WE WERE DREAMING, WAITING FOR NIGHT.
» THE PARK — INTRODUCTORY NOTES
When District 3 opens up, subtle and silent at first, the most noticeable area is the large park. A mixture of open picnic fields and heavily wooded trails, the park offers an escape from the cityscapes for those who seek an oasis amongst nature. Benches and light posts dot the twisting paths, offering a moment's rest to anyone traversing the park for a leisurely stroll or running for… exercise. Unlike its smaller cousin to the south, this park is devoid of statues or monuments, instead more of a tribute to nature and the pursuit of its company. There are, however, several small playgrounds spread around the outer edges for anyone who seeks some playtime with their inner child.
Speaking of your inner child, should you venture to the southern half of the park, you'll find a small carnival that appears to be abandoned. The rides and stalls all appear to be in decent condition despite lying still and silent; if you choose to hop the fence, you'll find that the cables running haphazardly over the grass are connected but powerless. No amount of effort to turn on the rides nor break into the games will prove fruitful, but the park at large has posters stapled to trees here and there advertising the opening of the fun fair very, very soon.
For those who are brave enough to leave the paved walkways to venture deeper into nature, you may find hidden gems—a quiet pond covered in lilypads with a small dock to sit on and dip your feet into the green waters; a romantic pair of swings atop a small knoll overlooking a creek; a shortcut through the trees where even your footsteps are muted by the leaves and dappled sunlight barely reaches your face through the trees above. Here and there you'll find the woods open up to a secluded meadow where the grass is tall and the wildflowers grow thick.
You may also find yourself imagining things just out of reach, like shadowy figures darting from bush to bush, predatory in nature. The phantom call of a crow may echo through the forest's canopy though, like the rest of the city, there is no wildlife to be seen nor heard otherwise. Was that the shout of a woman in the distance, or the cry of a fox? The longer time stretches on, the harder you'll find it is to make your way back out of the treeline, and the trees stretch far above to block out any hope of navigating back to the familiar buildings of the surrounding city. You might want to call for help—if you get find service for your device, that is.
The new park is a permanent location that is open to residents 24/7 as there are no fences nor gates. It's larger than the one new City Hall and has more potential for exploring as well as different features from its cousin. For those that are familiar, it will evoke thoughts of New York's Central Park with its mixture of open areas contrasting with thick woods. Paved walkways, freshwater ponds, picnic areas, and a couple of playgrounds can all be found throughout the park. Along with these, residents may stumble upon other natural and man-made areas such as rocky outcrops, unmarked trails, bicycle paths, fountains, and other things typically found in large urban parks—minus the wildlife. It can be a romantic setting as easily as it can be a horrific one depending on the time of day as well as the company that you keep.
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THEN THE HEAT BROKE, THE NIGHT WAS CLEAR.
» THE FAIR — RIDES & ATTRACTIONS
At 6:00 PM City time on September 19th, the numerous light bulbs of the fun fair burst into blinding color simultaneously, lighting up the darkening sky as loud carnival music slowly churns to life from unseen speakers. The rides all spring into motion, operating on a strict schedule that will allow carnival-goers the time to get on the ride as well as stumble back off after they've had their fun. No one is running the rides that you can see, though they all have the typical podium with an array of buttons that could be used to start and stop the machinery that creaks and groans with age. If you'd like to see what it's like working as a rider operator, you're more than welcome—just make sure you're not making everyone sick.
Due to the fair's small size, the rides are all fairly tame in size and speed. There's a merry-go-round with brightly painted horses to ride along with a handful of mermaids, sculpted hair permanently billowing in the wind. One section at the edge is dedicated to a massive stationary head, evocative of a ventriloquist's dummy, with its mouth gaping open for riders to sit inside, perched on the tongue-shaped bench. For the braver riders, a few other unnerving steeds await, such as a lion with blood dripping from its teeth and claws, a zebra with eight legs, an uncomfortably hairy tarantula, and a gray-skinned creature with its eyeless head split open into a massive mess of razor-sharp teeth. Though the merry-go-round spins at a leisurely pace, staying on if for too long is likely to induce a strange sense of dizziness even after disembarking and attempting to walk it off. The repetitive groan of the pipe organ rings in your ears, hardly helping your disorientation at all though you seek a quiet place to recuperate.
