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TAG WITH @jack

POSTED ON Jul 27, 2022 23:33:36 GMT

Aurelie Lefevre likes this

Even though the sun had set, hot air filled the mid-August night with the warmth of day though the steady ocean breeze tempered the burning heat to something adjacent to pleasant. Jack's arms and shoulders ached from a long day of surfing and diving during the Slateport Splashfest and he may have gone a little too hard on his last throw at the dunk tank. He still wore his swim trunks from the day and had gone shirtless into the warm night, though his normally "outdoors a lot" skin was baked into an even deeper tan than usual from all of the time spent at the beach. Well at least Aurelie likes my abs, he thinks to himself somewhat sheepishly.

He was surprised but happy when she had asked him out at the bonfire. Truth be told, he liked the woman from the few times they had spent together and she was attractive as well. Plus, he thought it was pretty cool that she was a blacksmith. He kicked some sand from his sandals nervously and turned to look out over the gently crashing surf, placing his hands behind his head in a relaxed gesture. A brief sensation from behind his ear sent a dull ache pounding through his head but the pain from where he had been attacked at Jagged Pass slowly faded again as he looked out over the water where a thousand stars blazed in the night sky. He hummed tunelessly to himself, waiting for his beautiful date to arrive.

Mission: Hot Summer Nights[break]Aurelie Lefevre

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dreamflower

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December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

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Blacksmith, bladesmith

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A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

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TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Jul 29, 2022 3:47:25 GMT

[attr="class","mon"]

[attr="class","monlyrics"]Just the way you look tonight

[attr="class","monbody"]After spending the afternoon swimming, diving for Clamperls, surfing across the waves, throwing Pokeballs at the dunk tank target, and socializing with festivalgoers at the Slateport City beach, Aurelie was more than glad to snatch a free half-hour to take a shower and throw on the prettiest outfit she'd packed, a flowery green-and-white dress. From her point of view, it wasn't terribly surprising that she would've done something as impulsive and whimsical as asking out a man she'd only met twice—at least, that he knew of—but it was surprising to Aurelie that he'd said yes. If nothing else, she wanted to do as much as she could, including looking her best, so that Jack didn't regret agreeing to the date.

Her hair still damp from the shower and her single visible eye dancing with excitement, Aurelie rushed out onto the beach where they'd agreed to meet this evening. Her face broke into an irrepressible grin when she spotted a familiar toned and shirtless figure in the distance, gazing out toward the sea and stars. The multitude of jewel-like stars twinkling in the velvet-black sky felt like thousands of eyes watching her as she strode unhesitatingly across the soft sand and waved hello to him.

"Hello, Jack!" she exclaimed as soon as she was within hearing range. "I swear, I will meet you one day with your shirt actually on for once and I just know I won't recognize you. Not that I could possibly object to the view," she added, her tone openly admiring, "especially without any mud to cover anything up this time."

She winced slightly when she caught sight of the faded bruise on Jack's forehead where Zev Harcourt had punched him during their encounter at the Jagged Pass. I still cannot believe Zev did that, Aurelie fumed internally. She forced herself to take a deep breath. Not that I should be speaking Kalosian around Jack anytime soon myself. Arceus, why did I think this date would be a good idea, after seeing Jack chasing us down on his Corviknight?

Then she looked back over at Jack. Her expression softened at the sight of the open, friendly smile on his handsome face, and a slight warmth stole over her cheeks as her gaze traveled lower over his tanned, well-proportioned torso. Yeah, that's why I thought this would be a good idea, she concluded. Yet, for how good-looking he was, she still felt uncommonly comfortable in his presence, free of the tongue-tied confusion she remembered from teenage and college crushes—making his overall appeal an even rarer and more precious alloy than mere looks alone.

"Speaking of not covering up, I caught your performance at the swimsuit contest earlier. You looked so cool! Especially the backflip," Aurelie said sincerely. "I hope you've been having a good time so far at Splashfest. If nothing else, it must be giving you plenty to write about."

[attr="class","montag"]

jack wainwright | Mission: Hot Summer Nights (VV) | Dress

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jack

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august 12

Hulbury

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TAG WITH @jack

POSTED ON Aug 8, 2022 17:15:21 GMT

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Jack's breath catches in his throat as he takes in the view of Aurelie in a beautiful patterned dress that outlines her body even in the semi-darkness of the beach. A laugh escapes his lips at her comment about his body not being covered in mud as the memory of the Renaissance Faire leaps immediately into his mind. Jack had surprised himself by accepting her invitation to this date, but the freshly resurfaced memory of her wit and Aurelie's openness about what had happened to her brother, and her reaction to it, made it clear to him.

