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[m_pinocchio]

With task force, with hunting, and with the building crew, he's starting to find his free time in less abundant supply than he used to. Which is good in some ways, but it means that when he has a free hour or two it's hard to know what to do with it, with the pressure to use it well. Today he's figured, fuck it, a walk on the beach, maybe a joint

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[little_moons]

I'm not even sure how long I've been out here. Muscles aching, sun baking whatever skin isn't covered, eyes burning from salt and sun. It's perfect, and by the time I step onshore, I'm loose limbed and calmer than I have been in days. It's hard to really think when there's ton after ton of water crushing around you, sucking you up, drawing you in. It's an illusion, the feeling that all this force can be controlled. Out here, you just gotta give up, give in, and hope you come out okay in the end.

Board dumped out in the sand, I lean over and unhook the strap around my ankle, shaking saltwater from my hair and slicking it back away from my face. I plan to sprawl out for a few minutes then drag my ass back home, but I look up and catch sight of a shape on the beach. I huff out a breath that isn't quite a laugh and make my way over, blocking out the sun as I stand over him, salt and sea still dripping at my feet.

I know he's been watching. I don't gotta ask.

[m_pinocchio]

He watches Neil approach with a lazy smile and the smile widens when he stops, dark and haloed by the sun behind him. The pot's working and he's feeling pretty good, but it's not just the pot. He leans his head back a little.

"You looked good out there."

[little_moons]

"Think so?" I murmur, legs folding up, lowering to sit myself on the sand next to him and reaching out to steal the joint between his fingers. Rolling one shoulder in a shrug, I sniff and cough lightly around a lungful of smoke, saltwater stinging my sinuses, eyes still a little hazy and bloodshot.

"It's different out there by myself."

[m_pinocchio]

He snorts a laugh and nudges Neil's side with his shoulder. "No, I'm just saying that. You're hideous." He looks up and sidelong at Neil, watching his face, tracking a single droplet of water as it travels from behind his ear down the line of his neck.

"Different how?"