( closed ) life like the unplumbed sea;

[transmit]

WHO: Elysium & friends(?)
WHAT: This is now just a catch-all for everything
WHERE: Everywhere
WHEN: 2024
WARNINGS: Blanket warning for possible explorations of dark themes in general, please tread at your own risk. I will, however, endeavour to include specifics in headers if applicable.

Comments

[transmit]

Ooh, ouch. 'Specially when you're my first choice of contact!

[ or so he says, but he doesn't look particularly hurt over it. between spoonfuls of watermelon: ]

Setting the matter of my broken heart aside… Ever swim, then? Play any sports?

[bemist]

It's not you. [ This is not actually reassurance, it's matter-of-fact. ]

I'm still used to fighting alone, mainly. Or mentoring. [ When it came to Floor fights. ]

But no, not really. I learned how to swim out of necessity, and sports could be interesting, I guess. [ She's just full of fun summer activity potential, ain't she? ]

[transmit]

[ hello? she crushed a watermelon with her thighs the potential is limitless. elysium's eyes brighten; she's given him the perfect answer, actually.

jock-to-jock communication… ]

Are those rounds of surfing and volleyball I'm hearing? I may not be able to hold a candle to you in sparring, but I think even you'll have it tough trying to beat or catch up to me in either.

[bemist]

Is it really gloat-worthy if I haven't done them before?

[ I mean, sure? Get what victories you can, Elysium. ]

[transmit]

Of course not! That's why this next while's going to be your training arc!

[ they're going to play so many sports now geb, wrong move ]

[bemist]

My--

[ Hello? ]

Why are you looking so enthusiastic about this...?

1/2

[transmit]

Your training arc!

[ just in case she thought he'd stuttered. he didn't. ]

[transmit]

I've finally found something outside of sparring that you've shown more than remote interest in.

[bemist]

[ ... This guy. ]

We can't all be extroverts. [ dryly. She just also never said she'd be willing to try new things, though, so she can't exactly blame him for the reaction. ]

[transmit]

[ can't wait for callisto to get in so her headaches increase ]

No, but you're making it sound like introverts can't have hobbies. [ and that's rude to her fellow introverts?? anyway, with that established-- ] Are you about done with the watermelon?

[bemist]

[ why do you want her to suffer so much ]

About, yeah. [ A couple more spoonfuls; she can't deny that watermelon in this weather is delicious, so it's not taking her all that long to finish it. ] You're kicking off this training plan of yours already?

[ It's lightly amused, at least, for all that her expression doesn't change. ]

[transmit]

No time like the present, Miss Gebura. Who knows when an opportunity like this will come by again?

[ he doesn't have foresight to know that the beach episode will only last for a few days, but he's treating it as if it'll last about as long nonetheless. there are the vr worlds, yes, but they're hardly the same.

after composting the rinds and washing off their hands, consider a volleyball thrown in her direction. ]

There aren't many of these around, so do be careful about deflating this with that strength of yours. Shall I teach you the basics if you're unfamiliar? Perhaps not a game today or anytime soon, [ unless she's about to unlock her latent talent as a haikyuu ] but lobbying the ball back and forth to get our bodies moving can be just as fun.

[bemist]

You act like I can't moderate my own strength. [ Please, she know when to use it!! But she catches the ball, carefully. Are volleyballs always meant to be this light? ]

So are we just tossing this between us? [ But then it's just a game of Catch, isn't it, so she says it with the air of one who expects that to not just simply be the case. ]

[transmit]

[ it's not a day with elysium if there aren't teases thrown here and there, okay. but yes, as she predicts, that isn't nearly it. ]

Throw it at me a couple times and I can show you the basic passes in volleyball. There's usually a net about this high, [ he uses his hand for an approximation of 2.43 metres ] so keep that in mind when you're making a lobby. Otherwise, if there's anything that you don't understand, you can just let me know and I'll explain it to to you.

Have you ever thought about what kind of learner you are?

[ he assumes Seeing it is still the best way to start off, so with that, his hand is back to his side as he he's moves into proper stance. ]

[bemist]

Not really. I paid attention to everything and I learned from that.

[ So seeing it is probably a good, informed decision. Sure, she'd picked up her ability to learn quickly out of sheer necessity for survival, but does it really matter why she got it, so long as she does have it? But she takes a few seconds to commit that visual net to memory and then lobs the ball at Elysium. In a higher arc than usual, so it's clear she's paying attention. ]

[transmit]

[ There's certainly a part of him that didn't think she'd take any of what he'd approached her for seriously, but he's taking her enthusiasm ("enthusiasm") in stride and will most definitely be using this knowledge for future endeavours--

But yes, he'll commit to however many bumps and sets she wants to see from him until she's ready to call for a pause and give it a go herself, unless she wants to surprise him with one when he's making a pass back! ]

[bemist]

[ yeah, you know what?

She will go for a bump without warning. She thinks she's sort of gotten the hang of it, though she is taking this very solemnly for the time being. Which could really be enthusiasm, coming from her. ]

[transmit]

[ Solemn, you say. Endearing is what Elysium would use, charmed by how she takes it on as if it's a genuine challenge. Maybe it's presumptuous of him to think, but these are his brackets and he's allowed to think what he wants in them!

He's just going to keep passing the ball along, alternating between bumps and sets as he trains his eyes more carefully on her posture. Best to weed out any bad habits before they have a chance to form, and if he does talk—it'll only be for that, unless, of course, she's a natural and manages to replicate him perfectly… I'd believe it!

All it took for them to peacefully coexist was a sport… wow… ]

[bemist]

[ Is she a natural? No, not really. She's just a quick learner when she's determined, so he'll have to correct her a few times, but it won't really ever have to be for the same thing.

But it's better when she can focus on that and he's not saying things that make her want to shove a fist into his face.

Thank you, sports. ]

Satisfied I can keep up yet?

[transmit]

And the ball's none worse for wear!

[ so: yes. and that he's genuinely surprised it hasn't been deflated… following her last pass, he catches the ball in his hands. ]

Ideally, a game's played with four people… So if we can drag two of your other coworkers into this, we'll be peachy. But before that! I think you're gonna like this part of volleyball best. After I throw it over to you, mind setting the ball for me?

[ it's spiking time, baby!!!! (please don't hurt him, they're doing so well) ]

[bemist]

[ Elysium, please, she knows how to control her own strength?? ]

Two of them aren't really into being active.

[ Just. She's going to say that. But sure, she'll take a toss back into setting for him. ]

[transmit]

You don't think you and Yesod would be enough of a sell?

[ aaaaaand a spike right back!! Using the full portion of his strength, just to see what her respond to it might be. She probably doesn't want him holding back to begin with, right? ]

[bemist]

[ She doesn't. But it still catches her off-guard enough that as soon as the spiked ball comes flying in her direction, she automatically slams it back with one fist.

Up, at least, not directly at his face, he can still flirt with people after this probably. ]

[transmit]

[ thus begins the dogged malkuth friendship arc……

or really, what he needs to figure out first is this current predicament, instinctively jolting away from any line of fire. he prides himself on his speed and reflexes, thank god, but



what can they say about the ball itself after he'd just complimented her on showing restraint???? ]

[bemist]

[ It's, uh.

It's fine.

Perhaps.

Deflated.

Oops. ]

... I can get another one.