Further along in the fair is a low building comprised of little more than a laminate floor, metal grating roof, and bright red railing that encloses all sides. Strewn about inside are bumper cars, big enough for two if you want to squish in together with a friend, but lacking seatbelts. As you run to find a car you like, you can hear the electricity begin to hum through the roof and spark with the bent antennae of each car as their motors awaken. Loud rock music drowns out the sound of squealing wheels as the drivers begin the arduous task of steering the bumper cars into each other. It's all fun and games at first, but it's easy for a little competition to turn into a grudge match.
The last ride looks like a large metal bowl with steep sides painted dark blue and covered with stars, plantes, galaxies, and a comically simplistic spaceship. The archway standing just in front of the ride's entrance calls it "THE GRAVI-ATOR" with a disclaimer in small print about holding on tightly to personal belongings once on the ride. Stepping into the door cut out in one side, you'll find there are no straps nor seats—everyone should find themselves a comfortable place to lean, preferably in one of the spots that has padding on the walls, because soon the ride will begin to spin and everyone will be pinned down by centrifugal force.
Though they may not be as thrilling as the mechanical rides, there are a few tamer attractions for those seeking a break from the bright lights and loud sounds of the carnival. A hall of mirrors stands to one side of the area, a gaping clown mouth serving as the entrance to the dark building. The laughter and screams from outside are quickly muffled as atmospheric music plays lowly while you try to navigate through a maze of mirrors, many of which distort your appearance. You may see flashes of people that you don't remember seeing come inside, oddly shaped and shadowy where the corners of two mirrors meet. Did you feel someone brush up against you? No, impossible in such tight corridors, but you should probably hurry along to the exit.
There is also, of course, a tunnel of love, though it is a cheap imitation of one. Rather than sitting in a romantic gondola, those interested in going through will do so on foot—a rather daunting task considering that you'll be in the dark once you walk through the heart-shaped door and through the musty red curtains. Still, there's enough time to steal a kiss, or grasp blindly for a hand to hold if you're scared of the dark. Has your lover always had such cold, rough hands? It might be soothing in the muggy warmth you find inside, or maybe it's reason enough to find the way out on your own.
Located in the southern half of the large park is a small fun fair that will open to the public the evening of September 19 with operating hours from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM City time. Before opening, none of the rides or games will be operational; however, there will be fliers advertising its opening all around the city on billboards and telephone poles, and adventurous characters are able to hop the fence and explore if they so desire. However, they will not be able to turn on any of the rides or games, and will not be able to break into the rides or booths under any circumstances.
Upon opening, there will be a number of rides running themselves on a schedule that allows people time to get on, have some fun, and then get back off again. Though there's something unsettling about the music they play, or maybe how shaky they feel, there's no apparent danger anywhere. Residents are encouraged to enjoy themselves with a group of friends, or maybe a date, and experience all that the fun fair has to offer! The fair will not be open forever, though; its gates will close permanently at 11:00 PM on September 30 and all traces will disappear that night to leave a large, open field behind in the park.
This is a good, ol' fashioned carnival designed to bring together groups of people for thrills and fun. Though there are no overt game mechanics at play, we encourage everyone to get creative and add their own flair to this month's event. If you have any questions about player plots you'd like to run, please revisit the Events & Interactions section of the F.A.Q. and drop us a comment on the mod contact for any additional questions.
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IT SEEMED AN HONOR TO HAVE A MOUTH.
» THE FUN — GAMES & FOOD
The majority of the fair is occupied by stalls full of fair games, their walls and awnings decorated in various themes to match. The shooting gallery is a scene from the American West, cowboys astride horses with a background of cacti and orange rocky mesas. The targets themselves are a variety of desert animals: vultures flying from the roof, lizards skittering along the ground, and coyotes chasing rabbits throughout the middle. A handful of rifles are waiting along the half wall in front, chained and bolted to the wooden surface to keep them from getting carried off, and an array of hats hang above them as prizes displayed for winners. There are the typical cowboy hats, then some pink and green ones, some multi-colored jester hats, and a few that look like uncomfortably realistic rubber masks of faces twisted into horrifying expressions.
The next stall over is as different as can be imagined with psychedelic rainbows, glow-in-the-dark smiley faces, and paint splotches covering all surfaces. Inside is a grid of brightly colored balloons that rain silver glitter once they're popped. Cups of plastic darts lie in wait for those who wish to try their luck to pop five balloons in a row, though the observant will notice there are only four darts per cup. The sides are lined with prizes ranging from sticky fingers, slide whistles, and bouncy balls to an assortment of blow-up weapons such swords, hammers, maces, and frying pans.
