[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

[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.]

[iustaegis]

[ His name is silenced with an awkward "oomf" as his lips collide with hers, and she needs a moment to adjust to the kiss. Thankfully, it's not too long before she's giggling into his mouth, her teeth clinking against his.

Pyra pulls away to look at him, draping her arms over his shoulders and linking her hands behind his neck. Although she's drenched, her skin and body remain warm, and she's not the least bit uncomfortable. It helps that she's a walking furnace, too, so it's not as if she'll stay wet for long. ]

...Ah, no fish-breath. Only sweetness. [ Probably tastes like whatever last sweets he's eaten. ]

[carbungle]

[He gives a thoughtful sniff, scrunching up his nose as he bumps it against hers, enjoying her warmth despite the waterlogged clothing soaking into his own. For the moment, he dismisses his fishing rod back into the armory so he can hold her.]

You do smell a bit like the lake, though.

[iustaegis]

[ She has no complaints, being pressed up against him, and her lips brush across his as she speaks. She's enjoying the affection and closeness, his teasing and-- oh, finally, he's dismissed the fishing pole so he can hold her with two hands, properly. ]

It can't be too terrible a scent, if you're still this close to me.

[carbungle]

I happen to like fish.

[And he must like her an awful lot if he's taking a break from fishing to get cozy, right? That's totally why.]

[iustaegis]

[ She knows he likes her if he’s putting away the fishing rod to compliment her as a fish. ]

And I like fishermen.

[ She replies, giving him a kiss at the edge of his lips, then the center of them. …And another one, lingering and savoring, just for good measure, but she stops there just in case for him.

Her palm makes its way to his cheek, caressing the side of his face. ]

Especially the one who’s caught me.