Invitations [Cassian]

"Oh ho ho~, that's the spirit. Yes, let's," Cassian scoffed, thrilled by the shift in his feathery companion's attitude. Now mischief he could work with. Not that he couldn't work with the shyer, more reserved Beaux, but this approach would be a whole lot more fun quicker, and he was a bit spoiled to instant gratification.

As Beaux went in for a cheeky sip, Cassian did the same with his own, though his eye never left the man across from him. His own drink went down easily with a sultry 'Mmm~' at the sweet, tart, fruity finished with a smooth hint of the melting vanilla. A true treat, one that he'd had many times and knew the dangers of well. But hey, he was looking for a little danger, now wasn't he? It would take at least two to get him as limbered up as he wanted to be, but one would get the party started. He drank so much that his tolerance was quite high, and unknowingly unlike his date, he'd eaten lunch fairly recently.

"A lot of Sweet Drop," he said as if that should mean something to Beaux. He said it like it was rare, expensive, very strong, or some combination of the three. In fact, it was all three. The spirit was distilled and enjoyed freely in Ilyanor from their indigenous fruits and some secret ingredient, but given most Gaiyans' distaste for materialism, it took the rare viggrubbing treehugger to bring shipments to the mainland to sell at a premium. After the pause, he continued, trying to tick them off on his fingers.
"Fruit-infused grain alcohol, vyldka, blueberry liqueur, rum, lime juice, and the vanilla ice cream. Normally, I go for black cherry whiskey neat, but this is a special occasion, after all," answered the experienced partier, scooting it a little closer to the pale man. "Want a taste?"

It was at this point that the average person might caution the all but confessed inexperienced drinker to take it easy on the very strong drink quite literally staring him in the eye, but that wasn't Cassian's style. He didn't really think of it. Looking out for himself was a difficult enough task, and he thought of it as more of a 'to each their own' when it came to adult responsibilities. There was also the presumption that, despite the mischievous comment, Beaux had actually drank before and had memory of it. Cassian had no idea that Beaux was taking a huge shot in the dark, one that would likely land in his own foot...as well as Cassian's if he had any decency. He obliviously gently swayed and bobbed to the pulsing music, itching to get at least part of these drinks down so they could dance.

[wc: 460 || total: 8978]

"Wow~, you're really putting that fishbowl away, love," Cassian teased, surprised and impressed. He rested his chin in his palm as he slurped his own smaller drink to nearly finished, simply watching. It was as if he could see the chains of anxiety slip from Beaux's body, which was quite interesting to watch in real-time. It was also satisfying to be right. He dearly loved being right about things. It fed his mild narcissism.

The small problem was... just what Cassian said, which brought the smallest pucker of his visible brow. The silverette was really putting that huge drink down, The Deflater that could trash even the likes of the noble himself, and in the spirit of the aforementioned narcissism, he just assumed that if he couldn't withstand the drink then Beaux absolutely had no chance. Yes, the angel was an adult and responsible for himself, but...

Besides, that pout was adorable and he couldn't resist getting closer.

Leaning away from the table and rounding it to his date's side, he extended his hand as any gentleman asking a lady to dance might do at a much snootier event. "Do you hear that?" he asked, voice buttery and persuasive. "The music is calling us, and it does not accept pouting on a bright and sunny day such as this. We can finish our drinks in a bit, okay?"

Disguising his own very mild concern behind an energetic impulse to dance, Cassian tried to distract the man from the last layer of the drink for his own sake. As his guest, whether he liked it or not, he was at least a little responsible for making sure he made it to the end of the party with some good memories instead of the yawning darkness of a memory-eating blackout.

[wc: 298 || total: 9529]

Tipsy already? It seemed so. Must be nice, Cassian was only just getting a nice buzz going, but it wasn't really a contest, was it?

The energy of the crowd was electric as if everyone with their toes in the sand had been plugged into the same sockets the DJ was making use of. It had been a steep learning curve when Cassian first left home. He'd had to adjust quickly to electricity being used for more than just lighting a home. The very first note of otherworlder music had coursed through him like a lightning bolt, rattling his bones and leaving permanent scorch marks! He'd fallen in love with it instantly, along with the pulsing rainbow lights and the energy of it all. The feeling never truly left. All music was special, but there was just something about otherworlder tunes that demanded the body to move. There was no choice. He was a slave to it, yet he had no ambitions to break free. It seemed Beaux was feeling something similar. He was hollering over the music in appreciation, bringing a smile to his lips.

