cuddlecity | EVENT: LIFE'S A BEACH

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EVENT: LIFE'S A BEACH

Is it hot in here, cuddlers, or is it just us? No, it's definitely hot — the end of summer is here, and a few miles out from the city, on the beach, the scene is set: if you’ve been able to follow’s Baby’s clues, they led you here.

The dress code is — surprise, surprise — beachwear, but do think of bringing some layers to cover up these beautiful bikinis and all, because the night could get a little chilly if you stray too far from that bonfire. And, of course, if you don’t want to be that exposed, it’s not like the dress code is a mandatory thing, either. (Just don't be surprised if you hear a few disappointed groans from the audience if you come all covered up.)

The first thing that can be seen is a BAR, with a large poster advertising CriminALES at its front. Like any good beach bar, beers and cocktails with tiny little umbrellas in them can be obtained for a small price — or for free, if you're suave enough to impress the bartender on duty. Nearby, SNACK TABLES feature a veritable buffet of edibles, ranging from chips to brownies to crudites and dips (all courtesy of Kimberly and Clary, thank you!). However, if you felt like bringing your own food and alcohol to the party, you won’t be turned away.

Further down the beach, dry wood has been piled up in what looks like an imminent BONFIRE; if you're a little too delicate to rest on the sand, don't worry — there are plenty of bean bags, cushions, and blankets. Feel free to cuddle up to someone familiar, or maybe a new friend, and enjoy the roaring fire once the sun sets.

Beyond the obvious entertainment of the sun, surf, and sand, your party planners have gone to great lengths to ensure everyone is ready to have a great time. Near the bar, inflated beach balls and other toys are strewn around, and the beach's VOLLEYBALL COURT is no stranger to a game or two. As the night goes on, there just might be a few DRINKING GAMES started — "spin the bottle", anyone?

Of course, a party hosted by Baby himself wouldn't be the same without the all-important KILLER TUNES. Nestled directly to the side of the seating area, a makeshift DJ booth flanked by tiki torches serves as the beating heart of the party, and marks the start of a large square expanse of sand, a DIY DANCE FLOOR cordoned off by a large speaker in each of the four corners, all connected by links of colorful bunting.

As promised, the MUSIC will be blasting until the morning, ranging from massive party tunes (no, but seriously) to romantic ballads for those who feel like a slow dance. There are also, strewn around, some serious dancing jams because what’s a party without some exquisitely cheesy songs? Later on, when there is less dancing and more lounging around, quieter, softer classics will be put on as background music. Feel free to MAKE A REQUEST (or ten), or even steal the mic and sing a little song yourself!

Come on down, Cadelle, and give the summer one last hurrah before it goes away. As the unimitable Ella Fitzgerald would say, "it's summertime, and the livin' is easy."

The mod team is so excited to post our first PLAYER-HOSTED EVENT! If your character has the desire to host an event of some kind, be it a party, a grand opening for their business, or something else all together, please don't hesitate to let us know via our EVENT SUGGESTIONS POST!

For help with this, or for any other concerns, please feel free to reach out to us via our GENERAL INBOX (or SCREENED INBOX, if you prefer). Have fun, cuddlers, and don't forget your SPF!

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( Beach parties aren't necessarily Clary's thing, she'd definitely like to cite a lack of availability for that - she's not just secretly a prude, thank you very much, Kimberly. But Baby is definitely someone she considers a friend, and with the people she cared for heading down to party, she couldn't exactly say no. Besides, there's a first time for everything. Miraculously, she's even been convinced into a costume, paired with shorts, a floppy hat, and huge sunglasses. She has delicate redhead skin, she has to be sensible about this things.

( And if you're willing to risk Jace and the Herondale Wrath, you can always offer to help her apply that sunscreen. )

At first she mostly directs people to the snack table, absentmindedly chewing on a twizzler as she enthuses over the collection of foodstuffs. At least it's not all candy, but the host and housemate had to convince her into bringing legitimate items. If you find her at the bar, it's likely she's somehow managed to stick a series of tiny cocktail umbrellas of various colours into her hair. She's not drunk, she's just easily amused. Or she's trying to kick everyone ( and their dog's ) ass at volleyball.

