Twenty-somethings gotta twenty-something

[mikangirl]

Who: Everyone invited, everyone gatecrashing (technically you're all invited, so...)
Broadcast: Who knows, maybe some drunken texting later on
Action: Iskaulit Pool!
When: 3 July

[It's a party for a narcissistic redhead who likes to be reminded she's alive.  Come celebrate!  Alternately, come sneak in and steal the food!  There's a bar set up for drinks drastically lowered to cost-price or to-be-paid-later-tab, a non-alcoholic punch in case of wandering minors (spike it and Nami will end you) and random snacks.

Oh, and a pool.  Which is heated.  Kind of important, that part.

Step right up, I'm reliably informed we'll have Thor with his shirt off, take pictures while you can.]

Comments

[passingthrough]

Hey, don't pick battles you can't win, Vash. You started this. [She steps out onto the surface of the water and crouches down to smirk at him. She's intangible, so touching and splashing won't be effective.]

[goldenglasses]

[Vash continues to pout.] I still think it's cheating. [He goes to pull himself out of the pool, but his heavy waterlogged jacket weighs him down and he ungraciously falls back into the pool. He tries once more before he sighs and grumpily holds out as he looks away. Clearly highly embarrassed that he needs to ask for help.] Please help, Captain. [Grovelling like a good whipped boy.]

[passingthrough]

Wow, you are something. Better idea, why don't you stay in, and I'll join you? [She doesn't see a trap coming but she's perfectly happy to have some pool time with him.]

[goldenglasses]

Because I'm not dressed for a pool? That and I'm pretty sure this isn't good for the bullets in my pockets. At least help me out so I can take my coat off first?

[passingthrough]

You brought bullets to a pool party? [Instead of helping him out, she reaches down and grabs the collar of his heavy, wet coat and pulls it up. There's no resistance other than the weight because she phases it through him and then straightens it up to rest it on the edge of the pool, trying not to get too much water on the floor before she solidifies herself and drops into the water to join him.] Close enough?

[goldenglasses]

What can I say? I tend to stay prepared for all sorts of trouble. [Well, that backfired on him. Leaving him without his coat and only in the body armor he wears underneath it. So he's at least still covered, but he'll need to remember that when dealing with his super powered girlfriend.]

Considering I was just trying to use that as an excuse to grab hold of your arm and pull you in with me? Yeah, this is probably close enough. [The bullets were a waste already and the gun still in the hostler on his hip would need a really good clean, but that was from his earlier dunking in the day.

He also knows it's likely useless, but he still grins and tries to splash her once she's in the pool.]

[passingthrough]

[She's definitely dangerous, but she also knows he doesn't feel great about how his body looks. It doesn't seem to be just a fashion choice that he stays so covered, but she figured in the pool with protection on underneath this was safe enough. She'll help him out if he's worried about people seeing around his arms.]

Well, I was going to kiss you, but now that I know about a second betrayal maybe I shouldn't. [She turns away from the splash.] Make that three.

[goldenglasses]

You should have expected betrayal when you chose to get involved with the legendary Vash the Stampede!

[As she turns away from the kiss he splashes forward in an attempt to give her a wet hug.] I'll just have to find a way to steal that kiss back!

[passingthrough]

You think I'd kiss some kind of betraying thief? [Carefully keeping her back to him but then sweeping her arms back, across the top of the water to get little waves sent toward him.]

[goldenglasses]

[No fair! She clearly knows how to play in water better than he does! He laughs and takes that wave she sends his wave. Splashing back wildly with his own arms.] Isn't that the point of stealing? You don't get a choice?

[passingthrough]

Betraying thief and litigator. [She finally turns around and jumps on him. Arms around his neck, legs wrapped around his waist under water.] Is there anything you can't do? [Smirking down at him.]

[goldenglasses]

I have no idea what a litigator is, but it sure sounds cool! [Vash laughs as she jumps onto him. Stumbling a bit in the water, but managing to keep his balance.] I told you what I can't do! [He warps his hands around her to support and keep her close.] Swim! [He's going to try to dunk the both of them by simply kicking up his legs in an attempt to drag them both under the water as he falls.]