"It is, isn't it?"

Though he'd had his doubts from the invitation until the argent-haired fellow took the first sip of his humongous drink, all of those disappeared now. Smugly, Cassian considered his gamble a success. He could spend the evening dancing with this handsome angel, drawing whispers and rumors from every mouth to bask in. He dearly loved being the center of attention and a little drama. He knew a couple of girls, neither of whom he fancied an actual relationship with, would be grinding their teeth at the mere sight of Beaux.

A whole bunch of people would feel some type of way, and he couldn't wait to shrug off all their mindless chatter as if he couldn't care less.

"Let me see you dance!" he called over the throbbing bassline, the low soundwaves vibrating every inch of him and pulling him into a rhythmic sway and head bob. He was well on his way to losing himself in the DJ's magic mixing to which he'd dance with all of his skill, but first, he wanted his reward. "Surely with a body like that you can dance~"

Even in the waning sun, the DJ's lights dipped his wings in waves of color. It twinkled in his hair and painted his pale flesh. Maybe the Tidal Wave was hitting a little harder because he couldn't help but stare.

[wc: 415 || total: 10220]

How could it be sexy and silly at the same time? One second he was wowing the noble with surprisingly fluid and enticing motions, the next he was wobbling. Cassian stood watching, his eye brightly enraptured. He lifted a hand to his lips as if he was merely watching to judge the display, but really he was hiding what he assumed was a goofy smile.

Beaux continued on until he chanced entering Cassian's orbit. This was where things got a little more interesting. He felt like he was being teased, like someone offering up a fresh pie in the bakery window but whisking it away as soon as he thought of reaching for it. The angel flitted around him, even backing up to him but leaving his reach before he could think about touching him. The inside of Cassian's bottom lip sucked in between his teeth for a second, a heavy-lidded eye taking in the sight of Beaux pausing to toss a glance over his shoulder. Even though the beach was just entering the summer heat, he felt his darkened skin prickle under threat of a shiver.

"Stunning~"

Cassian was not to be challenged or outdone, though. Two could play this game, and oh god, was he ready to play. It was time to pour on the tease and the charm. Beaux, whether he meant to or not, had pulled out the big guns as well as truly earned Cassian's full attention. With one step he'd pull in close behind the angel, dancing gracefully and somewhat seductively within the angel's personal space as he made his way around to the front, careful not to touch him but close enough that he could if he wanted. His expression was cocky as he effortlessly rocked his hips and spun, his moves skilled but subdued to add to the mystery. There was no shortage of eye contact or closeness, since he was boldly laying out the bait. Now he had to wait for Beaux to come to him. There was no doubt they could dance together and put the rest of the crowd to shame, but he wanted Beaux to want it. He wanted Beaux to want him.

[wc: 365 || total: 10921]

Did he mean party, dance, or flirt? It didn't really matter which. The answer was the same. "I do," he answered, smug. Compliments only fueled his already very healthy ego, but at least the expression usually looked attractive on his face. It pleased him that they were now dancing together, and quite well at that. He really did love putting others to shame, and though he could absolutely do it all by himself, it was that much sweeter with a gem like Beaux in his crown. "This is my realm. I entertain for a living in Velvet Reign, but enjoy it in my off time as well. I hate being bored," Cassian expanded on his answer, feeling comfortable enough to dance close so he wouldn't have to talk too loud. Even then it seemed like he was only offering the smallest granules of information, yet he also didn't seem to be guarded in that way. One might think he was just terribly secretive, but really he was just playing games. He liked seeming mysterious, either in identity for those who somehow didn't know of his family, or in his exploits.

Chancing a teasing graze of his fingers on Beaux's hand as it flicked close to his, his lone blue eye dancing just as much as his body did. was it on purpose? An accident? He was watching Beaux's reaction. In a way, it was irritating how fascinated he was with this little bakery worker. He'd been hiding his wings under his shirt and looking hideous, so what exactly was it that drew Cassian to invest even an ounce of time? Sure, his face and body were lovely once he fixed his wing issue, but... Hm.  Maybe it was his honesty. Someth8ing about Beaux seemed inviting genuine in a world where hardly anything was what it seemed. It was a puzzle, and unluckily for the angel, the tanned man adored puzzles.