Another quintessential carnival game is ring toss, set up in an extra large stall with three open sides for groups to play together if they wish. The bottles are all uniform in size, shape, and their clear color, but if you get a good look at a few, some appear to have items floating inside of them, suspended in glowing liquid. Above, massive stuffed animals hang from every possible section of the ceiling. None of them look quite right, though, such as the smiling bear with an extra row of teeth or the goose with two heads at the end of one floppy neck. The dog is pretty cute, but it's missing an arm and a leg in a way that appears intentional, and that cat has its eyes sewn shut.
Of course, no fair would be complete without food. There are plenty of stalls ready to serve, much like the restaurants in the city, where residents are welcome to swing by for some greasy grub. Corn dogs, fries, funnel cake, pizza, shaved ice, and fried junk food are all easy to find around the carnival. Spread amongst the stalls are popcorn machines playing cheerful music, carts with towering racks of bagged cotton candy, and poles planted in the ground with rainbow lollipops and candied apples sprouting from them. In one corner of the fair where the biggest concentration of food stalls can be found, there is an area of tables with umbrellas for anyone to sit and eat. Food at the fair adheres to it's own unique reset cycle and can be found replenished every evening at 6:00PM just in time for opening.
Despite the potential for danger from the shooting gallery and balloon dart games, both are designed to be as harmless as possible—the bullets are rubber, and the darts are made of plastic. While they will still leave a bruise, there shouldn't be risk of blood loss. The shooting gallery guns are chained in place, unable to be stolen. Removing the darts from their stall will result in thiefs walking in a tight circle that always brings them back in hopes the darts will be restored to their rightful place.
Though the food and games are free, the prizes are not—anyone who attempts to steal prizes without winning the games first will find themselves misplacing their items before leaving the carnival. If residents become aware of this phenomenon and try extra hard to focus on not losing their stolen prize, it will nevertheless slip from their hands and be lost—though a keen eye might see it back in its rightful place at the game stall. If you have the right temperament, this could become a game in and of itself!
Additionally, if there are any fair games or foods that have not been explicitly mentioned above, players are welcome to assume they can be found. Nothing as extravagant as a theme park or amusement park will be present as all of the stalls are designed to be mobile—this is a traveling carnival, after all. Similarly, players are welcome to design their own brand of unsettling game prizes as long as none of them can be used as an actual weapon or to otherwise harm fellow fair-goers.
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WILDCARD.
The city is by no means small, and there are plenty of things for you to see. There's no rush in exploring, so feel free to take your time looking around and peering into various nooks and crannies and alleyways—and don't worry, you're not very likely to find anything peering back.
If none of the above prompts appeal, feel free to check out the Locations and Maps pages and write your own freestyle prompt using one or many of the available locations.
This month's event headers come from "Midsummer" by Louise Gluck.
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citylogs2023-09-19 09:00 pm
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I've heard if ya had any special powers back home, you're gonna find 'em hard to use here. [ at first he thought they were gone entirely, but no, apparently it's just a dampening. not that it impacts Reno any, being as mundanely human as they come. he does think it's a shame that it impacts Fearne as much as it does, because if the transformation into a dog was her dampened, Reno can only imagine what she'd be like with all her power intact. ] Is that kinda thing common where you're from?
[ he sort of hopes it is. common enough, at least, that people who can do magic like Fearne aren't turned into exhibits and experiments. he's sure Hojo would love to get his hands on this one. ]
Me? Eh, no magic here. [ he shrugs, light and unbothered. ] Just happen to be pretty quick. I wouldn't say I chase anything for a living [ although the idea kind of makes him grin ] but I do plenty of running, so I guess that's why.
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Kind of? Well, I'm not really sure I can say I know a lot of druids, but there are others!
( the majority of the population are just average folk and farmers and footsoldiers so that kinda skews the numbers a bit. )
Magic as a whole is everywhere but not a lot of people train in it, if that makes sense?
( ... all said while she's just playing with bits of his hair between her fingers, as if this is a perfectly normal way to have a conversation with someone. )
And strong. ( she's fairly tall, which comes with a bit of weight especially with the, hm, proportions. so it takes a decent bit to be able to lift her? ) Should I start guessing what you used to do? Seems like a fun game.
