The Lounge's Summer Pool Party!!

[Scuttle Buttin']

He laughs a bit, raising his hand towards the bartender in a silent order of his usual rummy concoction, before turning back to her.

"That seems like a good plan then, I'd say!"

Pauses long enough to take a sip of his newly arrived drink, then legs his flippered feet swing freely.

"Always?"

Tilts his head a bit, grinning as his feet swing to and fro.

"Not always, no. But when else am I going to use flippers, really? I've discovered they're not much use in the snow."

Raises his glass then to the newly arrived Tess and Cat, and the newly clothed Essie.

"Evening, all! Welcome to the party."

 

[Essie1]

"Not always, no. But when else am I going to use flippers, really? I've discovered they're not much use in the snow."

When else? Hmm, squashing grapes at a vineyard, transporting animals to stop their little paws or feet getting sore, rescuing somebody when they're just out of hand/foot reach... there's three

 

[thestruggle]

Irrationally orders a gin and tonic with double lime, and tucks the sunglasses away in her oversized beach bag. Plunking that on the ground next to the table she's staked out, she lets her gaze wander rather slyly over to where a graceful form is sprawled out. Board shorts - of course, board shorts. She plucks a lime from her newly delivered glass and trails over to Cat's chair. Her finger is still cold and she sneakily runs it along the nape of a slender neck, before laughing and taking a drink.

That top... That just hits you in all the right places, doesn't it?

She leans down and presses a kiss to the gentle skin of her cheek.

Missed you.

She waves at Ruffles and to the others milling around, but almost chokes when she sees his flippers.

Really?! Hi, Essie, Duchess, anyone else I missed.

 

[IvoryTigress]

For a moment, her gaze shifts to Scuttles and she smiles shyly and waves to him.

Hello there, good sir. I hope your day went well!


But a cold fingertip found warm skin, in just the right place, and made lean muscle shiver. Goosebumps marked the flesh just before emerald eyes turned to find the beauty close. She tilted her head just a bit and smirked.

I only ever aim to please, sugar. You're lucky I left my fedora home. I'm starting to fall a little bit in love with it.

The soft kiss is returned and she reaches up to playfully tug auburn locks.

Missed you, too. Been a long few weeks, it feels like.

 

[thestruggle]

She smiles crookedly and returns the idle gesture, twining brunette locks around and around her fingertip. Curl in, uncurl, gently and then - one sharper tug but playful enough to chalk up to silliness.

I know. Very long, very dull, and almost over. For a little while, anyway. How have you been, basking in your test success? Busy at work?

She takes a sip of her drink and rolls her tongue around an ice cube, small enough to melt and flood her mouth. With a crunch she bites down on the fragment as it sinks towards her throat, feeling the bite of the drink's combination all along her teeth. Sighing, she sinks down onto the chair and tries to not jolt Cat's comfortable placement. The sun is very nearly gone, now.

 

[IvoryTigress]

She smiles knowingly as that playful tug is returned. She was tempted to tug harder back on those soft tresses, but she manages to resist.

Has been busy, yes. I've been at this one hospital for three weeks straight now....this place is worse than my old job. At this point, it feels like a punishment being sent there day in and day out....they really need to get their people back from vacation and hire to replace those that quit...I'm typically a pretty patient person....but those surgeons push even me to my limit. Speaking of....I'm sorry, but I have to leave you. Will be yet another long day for me there. Rest well and dream of good things.


Strong stomach muscles flex just a bit as she sits up. Lips find lips in just the faintest of kisses, but it still lingers longer than it should..or not long enough. She stands and waves to everyone at the party and slowly finds her way out in search of a bed...

Goodnight, everyone.

 

[thestruggle]

She returns the kiss, repressing the need to prolong it or nip at an exposed lip. The small taste on her mouth will be enough until the next - maybe.

Night, gorgeous. I'll find you soon.