When the evening starts to set in, Clary ditches her hat and glasses in favour of the glowsticks she's snuck into her bag. If you're dancing anywhere close by, she's definitely going to end up offering one to you. And if she knows you at least in passing, she's going to drag you into the area with her regardless. She's never been much for dancing ( a lack of coordination didn't help, so thank you runes ) but she's in the party spirit. Much later, when the moon is heavy in the sky, she's spread a blanket out before the bonfire and is watching the flames, a happy and relaxed look on her face, so come chat to her. )

[ Buffy leaned down to scoop up the volleyball as it came rolling towards her while she walked up the beach. She tossed it in the air as she kept walking before giving it one more throw up into the air before spiking it on purpose to return it to the redhead.

The last time she'd played any kind of game on the beach it had been an attempt at tossing around the football with Riley, and that did not end well. No matter how good Buffy was at using a weapon, nothing prepared her for tossing around a football.

Volleyball on the other hand? She was pretty sure she could manage that. Maybe. It's possible her well-aimed shot had skewed slightly and missed the redhead. ]

Oops! Sorry, my bad.

( If Buffy had thrown that ball at Clary a year ago, it probably would have ended up hitting her squarely in the face. She'd never had the best of reflexes. Or coordination. Thankfully, that's all changed. Her angelic runes mean she's more aware of her surroundings, and she ducks out of the way at the last minute, something almost superhuman about the speed. )

It's okay.

( She laughs a little, scooping the ball up again and cradling it to her stomach. Clary waits until the blonde joins her on the sand, tipping her head to the side. )

Confession, I'm really bad at this. I skipped gym so often as a kid. I don't even know the rules.

You and me both, trust me. Cheerleading, no problems. Anything after that which doesn't involve gymnastics and I'm pretty lost. I just figure who cares about rules when it's for fun. You know?

[ Buffy may have demonstrated an incredibly cheesy cheer move because it was easier laughing about it now. It wasn't anywhere near as vital a life skill as she'd once considered it in high school. ]

And hey, nice reflexes by the way.

I was definitely too geeky for cheerleading. And too accident prone for gymnastics. ( But she's smiling, so it clearly never bothered her much. Clary's got that kind of air about her, something that pulls people in and makes them believe they've been friends for years. She can't help it. ) I was the kid hiding under the bleachers with my comic books.

And thanks, though I guess I'm kind of cheating now.

( Also, she's 100% not bothering with pretending in Cadelle when it comes to her powers. What would be the point? )

I had a little help.

You would have gotten on with Xander and Willow. Not that I last as a cheerleader for long at Sunnydale High. That part of my life was lost when I left LA. [ And it may have had something to do with the high body count. Cheerleading kind of lost its appeal. ] I was just really bad at everything else to do with school so I figured I needed to have something going for me.

Cheating? [ Not that she's one to judge when it comes to powers. She's got her own after all. She just wasn't sure she'd ever considered it cheating before. ]

Nothing wrong with using whatever gifts you got.

Your friends back home?

( There's something curious about her expression, even when it's a little soft. Some people don't like talking about those they've left in their own worlds. It's understood that the citizens get to go back, but that doesn't stop you from missing people. )

And you're right. What's a little boost. There are people here who are literal superheroes and I bet they don't think it's cheating to use what they've got.

Yeah, my closest friends. But they're okay. I'm sure they are.

[ Buffy's smile was warm, but there was a tinge of sadness to it. Whether or not she'd ended up in Cuddle City, she had made the decision to "leave" them. Xander and Willow were strong though, they'd be okay. They'd look after each other and Giles, and Dawn. As far as she's concerned there is no going back for her. ]

Seriously? Like capes and all? Because that's crazy. Does anyone fly? [ So maybe Xander rubbed off on her a little. ] And no, I don't think it is. But I mean, sometimes it's good to hold back. Just a little. I feel like there's wiggle room depending on the situation.

( To recall a day like this would have left him scrambling; there were times, especially early on at the Lightwood manor, three kids playing, an obliviousness to what awaited them, that may have compared...but it isn't the same. Clary's persuasive efforts were the reason for his attendance but once there, it hadn't taken further convincing to enjoy what the beach offered.

Give him a little credit, too. He hadn't become (annoyingly) competitive at volleyball; and even made sure a few dances from a certain redhead were reserved specifically for him. Now, silver crescent painting the night sky, things wound down. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your view, that entails something else. Jace, head swimming from not insignificant amount of tropical flavored drinks already consumed, plopping down on the blanket, intimately close.

