inbox for golden peacock

[cartographie]

@nami

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[cartographie]

[ The suite has felt like a fortress since she worked herself up to Queen, grander than anything Nami has ever had for herself, and yet all this luxury just feels right. Wealth puts her at ease, even if outside the resort, everything she's worked to secure here would be meaningless. Back home, she's rich in other ways, and the world is full of berry waiting to be made.

She's comfortable here, and while the smile on her face already seems wholly easy and relaxed, it deepens when she feels Tifa's hand settle on her arm in return. ]

Sadly, this is still the resort. [ Nami's hand rests on Tifa's elbow as she carefully keeps the memory of their first afternoon together in check as she leads her out the back and onto the beach and towards the pavilion where there's a bar waiting. ]

As fakes go, it's pretty convincing, isn't it? [ Her head tilts towards the stretch of shoreline, and the open sky, every detail vibrant with life, and she gives Tifa another little smile before stepping away from her to get behind the bar. ]

What should we start with? Of my two favorite drinks, one is spicy, and the other is strong and classic.

[saults]

[ there's a heightened excitement in being here that primarily lean on tifa's own childish whims, the little girl that wore pretty dresses and arranged tea parties springing out with the playful thrill of getting to spend time with other girls in ways she never had the chance for as a child, when all she had was the presence of boys.

but underneath it comes the subtle satisfying heat when skin makes simple contact with skin, where the innocence of a brushed arm or held elbow can only do so much in masking the reminder that she'd strayed far beyond the line of girl friends with that very girl currently in her company.

still, she's stable enough to brush away the flutter in her belly, concentrating on the thrilling wonder of the suite's mystery as she finds plenty of fascination in this seemingly impossible environment she's stepped into, following nami close as they walk along the beach, her eyes bright with the sight of the soft waves moving across the sand. ]

Pretty convincing? You're leading me to an entire beach, Nami. Talk about a sure way to sweep a girl off her feet. [ she laughs at the playful joke, fingers briefly coating her mouth with the shake of her chuckle. ] You know, it wasn't too long ago I was on a beach like this. Didn't get to have the chance to really enjoy it all that much, but —

[ her eyes linger on the water a moment longer, drawn back to that sunset in costa del sol, the feeling she'd felt in the desire to stay watching it with her friends, if only the weight of the world hadn't been on their shoulders. the way that weight remains there even now.

but she turns back to nami, returning back to her bright smile as she keeps herself in the moment. ] Hmm, I'd say strong and classic, for sure. Spicy's always good to add on for the aftermath.

[cartographie]

[ It was the guys who set that particular wheel into motion, but it's been her time at the resort, largely, that's let Nami experience making friends for reasons other than ultimately robbing them blind.

Getting to know other women has been the best part of figuring friendship out. Even if attraction had nothing to do with it, finding common ground with, and growing fond of another woman is gratifying in its own, unique way. Nami felt the beginnings of that with Tifa fairly early on – blame it on the kindness the fighter wears on her sleeve for the world to see, and she feels it now while hanging back a step or two to watch Tifa enjoy the beach. ]

Sweeping you off your feet wasn't my intention, promise. So if it happens, I can't be held accountable. [ Despite her words, there's nothing sheepish about the way Nami's eyes sweep over Tifa's face while a restrained version of what would be a very wolfish grin curves over her lips. Despite the warmth of her words and the look she gives her, Nami puts space between herself and Tifa as she moves behind the pavilion's bar while quietly trying to chuckle away her own words. ]

Being around beaches wasn't something you did a lot of back home, I take it? [ Her hands work while she speaks, adding ice, cherry liqueur, scotch, and tangerine juice to an ice-filled shaker before fixing the lid to mix up the contents. ] You know the way up now, you can come enjoy this one whenever you want.

[ After pouring out two glasses of the cocktail and adding a twist of tangerine peel to each, she slides one towards Tifa. ] It's called a Blood and Sand.

