ACTION / backdated to the event; nova city waterways

[gastronomics]

[ Look, if she's going to be a mermaid she's going to get the freshest sea food ever and enjoy not being cold while wearing a ruffled bikini top in the fall, the colors matching the vibrant blend of reds, oranges, and pink scales of her tail. It's a unique experience and she's not going to give it up.

It just turns out that when you are part fish, you can keep up with the other fish just fine. But when you're in Nova City, most of the waterways are man made and, while clean, it isn't exactly brimming with life. So much for locally sourced ingredients! But Alice isn't one to give up. Anyone with underwater capabilities can see Alice going around trying to catch fish under Fayren's waters, though from time to time she comes back to the surface and just lets herself float while staring up at the sky in frustration, visible from any of the sidewalk that goes along the Nova City waterways. ]

Comments

[gastronomics]

[ Hnnng. Fine. She's pouting big time though. ]

I'll admit you won, but only because it's obvious you cheated because you didn't think you could win in a fair race. [ Then she points at him, feigning surprise. ] I can't believe compensation is your answer!

[sarcaskick]

Nothing I did was against any stated rules, period.

[ He drifts closer, letting her finger prod his shoulder as he closes the distance a little further. ]

You can play fair, or you can play to win. Me, I'm a winner.

[gastronomics]

Neither was my claim, but you wanted to be the winner. You won at not being good enough. [ She prods him in the shoulder a few times where he leaned in, like she's pushing an elevator button over and over again, except her pouting's getting worse. She's still mad he pulled her top. ]

[sarcaskick]

[ He doesn't stop her at first, letting her jab her finger against his skin a few times. ]

Whatever helps you sleep at night. Besides, I was actually pretty considerate.

[ After five or six pokes he finally reaches up to hold her wrist, pulling her hand off to the side as he leans in to mutter in her ear. ]

I could have just ripped that thing off altogether.

[gastronomics]

Just because you're not horrible doesn't mean you don't suck.

[ She tries to move the direction opposite the hand he grabbed, trying to pull her arm away by swimming a bit of distance if he lets her get it. At least enough that the blush isn't obvious. She might be confident and she can say all kinds of things but innuendo is a far cry from flashing someone! She has absolutely zero chance of out-matching him in terms of strength, though, so it's really up to him if she gets anywhere. ]

[sarcaskick]

Of all the flavors you could be, you choose to be bitter.

[ He doesn't let go immediately, tightens his grip just enough to let her know that no, he can keep her here for as long as he feels like - but relents a few seconds later, opening his fingers to let her slip away for now. ]

Besides, it's just skin.

[gastronomics]

I'm not bitter, I'm sweet. I'm a souffle! I just so happen to sink if someone tries to take me out too soon.

[ He's just teasing her though? At least that's what it seems like as she thinks about it. He didn't actually look at all and he obviously didn't have to let go. ]

So what did you want from me?

[sarcaskick]

[ Shockingly enough, Mercury knows the advantages of reining it in from time to time. He has all the time in the world to drive her crazy, why rush it? ]

You look squishy enough for the part, anyway.

[ He reaches out again to poke her cheek. ]

I'll figure it out in time. But you're definitely making me another meal, at the very least.

[gastronomics]

[ She's just making this face at him while he pokes her in the cheek, her tail swishing back and forth under the water. ]

Two weeks to decide, but I guess I can make you lunch.

[ She seems to have calmed down at least. ]

[sarcaskick]

'Atta girl.

[ It's his turn to wink as he gives her cheek one just last touch, this time with the palm of his hand, before leaning back to float stomach-up and stare at the sky. ]

I'm thinking... something spicy.

[gastronomics]

[ He's so handsy, gosh. Alice ducks under the water for a second to think, though honestly? Spicy? She pops up above the water, almost looking offended. ]

Give me a challenge at least.

[sarcaskick]

[ He quirks an eyebrow at her reply, his smirk widening a bit. ]

Alright, then. Something spicy, a little sweet, creamy, soft...

[ A hand lifts from beneath the water, snapping his fingers. Ah ha! ]

Or to put it simply, a dish that personifies you.

[gastronomics]

Hm..

[ That sounds like fun though. Even if the implication is basically that he wants to taste her. She looks satisfied by that answer. ]

When do you want it?

[ She's got to have a deadline to make this so she can pace herself with trying to make a new recipe, after all. ]

[sarcaskick]

[ As if ready for that question he drifts forward, almost forehead to forehead, that hand above the water tapping her chin. ]

What's wrong with now?

[ And, again. W i n k. ]

[gastronomics]

We're in the water with tails and nowhere near a kitchen.

[ the waterway is not a sous vide ]

But if you want dinner I'll make something special and reserve the chef's table.

[sarcaskick]

[ A little huff of breath, an exasperated smile. ]

Boy, you're dense as a brick of lead sometimes.

[ A shrug, slipping past her, un(?)intentionally brushing against her says in passing. ]

Take your time, it's not like we're going anywhere. No rush, whatever.

[gastronomics]

[ She's food-brained, what can she say.. ]

You're kidding, I'm hailed as a genius.

[ With. Food. Not with common sense.

Still, she seems content to swim after him despite what she's been through. If nothing else, she's thick-skinned despite the whining. Though she does dive in under the water and start swimming more vigorously to get ahead of him. ]

[sarcaskick]

[ He laughs to himself, starting to swim towards the shore before he hears the sound of her diving behind him. There's no contest underway, but he's not about to lose to her all the same, so he darts beneath the water to give chase.

...

So basically, now that he won the race with stakes, he also wants to win the race with no stakes. ]

[gastronomics]

[ So! Freaking! Rude!!!

She spots him coming up behind her and starts swimming faster, like a fish who was actually being chased by a shark though with less panic and more indignance. She's not going to double-lose to him!! ]

[sarcaskick]

[ He manages to catch even with her, reaching out to try and grab her shoulder to push her back.

Hey, it's not her bikini. It's better than that, right? ]

[gastronomics]

[ She's onto his game this time, though. And while she can't stop him from pushing her back, she sure as hell can practice her earlier described fish catching technique and latch onto his arm so he can't actually get ahead of her. SO THERE! ]

[sarcaskick]

[ Huh. On one hand, no, he can't exactly win like this. On the other hand... well, there are worse things that could happen.

Still, he'll try and move a bit faster, as if attempting escape. Boy, she'll have to hold on pretty tight to keep him from getting ahead.

Fancy that. ]

[gastronomics]

[ this would be much easier with knees, but after a few seconds of tight clinging that borderline wedged his arm between her breasts, she reaches up with one arm for his neck. It takes two or three tries, but she manages to get it and tries pull herself up so her arms are wrapped around him like a low piggy back ride. Victory is hers! ]

[sarcaskick]

[ It isn't too hard to figure out her game plan, even with two very prominent distractions pressed to his arms. He waits until she starts to climb onto him before twisting his body about - if she's going to cling to him, it's going to be to the front of him.

She HAS to have some sense of shame.

Probably. ]

[gastronomics]

[ Oh, she does have a sense of shame. It's just a little.. twisted. More like, this is the sort of thing that would probably happen in a mermaid rom-com if such a thing existed (she would watch it with popcorn on a bean bag and she'd love it), and he seems to be trying super hard to make sure he gets her attention like that..

Ah.. did she figure it out? Does he... does he like her!?

She rather inexplicably looks super pleased with herself, though she's a little disappointed that she can't seem to speak underwater. Breathing is easy, words don't really travel besides blublub. ]