The blog is going well, I've got sponsorship offers left and right, why not ease up a bit and spend time with a beautiful woman? he asked himself as a smile brightens his face. Not just a beautiful woman, but a beautiful person who protects those she loves, he corrects himself.

"Yeah, Splashfest has been a hit on the blog. I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of Galarian tourists at the next one, if there is one," Jack replies, his smile widening at the thought of his homeland and the success of the articles. A warm chuckle breaks into his speech as he admits, "I don't know if I could have acted as cool at the swimsuit contest if I knew you were watching. I'm really just up there pretending."

Suddenly, his eyes widen and he almost hops with excitement. "Oh oh oh, I've been wanting to share this with you for ages!" He reaches into his pocket and withdraws a pokeball, clicking the button as it enlarges to full size. Gesturing dramatically and winking at Aurelie, he lobs the pokeball and his Doublade, Harpe, bursts forth. Vibrant purple cloth streams from the hilt, contrasting against the golden hue of the eye set into both hilts but complementing the scarlet red of the metal blades.

"Cool, huh!" Jack says, hopefully to Aurelie as a blush tinges his cheeks.

Aurelie Lefevre

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dreamflower

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December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

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TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Aug 12, 2022 16:32:28 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]Just the way you look tonight

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]If Aurelie had been able to read jack wainwright's mind as he answered her questions and chatted with her, she would have been supremely astonished by what she would have found there. There was a reason why she had never told anyone else the story about how she'd gone after her little brother's arm-breaking high school boyfriend with a forging hammer and put him in the hospital for weeks. Aurelie knew all too well that she had done it not because she was a good person, but simply because she'd been angry. A good person would've stopped the boyfriend's abuse before anyone was seriously hurt, not beat him up afterward for payback. She wasn't proud of her deed, and the fact that Jack hadn't turned his back on her after hearing the story was a source of continual surprise to her.

Nor did she think she was particularly beautiful, so that would have surprised her too. But that would have been a pleasanter surprise, one that would have set her heart pounding and made the color rise in her cheeks to hear.

Thankfully, Aurelie couldn't read minds, so her attention was thoroughly captured by the Doublade that Jack had just revealed. Her face brightened immediately and she clapped her hands with unalloyed delight, dropping to one knee in the sand to examine the Pokemon at closer range. She had to stop herself from reaching toward one of its fluttering sashes, unsure if its touch would drain her life force too.

"Oooh, very cool! I love it!" she exclaimed, leaning forward. "This is your sword Pokemon, Honedge, isn't it? But evolved into a...Doublade, right? It's such a beautiful evolution, with those elegant sheaths and two perfectly paired swords to deliver twice as much slice as before." She fell silent for a moment to admire the Doublade's details, trying to memorize them for possible future—non-living, of course—bladed creations of her own.

Then, rising back to her feet, she met Jack's eyes above the Doublade and smiled warmly at him, her single visible eye glinting in the twilit darkness. "Thanks for sharing this with me, Jack. You certainly know the way to a girl's heart," she added playfully, her voice dropping to a lower, more murmurous register. "Starlight and swords—what could possibly be better than that?"

For a moment, Aurelie blushed, wondering if her comment came out sounding more suggestive than she'd intended. A small part of her whispered teasingly, But even if it did, is that a bad thing? She shook her head briskly, as if to dislodge the distracting thought. Catching sight of a column of food trucks lined up at the edge of the beach, she perked up and impulsively reached out to grab Jack's hand.

"Well, they say the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach," she said brightly. Trying to keep her voice steady despite the startling, yet pleasant feeling of her fingers sliding against his, Aurelie pointed toward the line of food trucks, already doing brisk business with other beachgoers. "Over there, I see a truck for…tacos, one for Unovan barbecue, one for Johto dumplings and meat skewers, I think, and—ooh, one for sushi too." She'd never had sushi before coming to Hoenn, but ever since she'd first tried it, she'd been addicted.

"So, what do you say to getting some dinner together before the fireworks start? We can make a picnic of it here on the beach." She took a step toward the food trucks, tugging lightly and invitingly on Jack's hand to head in that direction.