It isn't a sloppy drunk that's overtaken him; just pleasant buzzing and relaxation. An arm drapin across Clary's midriff, his smile comes relaxed and playful, as if he had just acquired some immeasurable prize )

What do I win? ( A question that may not make sense without further context ) For behaving, when you looked like this all day. ( He stirs; propping himself up on an elbow, glancing over the expanse of her pale skin, swallowing heavily ) Is this what it felt like before? ( Sincerity finds a way into his expression; an earnest inquiry, free hand applying soft pressure to her hip ) When you didn't know about the shadow world. Were you happy like this? Is this...( Following that line of questioning feels like a betrayal; he loved being a shadowhunter, and everything that came with it, despite the trauma ) Feeling this way, is it normal?

( Immediately she turns her body to him like a compass point pointing north, rolling to her side so she can face his way, knee against his hip, fingers tracing a rune that curves across his back. When she smiles, it's softer than the kind she's given most today, more intimate, her gaze helpless as she takes Jace in. Lazy, sweet, sun soaked. It's a good look on him. )

You've shown remarkable restraint.

( She leans in, presses her lips to his cheek. Clary knows he's looked her way, has felt his gaze on her more often than not today. In fairness, she's found herself tracking his progress across the sand too, so helplessly in love with him it had been like gravity. She's about to say something about his prize, but he continues in his musings and Clary lifts her hand, tucks his hair back, knuckles stroking along his temple. )

No. Nothing's felt like this before. ( It's cheesy, maybe, the kind of statement that belongs in romance novels. But it's sincere too, honest. ) You know it's okay, right? You're allowed to be happy. You're allowed to be unhappy, too. If you're not. ( Her words feel clumsy, but she perseveres. ) And I was, back then. But I wouldn't change any of it. I could have, when they asked me what I wanted before coming here. I could have made them change everything for me. But I didn't want to. Because I'm happy now too. ( She hasn't had the life he has, but it's in her blood. That singing rush of adrenaline in a fight, the beauty and the pain that gets hidden in the shadows. She needs it. ) Things don't have to be so divided. You can totally have a day to relax while also being a badass demon hunter.

I didn't, before. ( What should be glaring often remains hidden beneath the surface; until someone comes along to point it out, casting light into the depths. Us versus them. Black and white. One or the other. Valentine's maniacal and philosophical view on the world; threatening to color his despite the unyielding resistance. When those ideals mix together with a harsh lesson of emotions clouding judgement, how can there be anything but confusion?

Clary proving once more why she's his anchor; providing a means of centering, never attainable without her. ) Now I feel like I'm starting to get it. ( The not needing to be anything; Lightwood, Morgenstern, Herondale, Wayland. Enjoying normalcy makes him no less a shadowhunter. ) Do you wanna know something though? ( Intensity still readily available in his gaze; though there's something languid about it, too. Traveling over her. A thousand different moments might lie ahead of them; equally as good, but he wants to remember this, how she looks in flickering glow of a bonfire, and the way she when they're this close )

You are...incredibly attractive when you're right. ( Giving another the satisfaction of being 'correct' in any given situation doesn't take place with any kind of frequency when Jace is involved. A gentle touch; reaching to graze the line of her jaw, thumb curling, tracing Clary's lower lip ) Just don't let it get to your head, my ego doesn't need any competition.

( Restraint may be a recurring theme; gone now, as he leans forward, claiming her mouth. The amount of people nearby should serve as a deterrent; it never had a chance, put up against his desire, an urge that grew with every lingering glance. Maybe points should be granted for it only being a kiss; teeth pulling at her lip as he draws back, a temporary reprieve. ) I remember seeing you smile like this before. Our motorcycle ride...after you got over being pissed at me for letting that you get encanto'd.

( The laugh he gets in response is startled and amused, Clary shaking her head ever so fondly even as he traces her lip. The temptation to tease his thumb with her teeth is strong, but they're in public and she's aware there's a very thin line between this and public indecency. Knowing Jace and how he makes her feel, she shouldn't chance it. )

That's funny, because I'm always right.

( There's magic in her gaze, something comfortable and hard won, Jace's affections having sunk far enough into her bones that she's sure of them before anything else.

