[Santo - The Beach]

[walk_ins]

[master post]

You have to walk down a ramp to get to the sand. The ramp stretches over sand dunes, with sea oats dotting them, blowing in the near-constant breeze. On the same level as the ramp: a boardwalk, dotted with places to get sketchy-looking fried food, to try your luck at a number of games of chance, to watch performers, to ride roller coasters of the future!!!!

When you walk down the ramp, it's all white sand and blue water. Down about half a mile is a pier that juts out several hundred feet.

It's a nice beach. Not too crowded.

Comments

[simon_doctor]

He takes the offered support gratefully, standing on his bare foot to pull of his other shoe.

"Ready?"

[gonna_live]

In response, she slides her arm in his, and tilts her head.

[simon_doctor]

They walk down to the water's edge, under the stars.

The sand is first warm and dry underfoot, then damp and firm and cool.

[gonna_live]

"Should've had somethin' shaped like liquid courage with dinner." She's laughing a little. "Gonna need to warm up, later."

[simon_doctor]

He glances down the beach, to where the first bars are.

"I think there'll be plenty of opportunities for that."

[gonna_live]

Her skirt's swirling in the constant wind, and her shoulders are bare. It's a little chilly. "Let's?"

[simon_doctor]

A few moments at the edge of the boardwalk to dust the sand off their feet and put their shoes back on, and soon Simon and Kaylee are moving through the crowd of nighttime revelers outside the restaurants.

There are brightly-colored paper lanterns strung along the edge of the walkway, here, and music spilling out from somewhere.

[gonna_live]

"You know what I could do?" She sounds a little wistful, as they walk. "I could lie out under some real sun, see about not bein' near this pale."

[simon_doctor]

"You could," he agrees, smiling. "On the beach, or ... there are parks, not too far from here."

[gonna_live]

"...there's that whole time thing." She looks up at him. "Remember?"

[simon_doctor]

"...there is that," he sighs.

"We'll see, then. Maybe there'll be time."

[gonna_live]

"Maybe I could sneak out again."

[simon_doctor]

"Also a possibility," he says, without missing a beat.

His face is perfectly deadpan, until his eyes flick over to her, and then there's a conspiratorial grin.

[gonna_live]

"...you gonna be that helpful when I get a sunburn, too?" She might (might) have a little color in her cheeks that wasn't there before.

[simon_doctor]

"If you want." A pause, and he offers: "Though I have something you can use to prevent sunburn, if you'd rather."

[gonna_live]

There: the sound of a shakuhachi fusion quartet, floating on the wind. Kaylee turns her head to catch the music. The columbine in her hair loosens; she raises a hand to stop it from falling --

And shrugs, and tugs at Simon's arm. "Hold still."

[simon_doctor]

Agreeably, he slows to a halt. "What is it?"

[gonna_live]

She puts the flower in his buttonhole.

[simon_doctor]

He looks down at it, and chuckles.

"That works," he says, and offers her his arm.

[gonna_live]

She takes hold, and moves a little closer than she would ordinarily -- the sea breeze is still blowing, as it has been, and she's still a little chilled. The lanterns sway as well.

"You sure we got to go back?"

[simon_doctor]

"...well, not right away. Eventually. I suppose."

He glances at the nearby entrance.

"Certainly not before we get drinks."

[gonna_live]

"Somethin' warm?" Hopefully.

[simon_doctor]

"Anything you want," he says expansively, grinning at her.

It's that kind of night.

[gonna_live]

"...that's a gorram dangerous offer, Dr. Tam."

There is something a little knowing about her grin. "You gonna back that up when I come up with somethin'?"

[simon_doctor]

"That depends what kind of something."

His grin isn't so much knowing as suspecting.

"Are you going to deliberately try to come up with something outrageous?"