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what he lands on is, ] Are druids the only ones who can do magic? [ that seems like a good starting point. druid is the kind of word that sounds vaguely familiar, but he couldn't tell you what exactly it means, so maybe this will get him some kind of glimpse into whatever the magic system is where Fearne is from. (this is how Reno operates—he just likes to know things. call him nosy. it's probably true.)
her fingers running through his hair and playing with bits of it is pretty pleasant, although Reno wonders if at some point he'll have to warn her not to tug in case she gets a reaction she doesn't expect. ]
Years of training. [ he winks, then tilts his head thoughtfully, since his arms are a little otherwise occupied for shrugging. ] Go for it, I'll tell ya if you're getting warm. [ he'll be surprised if she gets it outright, but maybe she can get close? ]
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( the tip of her head is pretty indicative that she's not really sure how any of it works, but she's seen it in action with her friends enough times that she sort of has an idea, but not really. she's not even entirely sure how hers works! )
Let's see.. Quick, strong, runs a lot and.. training?
( ??? hm. )
A courier?
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Fearne's fingers slide through his hair again, tugging loosely, and Reno shivers and says, ] You'd better quit that or you're gonna get a lot more than a kiss out of this bargain.
[ not that Reno's necessarily opposed, but, you know. it's nice to give a girl some warning, he thinks.
being called a courier makes him grin, but he shakes his head in the negative. ] Not a courier. You want a hint?
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I'll take a hint if you're feeling generous.
( does she intend to keep this conversation despite ignoring his very clear warning? oh, absolutely. why wouldn't she? )
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My normal duties also include transportation and weaponry. [ something about... just Fearne's general demeanor, or the way she talks about magic, or some combination thereof, makes Reno feel like specifying that he wields a stun baton and can fly a helicopter as part of his day job wouldn't actually be all that helpful for her. or maybe they do have air flight wherever she's from and he's just making baseless assumptions. who knows? ]
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A Captain?
( is there much running involved? kind of. maybe. xandis had a whole crew for their skyship, but she's seen them run a bit depending on the day. beyond that, she doesn't have much reference for other modes of transportation that also has weaponry besides both types of ships? )
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Oh, getting closer, but not quite. I'm second in command. [ the idea of being captain of the Turks does make him grin, even though it definitely wouldn't be the right job for him. ] Too insubordinate for captain, probably. Never could quite manage the dress code.
[ it's part of what makes Reno so confident, bordering cocky. after Verdot's departure, he had made second in command on skill alone, despite his flagrant disrespect for almost all the rules and regulations of the organization. ]
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You'll do pretty well with pirates then, I bet.
( raucous bunch, barely a dress code. insubordination is a bit more lax of a term compared to what it would be in a military faction. and hey, she's not above leaning back a little just so she can glance down at his shirt as if she's trying to picture something. there's even a thoughtful hum after a bit, satisfied. )
We should find you a billowy white blouse with a deep cut at some point.
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[ otherwise how would she know how well Reno would do amongst pirates, he wonders? to be honest he doesn't hate the idea, actually. now that the Company is basically defunct and the world has been saved from Sephiroth's threat yet again, maybe he really should consider taking to the high seas.
it'd be one hell of a way to see the world, sailing between continents and doing whatever pirates do. stealing stuff, Reno figures. he'd be good at that. ]
Sure, why not. Let's go shopping, test out the pirate look. [ maybe he needs tight pants to go along with it. don't pirates wear tight pants? or maybe he's thinking of something else. anyway, he's heard the mall is safe from ghosts now, which makes Reno feel far more inclined to set foot in it again. ]
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( and while nature as a general whole is the home of any druid - there's something ironic and funny about one of her circle being bound in the middle of the ocean. wildfires and open waters seem like a terrible mix, but she's all for new experiences. )
Right now?
( the tilt of her head is curious, but not against the idea whatsoever. with most the denizens of the city congregated at the fair, the mall is bound to be spookier and she kind of does want to see if it gets even weirder with less people.. )
Hm.. ( this time, she's looking at herself! ) I could use a new dress.
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[ not like they're lacking time, here. in fact, it's probably the one thing they have more of than any other resource. and while the idea of going shopping for something silly like pirate outfits is definitely appealing, far be it from Reno to stop her if she has more kissing to do tonight.
he turns, finally, and sets her down on the edge of the booth, although he doesn't pull away even after. just tilts his head enough to toss his ponytail over his shoulder and examine the fall of the ribbon through his hair. ]
Oh, I like this one.
