[OPEN] I Want to Swim Away, But Don't Know How...

[treadwater]

Who: Undine and You
When: Mid-May, after the Battle Royale
Where: Pool Deck
Summary: Trying to remember how to relax
Warnings: Discussion of the event and violence possible


1. Flyers
Hand-written flyers on Serena Eterna stationary are posted in a few public spaces. Perhaps you run into Undine while she has an armful of them, sticking some up in the library or Playback or around the seating area of the Windjammer. They're fairly plain, words hand-written and a vague silhouette-style drawing of a person doing a swim:

SWIM LESSONS AT POOL DECK, 3PM-5PM

Apparently someone's looking to do something productive in the aftermath of all the things.

2. Swimsuit Shopping
Of course, Undine's going to stop and find herself a new, flattering swimsuit at the new Tommy Bahama before the lessons. If you're a friend, she might encourage you to join her. It's always an interesting time for her, shopping. Blue hair can clash with a lot of things, if she's not careful, but she also doesn't want to lean matchy-matchy. That's something she does in her transformed form, and she doesn't want to evoke that same sort of mood now.

"Alright, so here's the question: paisley or floral?" She's holding up both suits for a second opinion.

3. Lessons
Swim lessons go here--Undine starts everyone out in the shallow end, getting to know their level of comfort with the water. Luckily, she found some kickboards and floaties on the sports deck, so she can give lessons at all levels. She's an encouraging teacher, a bright smile on her face the whole time.

4. Free Swim
Once lessons are done, Undine gets herself a virgin pina colada from the pool bar and sits at the edge of the water, dangling her feet and relaxing. Now's a good time to talk to her about anything on your mind. Or maybe, maybe to get her to talk about what's on hers.

5. Wildcard
Same bat time, same batchannel: darkersolstice or darkersolstice#9463

Comments

2

[pineapplesalmon]

César has to rub his beard at the question. He's wearing his new moss green vest, the belt bags, etc.

"... honestly, get both if they fit. That way you can air dry a suit after washing it to extend its life and always have one to go."

[treadwater]

"Oh! That's a very good idea. The floral one's even reversable, so I can get three looks out of the two suits." She grins broadly. "You're pretty smart, Uncle César."

Congratulations, you've been adopted by a teenager.

[pineapplesalmon]

"'Uncle'?" César looks surprised for a moment, then pleased. "Ha, keep forgetting I'm an actual adult, still. Three looks you definitely can't go wrong with. I've got two swimsuits myself, even."

He can't complain about being adopted; he's realized he needs younger people in his life.

[treadwater]

"I mean, as far as adults go, you're pretty cool. One of the ones I'd talk to if I had problems or something. Probably. Maybe. Actually, I'm really not good about talking about my problems, but it's the thought that counts, right?"

She lets out a sheepish little laugh.

[pineapplesalmon]

"Pretty cool, huh?" Rex would drop dead, probably, at César being called that.

César chuckles, too. "I'm fairly terrible at talking about my own problems–and not talking about problems can really be dangerous, you know? I'd never want you to get to the same state I was in when I first came here. So even if it's really hard, even if you can't talk directly about what's troubling you, come and find me, all right? Knowing you have at least one person on your side... it really makes a difference."

He almost said the difference between life and death life and death, but that's not a can of worms he wants to open up without warning.

[treadwater]

She gives him a long, quiet look. "I know. I know that it does. There's nothing worse than holding onto a secret in the pit of your stomach and nothing quite like finally letting it loose to someone."

[pineapplesalmon]

She's should be too young to understand that feeling so well. But that's the way of things in her world. Undine doesn't need him to tell her that's not how it should be.

"There's nothing quite like either." César nods quietly back to her, his smile saddening; it's not a bad thing, to let yourself feel sad. "You've got people you can talk to back home, then?"

He's quietly hopeful, because he knows too well the burden of being alone.

[treadwater]

"I...have one person who I've told everything to, back home." Her cheeks seem a little rosier perhaps, as she mentions that. Hard to tell.

[pineapplesalmon]

A little too hard to tell for César, unfortunately–but his smile to her is warm and understanding all the same. "Good. I'm glad you have someone. ... How are you holding up in general now, anyway?"

[treadwater]

"Oh, just as well as everyone else who went to Murder Island, I'm sure!" There's a mild gloss of sardonic humor there, because, like...how is she supposed to be holding up?

[pineapplesalmon]

"Ah, right." César rubs the back of his neck, looking vaguely embarrassed. "I suppose it's an unfair question. I'll take 'I am functional enough to pick out nice clothes for myself'. That's about where I am, too, to be honest."

[treadwater]

"If there's anyone who's consistently doing better here, I'm not sure that says anything good about them at all. You know? If they're having a good time, uh. Yeah."

She shakes her head, folding the swimsuits over her arm to bring toward the registers.

[pineapplesalmon]

His smile is wiped away by confusion as he follows her. "Not even if they know they'll be okay eventually because they've somehow found love in this place?"

Is there a social rule he missed? Or is he overinterpreting what she said? But he's vaguely worried, now. He needs to keep his emotions in an emotionally acceptable range to be able to help as many people as possible, and if they're off, it's risky....

[treadwater]

Undine blinks. "No, I mean. That's different, I was talking about people who relish pain and take joy in other people's misery. Love...love is important. Hold onto it, if you have it."

[pineapplesalmon]

César blinks for a moment and then lets out a relieved laugh. "Oh, okay. I uh. Misunderstood. Those types can go to hell. Just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing a social rule or something."

[treadwater]

"Oh, no, nothing like that. You're fine. But also, asking me about social rules might result in biases specific to my world, you know. I figure there's some differences between them all."

She lets out a bit of a laugh. "And on top of world-specific ones, I went to an all-girls school. I have no clue how to deal with guys as a general thing."

[pineapplesalmon]

"Right. Things are even more complicated with the intersection of so many different worlds and alternate universes." César shrugs, and then laughs. "I feel like I don't know how to deal with guys, either, but probably better than someone who went to an all-girls school."