[passingthrough]

[Well, now he may NEVER know what a litigator is because it's hard to talk underwater! She stays solid for it which speaks to her trust in Vash because her instincts are telling her to phase free or fight him because he's dragging her underwater and the longer she lets it go on the more danger she's in. Of course, because she's having those instincts this is not really what you might call fun for her, but she is at least staying patient for now? Don't you know not to get kitties wet?]

[goldenglasses]

[Vash doesn't keep them down for long. If he was being honest he was surprised she didn't just phase though again. There are slight enough changes to the way her body feels pressed up against him that he can pick up that something is wrong. Not exactly what it is, just that there is something.

So when he jumps back up he smiles with a light chuckle.] With a pool on the ship maybe I should learn how to swim one day. [He tries to keep the conversation light. He won't bring up that he sense a changed unless Kitty wants to talk about it.]

[passingthrough]

[She's not exactly good at tucking all her feelings in neatly, so when they come back up and she gets her lungs full of fresh air she lets go of him and backs away a little. She's not mad exactly. Not at him at least. Maybe at herself for not being able to relax and go along with it. There was a time where that kind of play was normal with the X-Men when they had downtime and they needed a break from all the unrelenting terrible. But all the actual betrayal builds up after awhile and it makes it hard to find the fun in that kind of play. So for now it just took all the fun and flirty vibes out of her sails for the moment.]

Probably. Although standing works.

[goldenglasses]

[Vash easily lets her go when she pulls away from him. He still smiles at her gently regardless.] Yeah, while in the shallow end standing works.

[A beat.] Sorry, I guess I went too far?

[passingthrough]

[She runs her hand back through her hair trying to get it out of her face and squeeze some of the water out.]

Yeah... I guess I have too many [past traumas] survival instincts to be fun.

[goldenglasses]

That's okay. Survival instincts are good. [Past traumas not so much.] Probably not smart to be playing in the water like that anyway.

I will declare you the splash fight champion this day. [He's trying to move the conversation on. Wanting her not to feel like she possibly spoiled the mood or was weird.]

[passingthrough]

No more dunking? [Just wanting to check before she moves back toward him.]

[goldenglasses]

[He crosses his heart with a smile.] No more dunking! Not unless you're asking me to for some reason.

[passingthrough]

[There's a part of her still warning it's a trap, but she wants to believe differently. She wants to be open and able to trust. It's not a matter of just knowing she can take care of herself. She wants to feel a little taken care of too.

That's definitely what open and causal relationships are about, right?

She steps closer and reaches out to put her hand in his, fingers intertwining as she looks up at him.]

Dance with me?

[goldenglasses]

[The best kind of casual relationship. So long as you're not worried about it growing deeper than casual.

He takes her hand as he continues to smile. No hard feelings here.]

Dance? With you? [He slowly moves closer. Giving her the chance to back off if she wants the space.] Always. Although, I must confess, I've never danced in a pool before. [He had never consider it as something that could be done before.] So you may need to teach me a few things.

[passingthrough]

[What was that about it growing deeper? No, she can't hear you. She's entering a tunnel!]

I've never actually danced with someone in water. [You better believe a young Kitty still practiced her ballet moves when visiting the community pool.] You'll be my first. We'll learn together? [She gently guides his other hand to her hip before placing her own on his shoulder. Even if she is going to lead for now.]

Just follow my lead.

[goldenglasses]

[Darn those tunnels! They always lead to mixed signals!]

I think I can handle that. [He comfortably holds her in the position that she's placed his hands in.] Lead away.

[passingthrough]

[She does a very simple step which is good since it would be hard for him to see her feet clearly like this. Also, stepping on toes underwater just doesn't have the same impact. This might be genius. She can't quite help herself. She starts humming, not even really remembering what song it is or where she heard it. Definitely safer than reading any unnecessary meaning into it! Just stored in her brain with dancing memories of course.]