Splashfest was the least of Felix's concerns. Beyond the occasional opportunity the festivities held, there weren't many reasons for him to notice the highs and lows of mantine surfing, or the excitement of diving.

It wasn't until mainstage came around that he decided to attend -- a decision he quickly regretted after hearing the lineup they had in store. Sighing, the man left behind the scattered lights and pounding music, hand slowly rubbing the back of his neck. The call of oceanic tranquility whispered in his ears as he made his way across the coarse sand, dressed up in a black floral button up and beige shorts.

When his eyes meet the side of her face, they softened, and a small smile curled up his face. "Having fun?" The question came with his shadow, tall and overarching.

illeana reyes

With a soft grunt, he set himself down beside her, leaning back on his arms. They kept him propped up an inch away from her.

"A bit, yeah."

Not really. Work ate away most of his time, leaving only a sliver of seconds, and sometimes, pieces of peace. This moment fell into the ladder category.

"I prefer the quiet, though." Waves kissed the sand around them. It reminded him of one of those cheesy postcards he used to send to August Gallagher . "Like this."

illeana reyes

He was.

The excitement of festivities had already begun to set, leaving behind only remnants of concealment for his illegal work-related activities. And yet, despite this dwindling margin of benefit per second spent sitting amongst the sand dunes, a part of him felt weighed down. Stuck.

"Nah," He eventually replied, "are you?"

illeana reyes

His hand naturally fitted around hers, ginger with its grip, as if he was holding onto the world's most delicate piece of jewelry.

The other twitched out of jealousy.

"Yeah." Slowly, he willed himself to tear his gaze from her features and look back up at the twinkling sky. Speckles of white gold flickered against the cool sheet of blue. "It kind of reminds me of Snowpoint."

Back then, back when things were easier. Simpler. A puff of air pushed out from his lips and his gaze dripped back down onto her, like a moth retreating to its flame. "Remember? When we would sneak out at night?"

He could still taste the chunky hot chocolates they would brew in the kitchen before charging out into the snow.

illeana reyes

Electricity sparked beneath her touch, sending off currents down his veins and up his entire left arm. It was unnerving how much she effected the way he breathed.

A soft chuckled rolled off his chest as the memory continued play back in his mind. They were so innocent back then, so full of life.

Look at them now.

"I guess so."

A handful of seconds dripped by as silence bred between them and words gathered in his mouth. normally, he'd swallow them down. But, today, the rolling waves offered a newfound strength to push past these embedded instincts. "Illeana."

illeana reyes

The tide murmured beneath their limbs, licking the bottoms of their toes with each rolling wave, and cushioning the sand til it became a dull beige.

Courage thrummed in his heart as he turned to finally look at her. The passage of time was an odd thing. One second, they were two kids pelting eachother with balled up rolls of snow, and the next, they were in hoenn, about to meet their impending doom.

Slowly, he pulled himself closer, hovering just inches above her face. Strains of obsidian dangled in front of his eyes and husky puffs of air dripped from his lips. Maybe it was risk if dying that motivated him to act this way. Or maybe, his strangled heart couldn't bare being restrained for much longer.

His furthest hand reached down to pull back a loose strain of hair behind her ear.

"If I'm being honest, I've been looking for you all day."

illeana reyes

"And you missed the 6'7" guy?" The tease is accompied by another soft chuckle. His fingers thoughtlessly entangled themselves with the stray pieces of hair below her chin. It felt so soft between his fingers, like the first coat of winter's snow.
[Break][break]
"We must have some terrible luck."
[Break][break]
They were a rocket admin and the league's head scienst-- how could they not? Contractually obligated to hate one another, they were two opposing sides of the same question. Fire and ice. Oil and water.
[Break][break]
"At least it worked out for us."

illeana reyes