The chair is now empty enough for her to sprawl, but she instead eyes the pool like a hurdler pondering the possibility of distance. Maybe she'll just get her feet wet. She kicks off her sandals, managing not to fire them like bullets across the way, and cautiously slips over to the edge. One toe dunked - the temperature is fine. By this time, the ice in her drink has melted away and she grimaces at the watered-down flavor. The warmth in the alcohol is still there, though. Good enough. Settling herself carefully, she dips her feet with pretty red nails into the water. It's full night now, and the waves have picked up. Pretty soon, she's started sending slapping kicks down to make large ripples and a general ruckus.

 

[Essie1]

Lowers herself gingerly onto an inflatable lilo and sails into the middle of the pool, tall glass of iced pineapple juice in one cupholder, happy little duck in the other, flapping his wings with joy

I think I'll just laze away here today, so peaceful and calm. Got my drink, got my towel, the duck's happy - bliss.

Trailing fingers in water, pops up sunglasses and enjoys the warm sun on pale skin for once

 

[Scuttle Buttin']

He takes a long pull of his drink, letting out a content sigh as the alcohol settles in his belly and begins to work it's way into his bloodstream. The area seeming suddenly more empty and considerably darker now that the sun has run off to burn the other side of the world, he slides off the chair and flop flop flops his way over to turn on a couple strings of lights to give some illumination to the area.

With a satisfied nod, and his drink still in his hand, he flop flop flops over to where Tess sits at the edge of the pool, and lowers his own flippered feet into the water next to her, letting them lazily sway back and forth beneath the surface.

"Quiet and dark... I feel like we should have some deep and meaningful conversation."

He pauses to take another drink, the glass now well past half empty, before adding:

"Or I could try to drown you."

 

[thestruggle]

Her drink is gone and she's lazily contemplating another when the lights flicker on. It's not bright enough to make her squint, and it's just dark enough that it makes the water beyond seem a bit more subdued than it had been before. She stops kicking and instead narrows her eyes a bit at his flippered approach. Flop-flop-flop. Ugh. Some bizarre wait-person deposits another drink and she hears the ice cubes click together as he sits next to her.

What's deep and meaningful? Sure you don't want to play Horse? Maybe there's a net somewhere.

She had been leaning back on her hands but now tilts towards her beverage, feeling comfortable enough by him in the dark. Other splashing comes to her ears as she starts to take a drink, studying the lights caught in the movement of the pool. And then he speaks again, and she swallows a bit too quickly, but manages to not make a noise of protest. Her head rocks to the side and she looks at him sidelong, the set of her mouth and unblinking attitude aimed right at his flippy-floppy sadist face.

I'll push you in the pool. Have you even tried to use your flippers? Although, I notice you said "try to drown." Comforting.

She takes another drink and fidgets unnecessarily.

 

[TinyDuchess]

Frowning prettily at Scuttle's mention of flippers in... "Snow?" shaking my head at the thought trying to clear it from my mind.

As Monroe brings over Scuttle's drink I realize that my own drink is now empty. Frowning I turn to catch his attention as he wanders off, wiggling two fingers at him to signal for more. "And strawberries! If you have them that is."

Turning back I see that Scuttle has wandered away, I search the deck and see that he's gone to join Tess at the pool's edge.

Hopping off my stool, I pick up my drinks daintly balancing two champagne flutes between the fingers of one hand, scooping up the ceramic berry basket laden with strawberries in the other and make my way over.

"Mind if I join you guys?" I ask before sitting down.

Getting comfy, my feet dangling in the water, I set my drinks down next to me along with the berries. Looking up to find two curious pairs of eyes watching the twin crystal flutes.

"What?" I smile, shrugging lightly. "One drink finishes too quickly."

 

[Scuttle Buttin']

"Use my flippers?"

He raises his feet out of the water, wiggling the webbed feet in the air in front of him before splashing them back down under the surface.

"Why do you think I wear them? They make me all.. graceful and shit."

He pauses, glass in hand, as Dutchess joins them, and can't help but grin at the basket in her hand.

