so about that flyer...

[thalassino]

[ there's a bit of a commotion tonight, and many locals are talking about something happening up on the island. anyone curious enough to check it out would first notice a glowing shore to match a starry sky; it seems to be a type of jellyfish causing this.

immediately afterward they would undoubtedly see a very large boat having apparently docked itself on the shore. there's no captain in sight and it appears to be completely inoperable, so it's a full-blown mystery on how it arrived on the shore. it certainly doesn't look like a normal boat though— probably due to the fact that it is utterly decked out for a party.

there are streamers, balloons, and a whole lot of glitter on deck. there's even a large banner that reads:

☆ HAVE FUN!!! ☆

on deck there are speakers blasting a nautical-style party music should dancing be your thing. nearby there's plenty of good food for the eating, along with a gratuitous amount of chapagne (with a non-alcoholic brand for the underage); a champagne tower can also be seen. party games are encouraged, and a few are even already set up (such as the large whale-themed piñata).

have fun, mingle, and enjoy the party! ]

Comments

[withoutasign]

Yes.

[Signless puts his hands on Dualscar's shoulders and slips into the water. He holds on to the seadweller so he doesn't sink, and looks around them.]

Whoah...

[Okay, this is a little more intimidating than he thought it would be, with the water completely surrounding him and nothing beneath his feet, and he clings a little tighter to Dualscar.]

[devwocean]

[Dualscar rather likes this feeling of Signless holding onto him, completely dependent upon him.

He lets go of the platform and gently moves away from the boat, using slow, subtle movements so Signless might not realize that they're actually moving until they're out of reach of the ship.]

Just hold on to me. I wwon't let you sink. Let's just let you get used to bein' in the wwater.

[withoutasign]

[This is what it feels like to have someone trust you, Dualscar. Nice, isn't it?]

Okay.

[Yeah, Signless has no intention of letting go, and maybe he's holding on like a wiggler, but he doesn't care. He is, however, looking around and inspecting the jellies that are swimming around them.]

[devwocean]

[No, no, it's what it feels like to have total power of life and death over someone hahahahahaha!

Dualscar swims a bit further out, then pauses, treading water]

Noww, I wwant you to put your face in the wwater. Since you don't havve gills, you wwon't be able to breathe, so you better hold your breath.

[withoutasign]

[Trust, Dualscar. Truuuuuuuust.]

All right.

[Signless breathes deeply a couple of times, getting himself ready for it. His hands tighten on Dualscar's shoulders... and then he slowly lowers his face into the water, keeping his eyes closed and holding his breath.]

[devwocean]

[Dualscar watches him, counting his own regular breaths to see how long Signless can actually do it for.

He reaches out impulsively and ruffles Signless' hair, smiling with real affection. No one can see them, anyway, and here he is with Signless completely in his power and here, unable to leave, just for him. It's a good moment.]

[withoutasign]

[Under the water, Signless smiles too, when he feels Dualscar ruffling his hair. He thinks, sometimes, that if the other trolls could see Dualscar like this, being patient and kind and affectionate, they would think very differently of him.]

[He holds his breath until he can't hold it any longer, then pops his head back out from under the water.]

I did it!

[devwocean]

Vvery good, but you aren't swwimmin' yet.

[Dualscar smirks at him, giving him a second to catch his breath]

Noww, do it again, but this time keep your fuckin' eyes open, because otherwwise wwhen you start swwimmin you'll bump into things.

[withoutasign]

You can keep your eyes open underwater?

[News to Signless! But all right, Dualscar is the expert here, and after catching his breath, he lowers his face into the water again.]

[There isn't much to see, where they are. He can see some jellies and Dualscar's legs, slowly kicking back and forth, but nothing very interesting.]

[devwocean]

[But this time Dualscar dives, dragging Signless completely under the water with him. He swims below the jellies, but not too far. When Signless starts to have difficulty with holding his breath, they can easily surface]

[withoutasign]

[OH GOD WHAT]

[Signless was completely unprepared for Dualscar to dive like that, and he panics a little, scrambling under the water and locking his arms around Dualscar as bubbles explode from his mouth.]

[devwocean]

[Fuck. Dualscar clamps a hand over Signless' mouth to keep him from accidentally inhaling any water. He's quite sure that that would be a bad idea.

Meanwhile, he angles upwards again, and within a few seconds he breaks the surface and releases Signless' mouth]

You're supposed to hold your breath!

[withoutasign]

[Signless coughs a few times to clear his lungs, but he didn't manage to inhale much water.]

I didn't know you were going to pull me under like that!

[Clinging. He practically wrapped around Dualscar like a koala now.]

[devwocean]

[Dualscar paps him lightly on the cheek, then turns the papping into a gentler caress, stroking his face and up into his hair, then down his back]

Shoosh, noww. I wwon't hurt you. Swwimmin' invvolvves bein' under the wwater, fool. If you hold your breath then it doesn't matter if you're under or abovve the wwater, right?

[withoutasign]

Nooooo...

[Oh, that's nice. This is the first time a pap from Dualscar has actually felt like a pap, and not a thinly veiled swat, and Signless leans into it. His grips relaxes a little, but he keeps himself close to the big seadweller.]

Can you just tell me if you're going to pull me under again?

[devwocean]

[Dualscar considers that.] Maybe you're not ready for it. Wwe can try somethin' else. Howw about you tryin' a few strokes, wwhile holdin' on to me?

[withoutasign]

[Yeah, that sounds a lot better, and Signless relaxes the rest of the way.]

Okay. What kind of strokes should I do?

[devwocean]

[Dualscar starts by trying to take Signless' hands]

Wwe should start wwith treadin' wwater. Just start kickin' upright like I am, so you stay at the surface. But you havve to let go a me and just hold my hands, first.

[withoutasign]

[Yeah, nope, Dualscar, Signless isn't going to let you push him away quite that easily.]

I won't sink if I do that?

[devwocean]

I wwon't let you sink! [Gosh, Signless, you're being so silly] Anywway, you're buoyant in wwater, especially salt wwater like this. Just kick your feet a little and you wwon't sink in the least.

[withoutasign]

[He's from the desert, okay? He doesn't know anything about water buoyancy!]

[Regardless, Signless lets Dualscar take his hands and very hesitantly pushes away from the seadweller... about an inch or so. He kicks to keep himself upward, awkwardly and with a great waste of energy, nowhere near the smooth, easy kicks he saw Dualscar doing earlier.]

[devwocean]

There noww, sloww down. It's all right. I wwon't let you sink. [He speaks soothingly, though with a slight edge. Seriously, Signless, there's no need to panic. He's got you]

[withoutasign]

[Signless keeps a tight hold on Dualscar's hands, but he slows down his kicking, and what do you know, he's keeping his head above the water. He shoots an unsure look at the seadweller.]

This... this isn't as hard as I thought it would be.

[devwocean]

Swwimmin' isn't hard. Look at all the incredibly dumb animals that manage it. [That was sort of a joke. Sort of.

He smiles faintly, but encouragingly] If you can do this stroke, you'll nevver drowwn unless someone pulls you right dowwn. So you'vve already learned somethin' vvaluable.

[withoutasign]

Really? Kicking like this will keep you from drowning?

[Signless believes Dualscar... but he's also not going to let go of his hands, either.]