As much as Cassian loved getting what he wanted, he also knew himself. If it wasn't a challenge to get, if it didn't take enough work, then he'd place no value in it. As they moved their bodies within each other's spaces to the sound of rebellious otherworlder jams, the young noble's tipsy mind wavered between two halves of himself. One part wanted to just rush and get what he wanted in the interest of tossing it away before he got attached. The other, well, it wandered into a place he rarely allowed it to go. It'd be a shame if Beaux gave up too early, presuming the winged dancer found him attractive (but let's be real, Cassian's ego was too healthy to really entertain that). He seemed like someone who might take work to get, and for some reason, Cassian was very interested and almost hopeful that was the case. Whether he'd admit it to himself or not, chasing this particular young man appeared to be effort he was currently willing to spend.

"So, where did you learn these dance moves?" he asked, once more deflecting back onto his date. Or maybe he was initiating a mutual interest conversation. Who knew when it came to Cassian du Villanell?

[wc: 529 || total: 11701]

Cassian chuckled almost evilly, using the easy noise and expression to cover up the much more lurid one lurking under the surface. It was disgustingly fun to fluster this boy, and oh so easy, as well. Beaux looked away and blushed, and for a second, the eyepatched man thought he might throw all those thoughts of 'challenge makes it worth more' and gobble him right up. But no, he was classier than that. Well, that was a lie... he had the breeding to be restrained and disciplined and couth. He'd once been classy and could still come off as so, but he'd decided years ago that it was more fun to be rowdy and undignified. Right now he was little more than a drunk party boy.

Not one to like to share attention, it wouldn't do that Beaux had cast his gaze anywhere other than Cassian. "I see," he purred, deciding to play risky and use the lightest touch from a finger on Beaux's chin to try and turn the silverette's adorable features back into clear view. Though he was trying not to be in hopes of not frightening this feathery rabbit off, the entertainer was a very touchy-feely man. "I took dancing classes as well, but I learned nothing like this," he offered, not having any reason to doubt Beaux even though it might have sounded it. It was actually a personal reference to the stuffy lessons he'd been subjected to as a noble child. "From some old clucking hen with a willow switch to whip us with if we broke posture. Her fingernails were like talons when she squeezed the back of your neck. I'd love to see her watch us right now. Her head would pop clean off." One had to know how to dance properly as a gentleman at all those snobby galas that the upper crusts of Vyldermire put on to network and brag. Nothing more than highborn footwork and stiff twirling. Boring. He much preferred the energy of rowdy jumping and dancing, and even more so the sensual footwork of two grinding bodies.

Though the beat hadn't changed, Cassian subtly altered his dancing style to the new song, finding it even more irresistible than the last. He'd never heard it before, but something about the clear female voice begging for the music to never stop resonated with him. It's how he felt about his life, his freedom, his vices, the party, this dance. Please, don't stop. He wanted to be taken away and escape into the music, where all responsibilities meant nothing. Perhaps he and Beaux could get lost in it, if Beaux would allow it. Regardless, Cassian's whole body rolled and pulsed to the song, his navy hair whipping around wild and free, partially losing himself while another part hoped to coax his dance partner into doing the same. He had promised a night of mindless stress relief, after all. The noble was a lot of not-so-great things, but he kept his promises...usually.

"Speaking of fun, I believe this song hits the mark. Tell me, are you having fun yet?"

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Cassian didn't mind the growing crowd. Bumping elbows and various other parts were just part of the experience and had more than once lead to an even more enjoyable evening of lust and easy pleasure, but in this case, it was more of an excuse to get closer without it seeming like that's what he was getting at. Even though he became more aware that he was a bit shorter than Beaux the closer they became, the noble didn't mind too much. He had an ego to be sure, but physical stature had hardly anything to do with the charismic powers of seduction he weilded. Basically, his pride was too healthy and stable to be put off by a little thing like height. He was tall where it counted.

Then Beaux went and did something that truly caught Cassian off guard. The wings. They came out and formed a private bubble for the two, something the man had never considered but found extremely sexy. Cass sucked his bottom lip between his teeth. Did he have a hidden Gaiyan kink? A strange development, but those wings had been what brought the pair together...that and the fashion faux pas they caused. The rainbow lights bounced around off the white feathers like they'd fallen into a world of their own, one that was small and cozy with lots of opportunity for physical contact. It was like a hazy dream. Maybe it was just the drink. He had tolerance, but not that much. He was rather easy to get tipsy.