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

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jack

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Hulbury

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TAG WITH @jack

POSTED ON Aug 20, 2022 13:18:11 GMT

Jack's heartbeat thunders in his ears as he waits to see Aurelie's reaction to Harpe and a strange relief flooded through him at her positive reaction. Since the change in Harpe's color after meeting the woman, she sprang unbidden to mind each time he saw the sword pokemon. Jack swelled with happiness and pride while she examined the Doublade. Her response meant a lot to him.

Emotions struggle within Jack like a raging flood as Aurelie tugs at his hand, foremost among them being hunger. She's definitely right about food being the way to a man's heart. Or my heart at least, he thinks to himself as the semi-darkness of the beach hides the flush on his face. He hoped it would fade before they reached the light of the street. Sliding his hand gently into hers, they had barely begun walking as Jack felt a tickle against his wrist. Glancing down, he notices a rich violet cloth beginning to entwine around both his and Aurelie's hands.

"Sorry Harpe, but you weren't invited to hold hands," he says kindly before extracting his hand from his date's gentle grip and returning the Doublade to his pokeball.

With a courtly bow harkening back to the exaggerated pageantry of the Renaissance Faire, Jack offers his hand back to Aurelie as he asks, "So we'll get something from each truck and just share it all, right?"

Aurelie Lefevre

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dreamflower

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December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

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TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Aug 21, 2022 20:55:24 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]Just the way you look tonight

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Relieved that jack wainwright had liked her idea of getting food, Aurelie didn't notice the flush on his cheeks in the deepening dusk. She did let out a giggle, though, when his Doublade apparently tried to insinuate itself into the hand-holding and Jack had to disentangle the long purple sash from around their hands. Then she burst into a delighted laugh when he presented her with a sweeping bow and a delicious solution to the age-old problem of what to have for dinner. She would have clapped her hands in glee, except that Jack had reclaimed hers after recalling his Doublade and she was loath to pull away from his touch.

"Nice idea! Why choose only one thing when you can sample a little bit of everything?" she agreed. "This way, we can have a little feast while we watch the fireworks."

Hand in hand, they made their way to the line of food trucks and patiently waited their turn to order. With some light-hearted, amiable debates on the relative merits of pork carnitas versus shredded beef, grilled octopus versus fried chicken, and rainbow rolls versus shrimp tempura, they managed to pick out quite an assortment of appetizing food items in various cardboard cartons, paper plates, and foil. At that point, the two had to stop holding hands to juggle the various food packages they'd bought, along with the plastic cups for their drinks. Aurelie looked back and forth from their arms laden with food toward the soft, insidious sand and shook her head with dismay.

"Well, I brought a towel in my bag for us to sit on, but I don't really think it'll be big enough to hold all this. It's barely more than a bath towel," she exclaimed wryly. She scanned their surroundings for options. A familiar nearby pier where she'd been doing most of her fishing during Splashfest, stretching out to the ocean, quickly caught her attention.

Indicating the end of the pier to Jack with a nod of her head, she suggested, "Let's go sit and enjoy our feast over there. I don't fancy getting sand in our food, after all! Plus, it'll be quiet and breezy, and we can spread out as much as we like."

Aurelie set off across the beach, looking back to make sure Jack was following her. Soon, their steps thumped across the sturdy wooden pier, and she sat comfortably down at the end, sliding off her sandals and letting her bare feet dangle in the cool water. "Ahhh, that's nice," she sighed, savoring the minor relief from the oppressive summer heat and motioning for Jack to sit down beside her. "And you can't beat the view, either. The ocean and the stars...they all seem so much clearer and closer here."

Letting her bag slide down her arm, Aurelie set her food down along the flat planks of the pier and opened the closest package, which turned out to be savory grilled squid seasoned with soy sauce and skewered on long, thin bamboo sticks. She chuckled when she saw the tentacles but gamely picked up a skewer. "I wasn't honestly sure if I would like this," she admitted, before readily nibbling the tip of a tentacle, "but mmm. It's pretty good!"

With her other hand, she held out another skewer to Jack and smiled playfully. "Want to try one? I think you might find it interesting."

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

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jack

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Hulbury

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POSTED ON Sept 2, 2022 14:11:40 GMT

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Sliding carefully down to the edge of the pier next to Aurelie, Jack follows her lead and lets his feet dangle into the water, though his lanky legs end up going into the sea up past his ankle. He looks up to the beautiful night sky before smiling at her as he takes in her words about the view. Maybe it was emotions, hormones, or just the giddy exhaustion of a long day at Splashfest, but the world did seem to have pulled in close around them at this moment with the sea brushing against their legs and the stars just barely out of reach overhead.

