[video] what a happy nerd

[carbungle]

[The video opens with the camera up close to Noctis, where he's trying very hard to look serious while fighting off what can only be considered giddiness.]

Hey, question for Havenwell at large... I'm pretty disappointed right now.

[He turns the camera, revealing a little lake, sparkling blue-green in colour and surrounded by lush foliage. There's a soft splash just off the shore, and Noctis utters a muffled, "there you are!" fumbling with the communicator for a moment until a lure goes flying towards it, attached to a fishing line.

When the camera returns to Noctis, he is grinning like an absolute fool, holding his fishing rod.]

Why did no one tell me about this place? Or am I the first? I hope I'm the first. Can I name it? [His voice lowers, conspiratorial.] There's fish here.

[The video cuts off, but included in his message are the coordinates to what one might assume is the pond in question, where Noct can be found fishing all. Day. Long. There's a blue chocobo curled up on a nearby rock, waiting patiently for him to finish as she's done dozens of times before.]

Comments

[iustaegis]

[ And ancient robot boot. ]

We can put it in a museum.

[carbungle]

They do already have weird stuff in museums. Hairbrushes, toasters... [He pauses, then adds thoughtfully,] You know, I don't think we've ever confirmed if their bodies even had feet.

[iustaegis]

Oh-- perhaps... they all had flippers instead?

[ Or wings. Or tentacles. Or hooves. ]

[carbungle]

Maybe they just oozed across the ground like giant snails.

[iustaegis]

[ She laughs, nudging him. ] All that slime-- everywhere.... No wonder they might have wanted to adopt metallic bodies instead. Less messy.

[carbungle]

I wouldn't want to be on street-sweeping duty after they roll through town.

[Hopefully the locals don't mind them having a bit of fun. They need a mood refresher after the last month.]

Hey, maybe we'll reel in a giant slime someday. Like uh... flan.

[iustaegis]

[ She does recall him mentioning the flan of his word being monsters… ]

Do those monster flan come in… flavors? Because what if that slime was actually all chocolate syrup?

[carbungle]

Oof, got mixed feelings about that. I wouldn't recommend licking one of those to check.

[That's a fastpass to catch starscourge...]

On the other hand, if I fished up something that was dripping chocolate sauce, it might be worth the risk. Just because it'd make a good story.

[iustaegis]

It would be more organic than anything the replicator gives us...

[ But still. Ew. Yet she ends up laughing because of all of this silliness. ]

[carbungle]

That sounds like a dish Mythra would come up with. "Chocolate Slug Sushi".

[He's gonna get kicked in the lake if he keeps this up, but: worth it.]

[iustaegis]

[ At least Pyra can laugh at herself! It’s all in good fun. ] S-stop, stop! She’s getting grumpy!

[carbungle]

[Slyly, flinging the lure back into the lake,] I'll make it up to her later.

[iustaegis]

[ Well that's an unconventional look for him. ]

By letting her push you into the pond?

[carbungle]

[He has his moments.]

If that's what she wants, sure.

[iustaegis]

We.... actually, just want to fish with you.

[ Time for her own slyness. ]

[carbungle]

We did talk about fishing in Elysium, didn't we? A while back.

[He kind of forgot, but...]

[iustaegis]

With you.... as bait.

[ THREE TWO ONE SHE'S GONNA TRY TO PUSH HIM IN-- ]

[carbungle]

[Under normal circumstances, he might have allowed it, or at least gotten pushed and dragged her with him. But Pyra, Pyra. He is fishing, here. You don't interrupt Noct while he's fishing. (Also he pushes in people, not the other way around!)

So when she tries he just kind of phases to the side, allowing momentum to do the rest of the work. Good luck, beloved girlfriend.]

1/2

[iustaegis]

[ SPLOOSH!!! There she goes, into the murky lake water, filled with alien fish.

She emerges a second later, hair clinging to her face and with a piece of suspicious lakeweed on top of her bangs. ]

[iustaegis]

That--.... [ A sputter. ] didn't turn out as planned.

[ She says, peeling off the piece of lakeweed from her head as she treads water. It's deeper than she expected, hum. ]

[carbungle]

[He can't help a light laugh as she re-surfaces, having reeled in the lure again. He rests the rod against his shoulder and crouches down, offering his hand out to her to pull her out.]

Anything nibbling your toes?

[iustaegis]

[ The water! Is so gross!! ]

No, but... [ She takes his hand, wanting nothing more to be out of the water. ]

I'm not willing to wait and find out!

[carbungle]

[You were gonna throw your boyfriend in that, you monster.]

Okay, okay. Up we go. [And pull! He lifts her up again, fetching a bit of a lily pad off of her headband.] Now who's the one with fish breath?

[iustaegis]

[ Just desserts^{like chocolate flan} ]

I'll have you know, I ate zero fish while in the water! My lips were sealed.

[carbungle]

My nose is spared.

[He doesn't seem to mind that she's soaked and kelpy, using their joined hands to tug her in for a kiss. Wet, fish breath, whatever, he's into it.]