The eyepatched man grazed his leg against Beaux's comfortable in his own skin even in this more challenging situation. The angel had initiated this closeness, after all, and though this seemed like some pretty irresistible temptation, Cassian would not be the one who broke first. The line would be tested, however. It did feel like purposeful tempation though, so could he really be held responsible for whatever happened now? "Dance with me, Beaux," he purred, still a request though his selfish wants were surfacing. Their bodies were already basically touching, all that was needed was for the angel to let go a little more. Chancing another teasing touch, a hand brushed the silverette's hip, tempting it closer as he kept the rhythm. "I won't bite... unless you want me to~" he grinned, a joke of course...unless he really did want him to.

[wc: 398 || total: 13621]

The sudden forcefulness left him gaping, lone eye blinking up into Beaux's face with tanned cheeks darkening with blush. Where had that come from? Then he was pulled closer and the style of dance changed to something Cassian liked so, so much more, though he rarely found such things at beach parties. This belonged more in a certain kind of club, but he would definitely not complain. He only quirked an inquisitive brow.

"Oh ho ho, what's this?" a surprised chuckle lilted from his mouth as this new side of Beaux was unlocked. This was completely unexpected. Just what other surprises was this winged man hiding beneath those coy blushes and bashful eyes? "You've been holding out on me." This man was seductive, practicedly so. This dance was sensual and captivating. Their bodies moved together as if they were practiced partners both on the dance floor and in bed, though neither was the case. The grinding, the touching... Cassian reveled in Beaux's curious fingertips as his own danced along the angel's sides, back, and shoulders.

It was all fun and games until he nearly did bite the angel. Quick as a whip, as soon as Beaux whispered those tantalizing words against his ear, Cassian's mind went a bit fuzzy and his heart gave a loud, surprised thud. His navy head snapped to the side and his bronze lips brushed the pale skin that called to him and begged to be marked, nearly parting to give the man what he asked for. But then, with no small effort, he stopped and away with a wistful smile. A hand reached up to cup one of those devilish cherub cheeks, then continued on to brush some silvery strands away.

"Mmm, if I thought you meant that, I would. Let's save that for another day, love," Cass smirked, though he was still oh-so-tempted. It was almost painful. He wasn't a good man. Part of him wanted to ruin this boy without a care in the world. He could. There had been times when he knew a date was making choices they might not have made sober and went with it, but not with this one. No, he would remain content with knowing that Beaux found Cassian attractive and just being able to touch him. This one was different. He was like a treasure hunt with so much more to find, Cassian felt, so he didn't want to do something that would chase Beaux away. "I think we should just keep dancing like this for now, since you do it so well. I like it. It'd be a shame to get distracted from such a lovely song," the man said, showing an amazing amount of restraint, despite his fingers pressing in to keep them against each other.

Once this song was done, as much as he'd love to continue, it seemed a rest and perhaps some water was in order. He wanted beaux to relax, not wear himself out completely. The night was young and Cassian had a whole lot more to learn about his cheeky date.

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Oof, did he have to pout? It was so tantalizing... His restraint and resolve wavered, nearly crumbling, if the momentary blazing in his eye was any indication. The sexual tension was unbearable. If Beaux hadn't already told him that sad story about that jackass near the forest that had scared the wits out of him, maybe he'd have just said "screw it" and gone for it. But no, he might not have much integrity, but he did usually keep his promises (he kept reminding himself of that). And even if he hadn't explicitly promised to provide the angel the opportunity to blow off some steam in a safe environment, he had as far as he was concerned. He wouldn't be a predator like the man who had the beautiful boy hiding his wings. Cassian didn't want to be a regret in Beaux's story. Not yet.

"That sounds like a good idea. All that exquisite dancing has made me quite parched," Cassian chirped energetically in contrast to his date's weakness, taking a moment to smooth his mussed clothes back into place. He then placed his hand against Beaux's lower back, using his body and other hand to part the crowd and lead him back to their little table where their partially consumed drinks remained. "Have a seat. I'll get us something cold, alright?" the noble offered with a smile, unwittingly leaving the man alone with the most dangerous part of The Deflater.