[saults]

[ even with the warmth that rolls over her cheeks in her exchange with nami, tifa can't help but simply feel pleasant about it all, with the ease there is in talking with her, with sharing soft jokes and playful comments, like she can simply be normal and excited about something in a way that she doesn't get to often do these days anymore.

at nami's question, she gives a shake of her head. ]

Definitely not. I've been living in Midgar the last few years. It's a pretty big city, all divided into sectors within a big metal structure in the middle of a wasteland. It has these reactors that pump up mako energy from the ground — it steals the very life of the planet so there's no flora and fauna for miles, so not much of a view, much less any room for something beautiful like this. [ there's the faintest bit of a more somber tone as she describes the central setting of her own world, but with the world currently around her and nami's offer, tifa shakes it away with a grateful smile. ] Thanks. I might really take you up on that so don't regret it when you catch me up here dipping over in the water.

[ with the completion of the drink, she leans forward on the bar counter, studying the view of its color with a curious and excited intrigue that comes from someone plenty famliar with the art of drink mixing before she quirks her eyebrow up briefly at nami with a grin and takes a sip, following it soon with a mmm sound. ]

Oh, wow — that tangerine really gives it a perfect kick! This is great, Nami. You sure you're not a secret mixologist yourself?

[cartographie]

[ As difficult as it is to imagine a place drained dry of all its vibrancy to the point that the grass doesn't even grow, it's harder still to imagine someone like Tifa living there. Even though it's more than obvious the woman can kick ass, there's a softness to her that's hard to picture in a city as gritty as the Midgar that Tifa describes. As curious as it makes her, she gets the sense Tifa's content to push past the topic, something she finds herself easily leaning into with a smile. ]

You're not exactly making that sound regrettable.

[ Nami lifts her glass to her lips and hides a smirk against the rim, her eyes curving up in amusement as she looks across the bar at her before taking a sip as well. With a hum of approval, her gaze darts down to the contents of her glass as the warmth of swallowed alcohol enrobes her throat in a not-at-all unpleasant burn. ]

There's a tangerine liquor they drink on the island I come from, I'm always looking for the next best thing.

[ She takes another sip before looking back at Tifa, brushing off her words with a shake of her head. ] Should we sit by the water with these, or do you want to walk around? [ Truthfully, sitting right here continuing to steal glances at the other woman and her remarkably mahogany eyes, but Nami can already tell doing that won't help her temper the urge to flirt with Tifa. ]

[saults]

[ sharing drinks and enjoying the salty feel of the air in being by the beach is a lot more preferable to talking about the tough conditions of living in midgar. not that she necessarily has a problem with being honest about the world she comes from, but it's rare enough for her to bask in such an environment that she can't help but get a little lost in it. especially when nami keeps that offer open and tifa has her own bashful smile to it, still a little flushed in a way that she's not sure will dissipate anytime soon, likely to be made even more prominent with the drink in her hand, mirroring nami is using it to mask her smile. ]

As great as the walk sounds, I think I'd like to stay by the water a bit, if that's okay. Hard to not want to enjoy a view like that for a little while.

[ shuffling back, she waits for nami to join her before beginning to step in the direction towards the water. though while she's referenced the view of the water, her eyes still seem to peer over at nami herself, gaze remaining bright and curious. ]

So, tangerine liquor, huh? If they grew tangerines there, your island must be pretty gorgeous. Did you grow up by the water like this?

[cartographie]

[ Letting Tifa lead the way to the water's edge, Nami looks ahead at the calm strip of beach laid out before them, the false sky already beginning to deepen with the oncoming evening hours. It's been over a year since she's seen the sky, but her suite helps take the edge off, even if she could never really let herself forget how it's all fake. ]

Works for me. You'll get to know the place eventually. [ Which is a presumptuous thing to say, enough so that Nami feels her face warm as she casts a quick glance in Tifa's direction before trying to brush the comment off with a dismissive shake of her head. ] If you decide you want to hang out up here, I mean.

[ She's glad for the conversation to shift back to familiar territory, even though the topic of her island is one she's more selective about, when it comes to sharing the details. ]

I grew up in a tangerine orchard, outside a tiny farming town. You could see the ocean from almost anywhere you stood. [ Nami tilts her head towards a cozy-looking rattan daybedsituated a few paces away from the water's edge, and shoots Tifa a questioning look before heading over to sit on the edge of the cushion. It's spacious enough that they don't have to get too close, but deep down, Nami kind of hopes Tifa doesn't keep her distance, even as their conversation lingers in safe, casual territory. ]

So what about you? If you haven't lived in your tough city your whole life, where did you grow up?