[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

[smallestopener]

"I got you good," she says, giggling as she sits down beside him. Her grin is almost smug.

[young_tmriddle]

"That you did, little one, that you did. I was completely surprised by your sneak attack." He puts an arm around her. "I needed that, though. The sun is beastly hot. You did your old Tom a favor."

[smallestopener]

"You're silly, Tom." She snuggles a little closer to him, beaming. It's good to sit down after all this playing.

[young_tmriddle]

"Yes, I know," he sighs. "It's a blessing and a curse." He kisses the top of her head.

"Did you have fun today?"

[smallestopener]

"I had lots of fun. Mal and I played Marco Polo, then we made sand faces, and I collected a bunch of shells, and walked around. I wish Megwyn could have come to the beach, too, but she got to see everything anyway."

[young_tmriddle]

"When you go to Valdemar in June, maybe you can find a beach. I reckon you'll have a grand time, beach or not."

[smallestopener]

She nods, staring at the waves. The ocean is very pretty.

"Do you remember the first time we went to a beach?"

[young_tmriddle]

"I do."

It had only been a couple of months after he'd met Door, and Ingress hadn't been chosen by Megwyn yet. It had just been the three of them, and he'd whisked his new family away for much needed rest and healing. Door had been so weak from her trials at Milliways and the Underside, that he and Ingress had spent more time together than ever before.

He'd not known what to do around a child. He figured it out.

[smallestopener]

"I didn't like you at first. I thought you Door liked you better than me and that you were going to take her away. But when you fixed my knee and woke up when I got scared at night, I figured you wouldn't take her away unless you took me with you."

[young_tmriddle]

He hadn't known. In fact, he'd had no idea she'd felt so. He hugged her to him once more.

"I'm glad you don't have nightmares anymore. And I'm glad you started liking me soon enough."

[smallestopener]

"Me too. I love my Tom." She grins up at him.

[young_tmriddle]

"And I love my little one."

He tweaks the tip of her nose, and once again, he's grateful for the second chance he received nearly four years ago.