Once turned and again chatting to the bartender, he sighed and chuckled. He was still reeling from the unexpected chance. It was like a switch had flipped twice, once to turn the angel into a sexpot, and back again to the shy boy from the bakery. Fingers traced the still-tingling lines Beaux had drawn down his tanned chest, mulling it over and deciding it had to be the drink. Some people lost more inhibitions than others while drunk. Cassian wouldn't know what that was like since he didn't have many inhibitions anyway. However... the thing was, even if it was just the booze, those actions, that dance, was not some drunken accident. That side lived deep inside Beaux and had just bobbed to the surface, which raised so many interesting questions.

Tall glasses of water in each hand, the navyette turned to rejoin the curious young man, placing one in front of him. "So, I don't think you can tell me you learned the dance like that in a few non-formal dance classes," he chuckled, leaning toward the silverette while looking sly as a fox. "Don't worry, you don't have to explain. I'm just appreciative of your skill. You're a very interesting person, Beaux."

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Cassian's eye flitted over the fruity chomper top but was more interested in Beaux cutely munching on it, not even putting it together that the drink itself was gone. He didn't even consider that the man could have drunk it while his back turned, especially after being warned about it. No, the noble was distracted by lust and this dangerous game they were playing, sipping his own water and watching with malicious satisfaction as his date once more turned red in the face. It felt like he should pick one side or the other to favor, but how could he? One was a shy, adorable angel while the other was a seductive incubus. Both begged to be ruined in the best way.

"You are," he repeated in an amused tone, twitching from the water to his cocktail to finish it off. The world was a little blurred around him, seeming slow and soft, but it was pleasant all the same. Like they were in a bubble. He'd planned to get trashed tonight, but... honestly, he wanted to be able to carry a conversation. It'd be a waste otherwise.

Cassian broke into a laugh when Beaux brought up his eyepatch. "The eyepatch is all that makes me interesting? Oof, my pride!" Cassian teased, raising a mock offended hand to his chest as if he'd been stabbed. But then the angel said something he liked, and he swelled with devious satisfaction again. Beaux wanted to get to know him, hm? Well then, this date was going splendidly. Just how he'd hoped. Before he could jump on the little confession and press for more things Beaux liked about him, more words followed.

"Mmm, you're right about that. A lot of people want all kinds of things from me," he confirmed smugly, though there was a bitterness in it that went unexplained, "and it's driving them wild that they can't have it right now. Heh, they certainly don't like you taking all my attention, but that's quite alright." He reluctantly took his eye from its comfortable gaze on Beaux to cast it toward the party-goers, though his expression seemed bored at best. He met a few eyes, and indeed, Beaux's observation, implied or otherwise, seemed right on the nose. Eyes beckoned him to leave his date and come join them so they could try to win him over, weasel their ways into his bed and his noble house. Others looked so jealous they wished they could take his life and step into its place. Still another he wasn't entirely convinced wouldn't try to kidnap him and hold him for ransom one day, but it would be so risky he hadn't tried it. Even living in self-exile, both he and these people knew he'd one day have to go back and step into the role meant for him, and though his father cut him off, Cassian had plenty of connections to know exactly what everyone had to lose and gain from interacting with him...

Except for Beaux. He knew nothing about him. No one knew anything about him other than he worked at Predigio. It was fascinating.

Since he didn't want the same treatment from Beaux, he was still conveniently leaving out exactly who he was and why these people were falling all over themselves. Cassian would love to think it was just because of his absolutely stunning, devastatingly good looks and thrilling company, but people would always be people. Wealth and status could make a slime 'attractive' to these types of people. There was no pride in it if you hadn't earned those things for yourself. There was a time and a place to take advantage of such things without much guilt, but it also felt hollow, as if nothing in the whole stupid world was genuine other than people being ever reliable about using others to get what they thought they deserved in life. If you aren't born with it, sleep your way to the top. But he was hopeful that the angel really did have no clue who he was, and this might be something very valuable.

"I'm not interested in any of them tonight," Cassian spoke in a silky tone, turning his attention back where it deserved to be. On Beaux, this beautiful man at a top-tier beach party. "Just you, some angel I found in a bakery. Lucky me~"

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Deserving of his attention indeed! A flushed Beaux was unbuttoning some buttons, how could he not see this as a good omen, or at least a reward that he definitely didn't karmically earn. "It can, lower stress and fewer clothes make people much more attractive. However, normally it makes other people hotter, ale spectacles as they say-...oh, you mean temperature," the navyette stopped mid-sentence to chuckle at himself, "Yeah, sometimes, I guess. I often come back to my wits without various articles of my clothing-- Hold on..."