He kisses her and every thought washes away like the shoreline. The noise Clary makes is soft and sweet, something eager and pleased. She's even gone a little cross-eyed from looking at him and there's colour across her cheeks. )

Oh! Because it was fun. I liked how it felt. ( She rolls onto her stomach so she can play with his fingers, sand clinging to her skin. ) It was exciting, and you were happy, and it didn't feel like anything could touch us. ( Tipping her head. ) And I liked that it felt dangerous too. Is that weird? Now that I know what danger actually feels like. I don't know, it's probably super weird.

It's not weird. ( A sentence that needs to be expanded upon; words left hanging in the air, but they don't seem to be coming in the immediate future. Instead, rapt attention paid to how she looks in the flickering shadows of the bonfire; something about it brings out new shades of color in Clary's hair

Thumb brushing against hers, his smile was different in nature, more playful...understanding ) That feeling? It's what makes us good shadowhunters. Running towards danger when everyone is heading in the opposite direction.

( Sure, they were always lectured on being careful, the fine line between improvisation and recklessness. How well had that stuck with Jace? Up for debate ) Before we came here, two things really made me feel alive. The first? Being on a mission, especially when I knew it wasn't just some throwaway. ( Talking to her came naturally; the openness, still relatively new, but a thing he's willing to explore ) The other was when we're alone.

I remember how strange I found it in the beginning. It felt like my life had literally been turned on it's head, I didn't know what to do and half the time I was terrified. But there was another part of me that liked it, liked fighting, liked having a purpose and making the world a little better. All the terrible stuff that has happened to us and I liked the adrenaline of action. I guess it's just in my blood, but it was hard to accept that for a while.

( Neither of them are the kind to relish the pain they've been through, but they're made of the same fire. She knows he'll understand what she means.

Clary leans until their shoulders are touching, smiles softly to herself as she watches the ocean lap gently against the shoreline. She loves him so much. It feels like it's uncontainable. )

You were the first person who made me feel like that. ( It's not really a betrayal, she loves Simon but dating him was a mistake. There had been too much going wrong in her life. Jace was different. Jace was a part of her soul in a way that everyone else couldn't be. ) Like I could do anything, be anything. You believed in me, even when I didn't. ( A pause, as she turns to look at him. ) I'm really glad we're here. I'm really glad we have this.

It is in your blood. ( Blood; intrinsic, something that gets no more than an afterthought in situations that weren't vital, yet it dominated their lives in the past. Valentine's daughter. Tainted experiments. ) That first night, when the demon came after you, I knew. You weren't just some girl with the sight. I could see your heart.

( Bravado had been his defining trait in that encounter; confidently asking about a 'thank you', but Jace's coping mechanisms were set in stone long before then. ) Believing in you after that was the easy part.

( The action is second nature; hand sliding into the thick locks of her hair, brushing them aside, thumb tracing a familiar path on Clary's cheek. ) So am I. ( Should the words feel like a betrayal? His mind travels back; the city of bones, Aldertree's interrogation, putting anything above the clave's interest was to be considered treason. Jace had been a little soldier boy for too long )

Even if the wish stone wasn't...if it didn't exist, that wouldn't matter. Being here with you is worth it.

( Jace wields a particular kind of magic in moments like this. Clary isn't sure he even knows it. But when he talks it makes everything feel a little easier, the constant tightness in her chest a little looser. He makes her sound like something to be proud of. It's not a thing they can talk about carelessly. Who they are, where they come from. He has Valentine's scars on body and mind. But in her darkest moments all she can think is that his blood runs through her veins. Valentine's daughter had felt like a brand. They have that in common too, but voicing it usually ends up in an argument, because she could never hear Jace talk about himself that way either.

She watches him so carefully. The entire world could disappear around them and she wouldn't notice, too wrapped up in his odd coloured eyes. )

We'll figure it out back home too, Jace. I promise you that. Being here, it's giving us the time we need. But I won't want to give it up in either world. You know that, right? Now we know the truth, now we're both on the same page, we'll work through it. I don't care what anyone else says. And if someone has a problem with it then they can fight me. We'll win, and then when we do we're going to be happy.

( She has to believe that. )

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EVENT: LIFE'S A BEACH

clary fray ( ota )

volleyball

i'm so sorry i'm late.

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ashdjfdks i'm so sorry for how long this has taken.

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