obligatory beach episode

[solongsockers]

the beach meme

It's a nice day, you're in your swimsuit or some other beach-appropriate wear, and the sun, sand and surf are all waiting for you. You could be here because you wanted to get away from everything, or your friends decided to grab you for a road trip to the beach. Go swimming, take up surfing, build a sandcastle, chow down at the myriad snack bars, crash a party, maybe even watch the sunset with your significant other from the comfort of your own swanky seaside villa. The possibilities are endless.

What are you waiting for? Get out there and have fun! Oh, and watch out for sharks.

1. Leave a comment with your character with their name, series and your preferences. You may write up your own starters, if you already have some prompts in mind.
2. Tag out! Find people to tag at this massive beach, you never know who you'll meet.
3. Rinse, repeat, and profit.

Comments

OHMYGODWHEREDOESTHISCUTENESSCOMEFROM

[lilboyblue]

[Lance's mother instilled that love for the water in her son, who's more than overjoyed to be there. He'd probably love growing up near the beach, but he'd probably want to visit it daily were he to live so close. He already wants to make sure they go every day of their vacation. Just to feel the water and the sand and the sun... it's wonderful.

He props his arm on Shiro's shoulder and just listens to the game plan. Home base, and then they can play. He's up for that. He nods as he listens, though he hasn't turned his face away from the view. It's too nice. But it is a new place, so they have to take in what they can from it.

Lance takes a moment to follow the instructions, eyes fluttering closed as he opens his mouth to take in a deep breath. Then, a few seconds later, he releases it and grins.]

It smells kinda tangy. And fishy!

[headspacedad]

[He listens to his son's piping voice, pleased with the observations as well as the way his son embraces the moment. Yes, Lance is full of energy, constantly in motion, but it doesn't mean his son isn't capable of his moments of quiet and peace too. He never wants his son to rush through his life so fast that he misses the moments and so Shiro is doing his best to instill this. This ability to stop and truly live in the exact moment of time that exists.

Shiro wishes he'd taken more effort and done it more himself when his wife was still alive. He won't let his son make the same mistake.]

Good. Perfect. Now we open our ears and listen. What do we hear?

[lilboyblue]

[Sitting still has never been one of Lance's strong suits. Some boil it down to potential attention problems, some boil it down to him just being young and hyper--Lance just thinks it's Being Lance, always fidgety and bouncing and lively. But moments like this, quieter and calmer, at Shiro's side, he feels calmer. It takes more effort, but it's also cooler. Like working on a word puzzle or trying to find Easter eggs. It means focusing, noticing things he doesn't always notice right away.

Lance really had just been thinking about swimming, but his father is already having him think about so many other things that the beach offers. He could already feel the sun, and see the waves. But... he can hear little plopping not too far from them, and birds. Lance gasps, eyes still closed, bouncing a little in excitement.]

Seagulls! A-and something's making bubbles in the water. And someone sneezed. [With that, he giggles.] Daddy, can I open my eyes now?

[headspacedad]

[As far as Shiro is concerned Lance's excessive energy is Just Being Lance and he's gotten into some procedure arguments in the past with school teachers about it. He knows his son is hyper but he refuses to see that as something that can't be channeled and worked with instead of punished and shut down. Luckily its a small town and the principal knows him very well by this point as well as most of the teachers. Lance does have the ability to be quiet and intent, he just needs enough release before and after it to burn off the extra energy that builds up. Like Shiro is going to give him the second he sets his son down. But first:]

Very good! Okay. One more and this is an important one. After you answer I'll set you down so you can go get your feet wet. Now be very still and quiet and open. What do your surrounding feel like?

[lilboyblue]

[There's a small whimper at the answer. Not yet, and he reminds himself to keep his eyes closed by squinting them more before relaxing. His tiny levels of patience are already slowly ebbing away, but he holds back on whining, actually a little excited to know what Shiro will ask next. He reigns in his excitement once more and just takes a deep breath, soaking in the scent in the air, and the feeling.

His surroundings feel...]

It's warm. And... and... happy.

[He's not sure if that's the answer his father is looking for, but he grins and tilts his face up to let the sunlight shine on his face.]

