small.]

[redigere]

Of course not! [She scoots to the side to give him room to sit.] Is that what kicking the ball is called? Dribbling?

[starlinings]

[Without hesitation, he takes the time to sit down next to her, holding the ball gently in his hands as he looks at it, thumbs brushing over the creases where the stitching lay.]

You're right. Dribbling is how you move the ball forward, while still keeping it to yourself. A pass--that is when you kick it to another person.

[redigere]

It looks really difficult, but you were doing it so well. [She's got terrible body coordination, herself.] Are you on a team?

[starlinings]

I am. One here and one back in my universe.


Back home I was a part of Aliea Academy...and then I joined Inazuma Japan. We were planning to go to the world championship when I was taken here.

[redigere]

A world championship! That's amazing...it sounds like you had a strong team.

[Uh oh, she's getting the itch to draw again.]

Do you play tournaments here too?

[starlinings]

Not here, no. I play mostly for the Middle School in Nonah after class...


It's not quite the same as it is back home--soccer works a bit different there. But it's fun.

Having a team like that is grounding.

[redigere]

I'm glad for you. I hope I can watch you and your team play someday.

[starlinings]

Would you like to?

[His smile's confident at that, turning to look at her. It's thanks to Endou that he can smile this much when talking about soccer, so the idea to share it with people never leaves his mind.]

If you have free time, that is...we practice almost every day after school.

[redigere]

Oh, yes, I would! I think it would make it more fun if I had a team to cheer for, too. [She hums, mentally recalling her schedule.]

I could come by sometimes on Thursdays, if that's alright?

[starlinings]

[That seems to brighten his face some, green eyes casting back down to look at the people playing volleyball.]

Thursdays are perfect.

[They didn't have to share space with the baseball team that day, at least, so it meant it was easy to keep everyone's attention, both players and spectators.]

I'm usually a forward--they strike the goals in the game, but recently I've been put as a defender.

They protect the goal.

[redigere]

Wonderful! My first soccer game! [And then a curious sound.]

Hm? Why the change?

[She couldn't tell from his footwork earlier, whether he was more gifted as an offensive or defensive player, but Gran seems like the type to excel at both. Or anything, really, that he sets his mind to.]

[starlinings]

[His smile turns warmer, running his fingers along the fabric of the ball once more.]

My friend, Kidou-kun, he wants me to be able to master all levels of the field. They call it libero. I think it means 'free'.

I could be a forward...a midfielder or a defender.


There's no position I wouldn't know how to play.

[Except goalkeeper but honestly, that was a special case.]

[redigere]

Ahh, I see. Then you'd be able to be any player that your team needed if someone was out sick or hurt.

[It's a smart tactic!]

You're just as talented as I thought, being able to learn all of those.

[starlinings]

Exactly.


Every position in soccer is important.


[Although her comment brings a flush to his cheeks, quickly turning his eyes to the sand.]

I'm alright. Some of my friends are certainly more impressive. Gouenji-kun...he's the ace striker of the team back home. He's really something to watch.

[redigere]

But you're the one here now! So I'm looking forward to watching you play.

Oh, and will Ulvida be going to your practices too? I'd like to talk with her more.

[Actually, Naminé seems to keep missing her at the party...]

[starlinings]

Ulvida?

[His eyes widen a bit, knowing full well that soccer was a bit of a tough subject with Ulvida. He had no idea how she felt about it now, only that she kept relatively safe distance from it herself.

Still, she had sometimes watched him practice outside. Maybe she hadn't given up on the sport just yet.]

I could ask her for you. I'm sure she'd like the company.

[redigere]

Thank you! She seemed so kind and mature, the first time I talked with her. I feel like I could learn a lot from her.

[starlinings]

She's one of the kindest people I know. Back home, she always looked out for people. I don't think there was a moment where she wasn't thinking of someone else.

[There's no doubt about that in his mind, gaze turning back up to look out at the ocean.]


I think you would be a good friend for her. You remind me a lot of her.


[Ulvida was a bit more rough around the edges, but they both had the same gentle heart.]

[redigere]

Thank you. I'll try and talk with her later. Maybe we can share some recipe ideas. She was cooking for you, right? That first day that she came.

[starlinings]

Ah, yes.

[He remembers that day all too well, when she'd taken charge and thrown out his roommate's food just like that. It was...certainly something to explain.

Not that he minded,though. Ulvida was always so diligent to make sure he ate correctly.]

The day she called me an idiot.

[redigere]

Well, she knows you better than I do.

[She's just teasing~!]

She also seemed very confused when I called you Gran-chan?