"Huh, never had grilled squid before but I'm here for the adventure," Jack replies to his date and winks. Instead of reaching for the proffered skewer, he impishly leans over, the tanned skin of his bare bicep brushing against Aurelie, and bites a tentacle off the skewer. He chews slowly, savoring the new texture and rich flavor of the food. Being careful to swallow and not spit out any food bits on the beautiful woman sitting next to him, he exclaims, "Great choice, that was delicious!"

Twisting slightly to grab a paper basket from their assortment of food, Jack proudly offers her batter-dipped and fried boneless chicken wings after tossing one into the air and catching it with his mouth. He grins as he explains, "These are a big Unovan thing that caught on heavy in Galar. Watts and I love them."

The stars glitter overhead as they go back and forth with their massive haul of food. The warmth of the night crept inside Jack's heart and a slow flush crept from his bare chest, to his neck, and up to his cheeks as they traded morsels of street food. Jack felt almost drunk on the sea-salt air and Aurelie's presence, which may explain why when Aurelie offered a piece of sushi delicately held in her chopsticks, his aggressive impression of a Sharpedo lunging in to take a bite sent the chopsticks flying along with the entire roll of sushi. Jack's breath caught in his throat before he could even hear the food splash into the water at their feet.

Aurelie Lefevre

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dreamflower

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December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

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TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Sept 3, 2022 2:52:05 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]Just the way you look tonight

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Aurelie hadn't quite expected Jack to simply lean forward and eat the grilled squid right off her proffered skewer, but she loved it, throwing her head back with a burst of laughter at his audacity. She had to admit, too, something about the way he slowly licked the soy sauce off his lips gave her goosebumps—or maybe that was just from the brush of his arm against hers. When he offered her some fried boneless chicken wings, she decided to follow his example, taking a bite of the chicken straight out of his hand.

"I see you and Watts share similar tastes and eating styles sometimes," she said teasingly as she watched him toss his wing into the air and catch it in his mouth. Savoring the salty, spicy, umami, and deliciously fatty flavors of the crispy, well-seasoned fried chicken, she added, "Not that I can blame you! I could eat a whole basket of those wings by myself, if there wasn't so much still to try."

The tone of their shared meal was set, and they continued feeding each other favorite delicacies and finger foods and chatting about each dish. Most of what they ate that night seemed delicious and flavorful to Aurelie, and she wondered if it was as much the added zest of Jack smiling at her under the starlight as it was the actual food. Wanting to share a sushi roll of tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and avocado wrapped in rice and seaweed, she fumbled with her chopsticks until she managed to hoist one roll awkwardly and unsteadily toward Jack's mouth—only for him to respond far more enthusiastically than she'd expected.

"Ack! Oh no!" Aurelie yelped as both sushi roll and chopsticks went flying from Jack's shark-like onslaught. It flew away from her grasp, tumbling end over end toward the water. Without thinking, she lurched off the edge of the pier to try and recover the falling sushi roll, hoping to somehow save it for sharing.

Everything felt like it was happening in slow motion. She could feel herself lean a little too far, overreach by a little too much. A few seconds too late, she windmilled her arms in a futile effort to try and slow her progress sideways and downward. It wasn't enough to save her, as gravity took over and Aurelie toppled ungracefully into the water with a massive splash, one hand still outreached toward the sushi roll.

Water filled her mouth and her vision as she plunged into the sea, the impact knocking the breath out of her with a shock. Water churned all around her, and for a moment, she couldn't tell up from down. Aurelie splayed out her hands and kicked her legs, struggling toward what seemed like the right direction. After so much Clamperl diving, she should have been used to being underwater and navigating her way back to the surface, but she had only dived during the daylight hours, not at night with gentle starlight that barely penetrated through the water. The sodden folds of her pretty floral dress dragged against her efforts, weighty with water. Her chest heaved painfully as she sought to reach the surface, striving toward the fresh air and light.

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

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jack

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twenty-six

august 12

Hulbury

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POSTED ON Sept 3, 2022 23:22:26 GMT

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Jack's arm snaps out reflexively, reaching for Aurelie even as she lunges away from the pier and into the water. Without thought, Jack shoves himself forward and plunges into the water, waiting for his feet to strike a sandy bottom that isn't there. Fear grips him, causing his heart to pound in his ears and adding to the chaos of the sound of churning water that presses in on him. He opens his eyes, but only darkness surrounds him, causing him to reach out blindly with his arms. A bolt of fire shoots up his arm as his elbow strikes one of the pylons supporting the pier but his cry of pain comes out only in a burst of bubbles that leaves his mouth filled with the taste of salty seawater.