[headspacedad]

[There's no right answer and Shiro appreciates more than he's ever going to be able to express his son's willingness to put his own urges on hold to listen to his father. So he stays quiet and still as his son searches and he smiles at the answer, something that quickly turns into a wide grin and he lets his son have that extra second of happy sunshine. And then he loudly kisses him on the forehead and tosses him, just the smallest bit, in his arms without actually letting go.]

Good observations, soldier. All right! [He's already leaning down to set his son on his feet.] Open your eyes, give me the beach towels and you can go get your feet in that water while I set up base. Don't go in past your knees though, got it?

[lilboyblue]

[Lance bursts into a fit of giggles at the kiss, tossing his arms up when Shiro tosses him. He's in even better spirits now, and more than ready to hit the water. But he waits until Shiro sets him back down, grinning right up at him while he turns over the towels.]

Okay! Only to my knees!

[And without a second glance, he runs right towards the water, kicking off his sandals before moving right to the water's edge. As a small wave washes over his toes and continues right over his feet, he lets out a loud squeal and jumps back. Only to jump forward to wait for it again, gripping at the sand with his toes. He's excited enough and it's only gone ankle deep.]

[headspacedad]

[Shiro watches his son rush off with a smile on his face and he lets himself just take that moment to himself. He still misses his wife, every day he misses her and he knows there's a hollow part of him now that's never going to heal over or disappear. Some days its harder than others to remember he still needs to get up, get moving - live.

If it wasn't for Lance, he's pretty sure he would have been lost.

So moments like these, when his son is happy and laughing and safe - they make the rest of the world right. They make everything all right. In moments like these, the hole doesn't go away - but - that's okay too. Because he still has peace and his own happiness in moments like this. So he lets himself have it and then he detours to get his son's shoes before heading up to just above the tideline to set up their small camp site. He still keeps an eye on his son however, as he sets out the blankets and gear and takes off his own shoes. Lance doesn't disobey on purpose most times but he does forget the rules in his enthusiasm occasionally. Right now he's busy being a sandpiper however and that just makes Shiro smile as he starts to put on his sunscreen. He leaves his t-shirt on because they're in public and he's not going to show his scars but he does take off his prosthetic and carefully wrap it and set it where it won't get accidentally stepped on. He'll have to clean it for sand tonight but, like his scars, its something Shiro prefers not to share with the public more than he has to. Sea water won't be good for it though and so, while they're here, it can sit to the side.]

[lilboyblue]

[Lance's age makes it easier for him to bounce back. He's so small and young that it's easy to just forget to be sad, and he thinks of everything as sharing it from the heart. But he's glad that for this moment he can share it with his dad, staying blissfully distracted by the drifting waves. It's been a pretty good day, and he's determined to keep it that way.

The boy squats, reaching his hands into the sand, and he's another mess of giggles when a wave washes forward and pushes the sand over his fingers. He doesn't realize that he's squatted s low that the water soaks into the seat of his shorts until it recedes, and he jumps up, turning quickly to run back--and he falls into the sand almost immediately. Thankfully, he's springy and the sand is soft. He pushes himself up and runs over to base camp, grinning.]

Daddy, daddy! The sand is real squishy. We can build a sand castle later, right?

[headspacedad]

[The smile settles on his face the way it so often does these days when he watches his son. Lance is endless enthusiasm, energy and laughter and he hopes that he never loses that. That neither one of them ever has to lose that.

It's also lucky Lance inherited his mother's skin and not his father's. Because Shiro is sure, no matter how many time he coats his son in sunscreen its going to all wear off by the end of their day. He watches his son tumble, bounce right back up and those long skinny tiny legs all but windmill him over to the towels and umbrella, causing Shiro's smile to widen into a grin as his son's right back with his next request. He reaches out, slips some more sunscreen down his son's nose even though he already coated him in the hotel room and nods.]

Sure! We'll build it at the tide line so the sea can play with it too once we're done. What do you want to do first though? We've got all day so make sure you pace yourself. ['all day' meaning 'all day until nap time because his son is going to crash hard at some point' but Shiro's on vacation, they're both on vacation, and they get to set their own schedule.]