It was only then that the distinct lack of huge fishbowl and its contents was noticed. The lazy cockiness wiped from his expression and left only something akin to alarm. He dumbly flicked his eye around the table, as if he had to make doubly sure he wasn't missing something so obvious due to the eyepatch hindering his observational skills, or maybe because he was a bit drunk himself.

"Did you..." he started to ask, then raised his eye back to Beaux with his brow creased. "Did you drink the last layer of The Deflater?" he asked, voice sharp from disbelief. His date was already plenty tipsy before finishing it. Cassian had even warned him! He wasn't sure how to feel about it, so he sort of just stared for a few moments before getting up and quickly getting Beaux another glass of ice water. "I need you to drink a few of these, though I fear it might be too late. Just relax and enjoy it. I'll make sure you're alright, don't worry your pretty little head."

Honestly, that was rich coming from someone like Cassian, who was a person that Beaux probably shouldn't trust, especially not on the first meeting, but... It was different. This was different. He could be a scoundrel, but he wasn't evil. He liked Beaux, and though he usually wouldn't put himself out to put another being's enjoyment before his own, this was just some weird special case. If this drink hit the silverette as hard as he had a feeling it would, he'd need someone to lean on who could show the man that the world wasn't all bad. Besides, Cassian had been to a million parties and had a million more to go to after this one.

He had a feeling he was in for a wild night.

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Beaux had done it again. With a scowl that seemed almost like an uncertain and begrudging pout, Cassian's lone eye closed as he steeled himself. No. No more blushing. He wasn't the blushee, he was the one who made others blush. But did he really have to call him out on being cute and concerned? Neither of these were traits he felt applied to him, not typically. Shockingly handsome with aloof sexy bad boy vibes...not...cute and concerned.

No more Tidal Waves. Or maybe...more Tidal Waves? Hm.

Either way, the convo quickly leapt on with the randomness of a bunny escaping a fox, but Cass's eye was more drawn to the unbuttoning of the shirt and the watery request. Tossing a drink addled man into the ocean seemed like negligence, but... what the heck, right? If the angel was hot and wanted to swim, they'd swim, said his own drunken brain! Just not too deep. He might be drunk, but he wasn't so far gone that his sense of danger eluded him completely. He wasn't responsible, he just had a gut feeling about these sorts of things. It'll be fine.

Besides, how could he say no to a cute, cheery drunk like Beaux? Those cheeks looked so pokeable, squeezable...

"Yes, let's," he said, standing up and whipping his shirt off of his shoulders with a flourish, carefully leaving it to drape over his seat. "A swim will do us some good. We are on a beach, after all," he grinned, once more offering his hand to the man. Should he take it or not, he'd lead him through the white stands toward the shore, kicking a beachball ahead of them just in case. There was quite a long slope in the sand which gave them plenty of space to swim where their feet could still touch the bottom. The waves weren't too rough at this time either, offering nothing more than soft swells that would do nothing more than slap a little water into an ear if it was facing just the right way. Terrible for surfing or bodyboarding, but great for two drunk men to cool off. Gods knew Cassian needed as close to a cold shower as he could get.

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Going from leading to being pulled along happened so fast that he almost stumbled into the watery jog, his feet splashing along as they went deeper and deeper until it slowed his movement. Such innocent joy over the ocean. Perhaps he took the tropical island and its amenities for granted, since he had lived here for a few years now and had always lived by water in the past in Lyndon Port. He could enjoy it, but watching the drunk angel frolic and dive into it as if it were a novelty made him wish he could experience it through his pretty blue eyes.

While he watched Beaux reappear above water and beckon him closer, Cassian took his low ponytail down, running his fingers through it a few times before venturing any deeper. Seeming even more bronze-toned in the waning rays, he put his navy locks up into a messy bun, apparently intent on keeping his hair as dry as possible throughout their swim. Cassian was a vain man, and he couldn't have himself looking like a wet dog, now could he? That would be unacceptable!

"Nice and cool now?" Cassian asked with a smirk, finally coming closer, keen to examine the whole of his date's face now that the argent hair was slicked back. He reached out and gave one of those cherub cheeks a light poke, unable to resist. "The water is still a bit cool since summer has just started. It's too cold for some people, but I've swum in colder. Ever been to Crowleigh, Beaux?" the noble asked, about to mention one of his many, many adventures. He had to stay interesting, after all.

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