Cautiously pushing his limbs outward, careful not to strike the pier again, Jack begins to swirl them in wide arcs until his foot tangles in something that sends another pulse of panic running through his mind. Her dress. The realization comes to Jack like a lightning strike as he contorts downward to grab the struggling woman.

4_s3_o0g

Slipping his arm as best he can beneath hers, he propels them slowly upward. Jack gasps as they break the surface in a tangle of limbs and clothing though relief soon washes over him as Aurelie gulps in the air like a person who is alive and has not drowned. Jack grabs the lip of the pier and muscles Aurelie back out of the water before heaving himself up after her. As he hits the surface of the pier, he collapses onto his back and allows the stars to fill his vision as adrenaline pounds in his veins.

"You're definitely the best thing I've managed to grab while diving this month," he blurts without thinking.

Aurelie Lefevre
[break] Diving: Found an Aurelie!

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dreamflower

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December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

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5'7"/170 cm height

A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

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TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Sept 4, 2022 3:33:34 GMT

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]Just the way you look tonight

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]At first, Aurelie nearly panicked when she felt something pulling on her dress and then grabbing at her arm, wondering if it was some hungry, menacing sea predator. Then she felt herself being pulled up, powerfully up, through the water and then unceremoniously heaved over the side of the pier onto—thankfully and wonderfully—dry, solid ground. For a moment, she just lay on her side in a trembling heap, feeling shaken by her sudden fall into the water and the realization of all the things that could've gone wrong if Jack hadn't jumped in to rescue her.

But rescue her he had, and knowing it made her feel almost foolishly happy as well as grateful. Brushing the saltwater off her eyepatch and out of her uncovered eye, she saw him collapse onto the pier beside her, dripping with water. His words made her catch her breath and then loose it in an irrepressible, self-mocking peal of laughter.

"But I lost the sushi roll!" she exclaimed weakly. Propping herself up on one elbow, she coughed out a little seawater and winced. "I can't believe I was such an idiot. Falling into the water like that! Definitely not as valuable a catch as a salac berry, for sure."

A soft, tender smile slowly curved her lips. "But I can believe you came to save me from my own idiocy. Thank you, Jack. I...I feel unbelievably lucky that you were here for me tonight. I feel lucky just...just being here with you."

Unable to find the right words to fully express all the feelings swelling within her at this moment, Aurelie simply threw her arms around him in a grateful, impulsive embrace. The action knocked some of the plates and napkins they'd so carefully arranged along the pier into the water, but for the moment, she couldn't care less. It felt so good, so impossibly good, to hold him close that she knew she wouldn't be pulling away anytime soon. All she wanted was to cling to him, to feel the warm, comforting solidity of him in her arms and to show him through her hug how much she genuinely appreciated and adored him.

Then, still without thinking, she tilted her head up and looked solemnly into his eyes for a brief moment, far more willing to drown in his gaze than in the water below. Aurelie didn't even wonder if she should kiss him, or if he'd want her to, or if it even made sense to try. She just leaned forward, raised her face toward his, and pressed her lips to his.

If he reacted with disbelief or confusion, she could understand. If he chose to pull back or push her away, she couldn't blame him. But she hoped—very, very much—that he wouldn't.

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jack

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Hulbury

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POSTED ON Sept 10, 2022 19:15:22 GMT

Aurelie Lefevre likes this

Jack's face curved up in a grin as Aurelie jokes about salac berries. I've got too many salac berries as it is, he thinks to himself out of nowhere. Jack's focus turns inward as he tries to think of how many salac berries he has, so his breath comes out in an explosive whoosh as Aurelie pulls him into an embrace, sending even more of their food into the ocean.

Looking down at her, seeming so strong yet vulnerable, causes a flush to begin creeping up Jack's cheeks. Before he can even think of what to say, her lips are on his and his eyes close as he melts into her arms. Almost involuntarily, his hands rise to cup her beautiful features as this kiss lengthens, his thoughts jumbled by the heat of her body and the sea salt taste of her lips. Clarity arrives with a drop of water that drips from Jack's hair as he inhales it accidentally into his nose causing him to break off the kiss in a splutter of embarrassed coughing and laughter.