"Hey, you brought strawberries! They're Tess' favorite. She's allergic to cherries, actually, so strawberries are kind of all she has."

He drowns his laugh in a drink of rum-n-stuff, flippered feet still moving moving moving in the water.

 

[thestruggle]

She snorts at the flippers and kicks a rather large splash of water at him, before looking up guiltily at Duchess. A rueful smile follows, along with a shy wave of her fingers.

Oh, hi! No, please, do. It's always nice to have another voice of reason around.

She glances at the basket and a little laugh escapes, before she leans over and appropriates a berry from the ceramic confines.

Don't listen to him. I hate strawberry hype but I'll eat them!

Her teeth glance off the stem as she takes a bite, chewing quietly. Not bad. But not cherries. And anyway, strawberries and champagne make more sense. She raises her own tumbler, refreshed with gin and fizzy tonic, before sipping and setting it back.

It makes sense to me. Champagne goes so fast. Do you like sweet or dry? I'll drink it for New Year's, even if it is headache juice.

She flicks the last bit of strawberry behind her, not expecting to hear a splash in the constant motion of the waves.

 

[TinyDuchess]

Smiling at Tess, then looking to Scuttle and shaking my head.

"Here I was thinking you really were allergic to cherries. Sorry I can't offer you any of those, I've never had them and I'm not sure I'd like them." Smiling apologetically as I continue "Of course, I'm basing that thought on the fact that I dislike cherry flavoured yogurt. So might not actually be the case after all."

Plucking a nice plump strawberry from the basket and taking a bite of it, before taking a long - maybe too long - sip of my champagne.

"I prefer my bubbly sweet, wine too really. I only go sour when it comes to my cocktail, and even then its more tangy-sweet than truly sour. Which may be why my drinks often finish so quickly."

I stop in my rambling to ponder that a moment, then dismiss it as nonsense while taking another bite of my berry.

"Whisky is headache juice for me, instant really. While rum at least has some decency and waits until the next morning." Pausing briefly. "I should warn you that I talk alot when I'm nervous and with new people, so if you'd like me to shut up at any point feel free to say so. I promise I wont be offended."


Picking up two more berries, munching on them as I swirl my feet in circles in the water.

 

[Scuttle Buttin']

He throws his head back and laughs, rocking back a bit as he does so his flippers break the surface of the water, kicking some of it up into the air. Settling back, with the water up near his calves again, he returns to lazily moving his ankles, dragging the fins through the water.

"See?" he says, nudging Tess with his elbow, "No cherries. Dutchess knows what's up."

Another short laugh, and he downs the rest of his rummified drink, then raises his glass into the air and rattling the remaining ice to grab the attention of one of the nameless, faceless waitstaff that it would seem preposterous to threaten.

"I mean, I'm already going to try to drown Tess here. If you feel like you're talking too much, I could drag you under too. As a courtesy, of course!"

 

[TinyDuchess]

"Oh my" Slowly chewing on the piece of strawberry in my mouth.

Nervously tapping a finger to my glass, before saying "I suppose I should thank you for the offer... but I'm afraid I can't swim."

Shrugging my shoulders "Soooo... I don't know if that would be the best idea."

 

[thestruggle]

She smiles at Duchess, warmly, and circles her feet at the same pace in the water.

No, please, no worries! I'm actually surprised at how restrained the conversation is - usually it rambles, a lot of random around here. Talk as much as you'd like! At least you'll be drowning out Ruffles and his useless opinions on fruit.

She reaches back and anchors her drink to her hand, before taking another sip.

I like sour, actually. I prefer it over sweet, but then, whiskey has never bothered me. I know some don't like brown liquor. I'm afraid I'm not one of them.

Her brow puckers slightly as she swirls the gin and draining cubes around in her glass.

Well, at least, not usually.

She's knocked by the elbow and gives another back, right in Ruffles' side.

Stop acting like you don't like cherries. Strawberries can taste so fake! Cherries can't. And -

She tucks her elbow back in and gives a large kick to the pool, glowering.

