( open ) out of isolation

[motivation]

Who: dutch (motivation) & YOU, thomas nightingale (ettersberg) & YOU
What: a month in the life of a former assassin, a month in the life of the former last sanctioned wizard of the uk
When: may
Where: flona cove and khalo
Warning(s): alcohol and fyrra use, nudity, sex and probably swearing

Comments

[impavid]

[ John has grown tired of all the people around the bonfires.

He's not super big on noisy parties to begin with, especially when he hardly knows anyone. With friends? Sure! But big crowds of strangers leave him unconsciously alert for trouble. So eventually he wanders away down the beach, absently rolling up the sleeves of his already unbuttoned shirt and trying to find some peace and quiet. He's lost enough in thought that he'd doesn't notice Dutch until she calls out to him, but the sound of her voice has him pausing and turning toward the waters edge. ]

Looks pretty nice from here.

[ You know, both her and the water for that matter. He shoves his hands into the pockets of his shorts, squints at the way she's floating thoughtfully. ]

[motivation]

Maybe you should get in.

( the phrasing is mostly a suggestion. her tone is light enough that it doesn't turn into an order on that alone. dutch has plenty experience ordering others around, of course, but there's a time and a place for it.

this probably isn't it.

he squints, she tips her head back for a moment before slanting a glance at him again. ) Like what you see?

[impavid]

[ Huh.

He hadn't really pegged Dutch this way during their first encounter, but to be fair it was just one encounter. One... mostly full of discussion over Olympia vs Wyver. He takes a slow step closer to the water's edge, resting one foot on a rock and leaning in as he looks down at lagoon more carefully. He's checking for... fish, tentacles, anything that might make this feel like a bad idea. You know. Usually hot women who seem into him turn out to be a trap. Once bitten. ]

Anyone who told you they didn't is either lying or blind.

[ He's just saying. ]

[motivation]

( the truth is that even without the prompting of the pool, dutch might be like this. there's a reason d'avin once accused her of sleeping with all the wrong guys. she doesn't even remember why she slept with some of them. nice eyes? nice hands? what does it matter? )

No one told me that.

( her confidence is as easy as it is purposefully exaggerated at the moment. )

[impavid]

Well I can see why. Good to know the folk here are all honest.

[ He toes off his shoes, slips to sit on the rock and reaches out to run a hand through the water. It's warmer than he expected, and the ripples on the water are oddly hypnotic. ]

So, what's a nice young lady like you doing all alone out here?

[ It's a jokey sort of lead in, but he's curious too. He knows he was avoiding the crowds, but did she have some other reason? ]

[motivation]

Now you're assuming things.

( about her being nice, mostly, though there's no clear indication that that's what she means, rather than her age. nothing but a hint of danger to her smirk, for a moment. )

I went for a walk, this is where I ended up.

[impavid]

Oh yeah? You looking for a quiet spot to lure people in so you can knock them out and steal their lunch money?

[ Since he's apparently assumed wrong about either nice, young or alone. ... He doesn't think he's wrong about lady, but he supposes he might imminently find out.

He shrugs off his shirt anyway, vaguely folds it on top of his shoes and sets his sunglasses on top. Since he's apparently committing to terrible ideas. ]

[motivation]

( technically, he's wrong about lady, too. technically, she's a queen — or she was, for a while. royalty by marriage, not by blood, though the blood that runs through her veins isn't that of a commoner, either. )

Don't worry, I'm not interested in your lunch money.

( she stops floating to better watch him, her gaze indicating that she might be interested in something else. like his chest. and shoulders. )

[impavid]

No? Then what, you're after my shirt? I think it'd fit you.

[ He lets his feet dangle in the water while he watches her, half amused and half not... quite sure how certain he is that he's reading her intentions right.

Easier to circle his way up to things and make sure. ]

[motivation]

You've seen right through me.

( he's circling, figuratively more than literally, while dutch stays still, both figuratively and literally, not moving from her spot in the pool but watching john's every move, lips curving upward. )

My evil plan, exposed.

[impavid]

It's a nice shirt.

[ It's a pretty boring shirt. ]

You can come and get it, if you want it so badly.

[ You can come and get him, too, if you actually want him. ]

[motivation]

Do you always make the girl do all the work?

( she fires back, quick, eyebrows raised. there's a challenge in her tone and her expression, for all that she's grinning. she does move a little closer toward the middle of the pool. toward him, too. )

[impavid]

Some girls like that. Some prefer it when I do all the work. Wasn't sure which you were.

[ Maybe she's neither. Maybe she prefers an equal opportunity struggle. She definitely looks like she could do him some damage if she wanted to, after all. ]

[motivation]

A little of one, a little of the other.

( dutch doesn't know how to be passive, but she's not willing to put in an effort if she gets nothing back, it's that simple. )

So, you coming in?

[impavid]

Guess I am.

[ She seems interested enough, and he has no reason not to. Hell, he's even still got his swimwear on underneath so there's no excuse. John unbuttons his cargo shorts and drops them on the rocks -- the ends trailing through the water for a second.

Then he slips down into the lagoon, drops himself all the way under for a second to get himself accustomed to the temperature and shakes water out of his hair like a dog as he comes back up. ]

Better?

[ The smile he flicks her is entirely irreverent, like he doesn't really care either way. ]

[motivation]

( he drops his pants and slides into and then under the water. when he comes back up again, dutch throws him a grin, something pleased and a little dangerous. )

Much.

( a beat. for a moment, she seems content to leave it at that. then: ) Gonna come closer?

[impavid]

[ John and danger are a combination that compliment and enhance each other, like chocolate and peanut butter.

Dutch grins at him, and he's trapped like like a fish on a hook. He drops under the water swims forward then surges up in front of her, making to grab Dutch and tug her toward his chest. If she'll let him, anyway. ]

Close enough?

[ If you didn't think John was full of bad lines, you're wrong. ]

[motivation]

( he grabs her and dutch lets him, moving against him easily and sliding her arms around his neck. at his question, she pretends to think about it, humming thoughtfully. )

Better, at least.

( a beat. )

But you could be closer.

( he's not the only one with bad lines. )

[impavid]

Yeah?

[ Yeah, he thinks so too.

He moves both of them through the water now that she's holding on, until he can press her up against a rocky outcrop. Until he can plaster his body more easily against hers, and move a hand up to slide one of her straps off her shoulder. ]

How much closer?

[ You thought it'd stop? There's only one way to shut this man up. ]

[motivation]

Just a little bit more.

[ dutch's lips curl up, pleased with how close he's already come, pleased with the initiative that has their bodies pressing together. she slides one of her legs up over his hip, back arching a little, head tipped back, looking at him steadily, invitation obvious. ]