"Sorry about that," he coughs out as his face heats up past the summer temperatures of the beach. Desperate for a distraction he spots Aurelie's towel nearby. Snatching it in his hand, he gently towels off her face before roughly drying his own hair, using the towel to hide the blush that burns on his face.

[break]Aurelie Lefevre

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played by

dreamflower

she/her

December 12

Anistar City, Kalos

Bisexual

Blacksmith, bladesmith

Associate

5'7"/170 cm height

A keen mind cuts deeper than even the sharpest sword.

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1,248 posts

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TAG WITH @aurelie

POSTED ON Sept 12, 2022 14:13:57 GMT

Xiura Balfaltin likes this

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_lyrics"]Just the way you look tonight

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]At first, Aurelie wondered if she'd gone too far for a first date, giving Jack one shock too many with her unexpected kiss. But his hands rose to clasp her face instead of pushing her away, and he responded readily and warmly, which surprised and thrilled her. She leaned in and kissed him harder. Jack broke it off a few seconds later with a spluttering cough and a laugh, leaving her breathless and slightly dazed, her lips still tingling and a wave of heat that owed nothing to the summer evening suffusing her entire body.

She let him towel off her face, enjoying the gentle, sensitive attention of the handsome man, and tried to smooth some of the water from her dress while he dried off his own face and hair. Looking down at the remaining food on the pier, she heaved a long sigh. Now that the first rush of impulsive desire had faded, the familiar surge of guilt arose in its wake.

This was all my doing, wasn't it? she thought. Falling in the water, making him dive in to get me out, knocking more food off the pier with that kiss…this whole date in the first place. What a disaster. And it all happened because of me.

"I'm sorry too," she burst out, sounding a little sad. "I didn't mean to—it seemed like a good idea at the time—I'm sorry if it was too much—" She faltered, too many thoughts competing at once to be expressed coherently, not sure herself if she was referring to the kiss or the date as a whole.

Taking a deep breath, Aurelie sat back down on the pier and collected herself, tilting her head to meet Jack's eyes. "I'm sorry," she repeated in a more solemn and measured tone, "for everything I've put you through. And thank you—for putting up with me and all my shenanigans. Even from the first moment we met."

At that moment, she saw the silvery, scintillating streak of a shooting star speeding across the velvety black night sky above Jack's head. Then there was another, and another, and still another shooting star, like a shower of sparks cascading off a billet of metal being hammered on the forge, making Aurelie catch her breath at the sheer beauty of it. The sea reflected the evanescent brilliance of the star-fall with soft shimmers and sparkles across its rhythmically rippling waves. A tear of wonder and delight sprang to her eye, further splintering the glow of the shooting stars into tiny, prismatic rainbows in her vision momentarily before she blinked it away.

Taking the shooting star display as a good omen, she cleared her throat and held her hand up to Jack. "Listen, we don't have to do this again…" She indicated the pier, the spread of food, and the ocean with a sweeping wave of her other hand. A lump rose in her throat as she spoke, and she had to pause to swallow before continuing, "If you don't want to. But will you stay and watch the star shower with me, at least?"

She smiled softly. "We can make wishes on a star. You can wish for a better date, maybe." Possibly with someone else, her wistful tone implied.

[attr="class","aurelie_tag"]

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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played by

skyline

jack

he/him

twenty-six

august 12

Hulbury

travel blogger

elite ranger

6'1" height

Travel is the great leveler, the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler than mirror-glass.

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644 posts

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TAG WITH @jack

POSTED ON Sept 17, 2022 17:21:57 GMT

Aurelie's apology slowly sinks into Jack's brain as time seems to pass slower than normal. The aftermath of the kiss, the warmth of her body so close to his skin, the star shower reflecting in her eye. Objectively, it had been a disaster with the spilled food, the surprise dive, and the water dripping from his hair onto them while they kissed. But it has been so fun. Almost magical, he thinks to himself.

His heart breaks a little at her apology as he looks away. He had hoped that she was having fun too. His jaw flexes but he isn't sure what to say, so instead, he sits behind her on the pier, his lanky limbs unfolding so that his legs dangled on his side of her and he could enfold her completely in his arms.

Placing his head over her left shoulder so that their cheeks were touched, he felt her still-wet dress cling to his bare abdomen. Pulling her in tightly with his eyes on the stars, he whispers, "I wish you'd let me pick you up next Saturday at 9:00."

[break]Aurelie Lefevre