Two could push one into a pool much easier than a single person. You don't think the odds are just slightly stacked against you?

 

[Scuttle Buttin']

The glass, held over his head still not unlike the torch on the Statue of Liberty, is taken and replaced by another that rather resembles it, though the ratio of rum-to-not-rum seems, upon first sip, to have been shifted decidedly in the direction of rum. Not that he's complaining.

With the glass held in one hand, his gaze finds Dutchess, and he grins broadly in the dim light, mouth opening to say something when he's nudged and thrown off track.

Eyeing Tess, he shakes his head, and takes another drink from his glass.

"Yeah, sure, you can push me in. And then, I grab an ankle each, and there you both go. And poor Dutchess can't even swim!"

His eyes go wide, mock concern as he glances at her, then turns back to Tess with a slow shake of the head.

"Surely you wouldn't leave your new friend just flailing in the water..."

 

[TinyDuchess]

"'Cause flailing in water would be bad ..." The corners of my lips curving upward slightly, my eyes gleaming. Biting my lower lip, I look away taking a quick sip of my drink.

 

[thestruggle]

Shifting then, she watches the water. The in, the out. The natural pooling of liquid around their ankles, stagnant and then away. Absentmindedly, she fishes out another lime and worries at its pulp. She looks at Ruffles as she sucks, and then tosses out the rind. Pretty legs in the pool.

Two ankles? That sounds like a lot of work. You could always take two ankles, from one, with two separate sets of hands.

She tilts back, resting on her forearms. She can swim, anyway. She can swim in any depth. Her eyes flash over Duchess, before a safe and reassuring smile settles itself on her face.

 

[Scuttle Buttin']

He chuckles quietly at Dutchess, eyebrows lifting and falling quickly, a grin lingering as he looks back to Tess.

"Not much work at all, really, no."

He shrugs his shoulders, tipping the glass to take a sip and then lowering the glass into his lap. Rotating his wrist, he swirls the liquid in the glass slowly, his eyes on the moving liquid.

"Just grab an ankle each, and yank, pretty much. Not much effort at all and then..."

He looks up, first at one, then the other.

"...splash, under water."

 

[TinyDuchess]

Refusing to look at Scuttle as he waggles his eyebrows, a flush in my cheeks, my ears going deep crimson.

Shifting nervously where I'm sat, ill at ease with the focus of the conversation. Thinking it wise to lift my feet out of the water and easing back intent on no longer being so close to the edge.

Popping a few more berries into my mouth and eyeing my two new friends warily.

 

[Essie1]

Floating happily on my lilo, a now sleeping Bubblequack curled up on my tummy, listening to the others talk about fruit and... drowning?

Lifting sunglasses, casting sneaky glance at Duchess, Scuttle and Struggle... then lowering glasses, aware of a subtext but not sure what it is

Tra la la, on the lilo, with the duck and... yep, that's me. All good....

 

[Britwitch]

pads through, towel over her arm

a wave for those at and in the pool

Hi all! Won't disturb you, just need a swim!

dives neatly off the decking, leaving the towel behind, entering the ocean cleanly and swimming with steady strokes to deeper water

 

[DesEsseintes]

<Slips through the lush vegetation to emerge by the pool, dressed as if for the races in top hat, silk cravat, morning trousers and tails. Raises appreciative eyebrow at Monroe, who as ever has anticipated my desires and slides a perfectly chilled, downright filthy Martini my way across the porphyry bar. Downs the delicious concoction in one before climbing the 10 metre diving board, bouncing once, and executing an understated triple somersault into the pool, causing a minor tsunami to spill elegantly over the surrounding chairs and loungers. For a perilous few seconds only the top hat can be seen, floating nonchalantly along as if taking the air. At last, Des Esseintes emerges from the deep end, clothes clinging to him like Mr Darcy, as he hauls himself out to be met with another perfect Martini. Smiles at rather sparsely peopled pool area.>

I've always wanted to do that. <Raises glass.> Absent friends!