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Right now is fine.
( and now that she's been set back down to sit on her booth, a part of her almost complains about it before she realizes he's not quite going anywhere just yet. which is forgivable, especially because he's taking the time to peek at the ribbon she's bestowed him. )
I don't need to close up shop either. Not really. ( because now she sees a bit to play with again, which does mean her fingers take to the ribbon. the avoidance of the ponytail is likely purposeful, given the way that grin tugs on the corner of her lip. ) I still have you even when we leave, and I do still owe you one.
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And do I get another if you have fun at the mall too? [ Reno's hands are still at Fearne's waist, and it would be easy to lean in and kiss her now, but he resists the temptation in the name of dragging the fun out a little longer. ] Then let's get outta here, hm?
[ the fun fair will still be here tomorrow, but tonight: the mall! (this is a good idea that can only go well, naturally.) ]
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( she doesn't, of course. in fact, she lets go of the ribbon just so she could brush the little bit of fringe he has off of his cheek. a delicate gesture, terribly and woefully gentle, even if the way her gaze flicks down to watch the way his mouth curves is anything but.
ah, but as he was saying. )
Mhm! Let's.
( with a nudge of her knee, she eases herself a bit of room so she could hop that little ways down off her perch - brushing herself off as to smooth out whatever bit of her dress might've been out of place. it doesn't take long until she's satisfied, curling an index with a beckon for him to follow now that she's more presentable. )
Should we take anything with us over? Snacks, maybe?
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[ even now she doesn't test the theory. the fleeting touch of her fingertips over his cheek is almost tender, a pointed contrast to the way her gaze dips rather obviously down to Reno's mouth. he can't help but grin at that, gratified and just a touch smug about it. only because he's been doing the same thing the whole time they've been talking, so it's nice to know she's right there with him.
but first: the mall. at her nudge, Reno lets his hands drop from her waist and gives her enough space to get back on her feet and rearrange her dress, a process that he watches with shameless interest. is the whole leg situation new for him? definitely. is that stopping him from finding Fearne gorgeous, definitely not. ]
You strike me as a cotton candy girl. [ actually, bringing cotton candy on a shopping trip for clothes is probably a terrible idea, given the sticky finger situation that tends to result. but what's the problem, they can just lick it off if need be. ]
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and back to him, beaming bright and sweet as she loops her arms around his as easily as she does anything. )
Nothing for you?
( not that it matters either way, but the suggestion is at least tucked away for if she happens to see a stall for it. just a little something to have on the way to their destination, since she knows it'll be a bit of a walk to get there there.
besides, she's a little curious to see where his tastes lie? )
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Maybe I was just plannin' on stealing some of yours. [ the loop of her arm through his is endearingly casual, and Reno tucks their arms together as they walk. she's taller than him by a few inches, but if it doesn't bother her then it's not gonna bother him. ] But I'll grab a drink, too.
[ the last time he was here, they had a pineapple-flavored slushie that he'd really enjoyed. maybe that. is it alcoholic? possibly! Reno hasn't checked. ]
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( is that a challenge? well. she likes her collected things quite a bit, but she has a feeling she can always steal it back somewhere down the line so she's not too worried. the city really isn't that big of a place considering that the boundaries that loop them back around. at least she doesn't need to hunt him down across continents?
drinks.. she thinks she remembers where most the food and drinks are, so she'll go right on ahead with pulling him along! he doesn't really seem to mind, and - oops, there she goes in a slightly different direction, clearly spotting something else amongst all the choices and tugging him that way.
which is exactly how she ends up with an ice cream cone in her hand. )
'Kay. I'm good! Get your drink and let's get outta here!
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speaking of distractible, the whole train of thought derails when she changes their course on another whim, and Reno laughs once he realizes what she's going for. they've known each other for like an hour and he can already tell that Fearne mostly just follows whatever her heart desires in that exact moment. and you know what, he likes that about her. ]
That's one way to make sure I don't steal it, [ he observes with a grin. this time it's Reno's turn to tug her slightly as he heads over to the display of slushie machines and grabs himself a small cup of the pineapple one. (it's piña colada, not that he cares.)
with that done, Reno lifts his cup as if to toast to Fearne's ice cream. ] All good, let's split!
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You could just ask me, you know.
( she tips her head a bit, swiping up a bit of the melted treat with her tongue just before it gets on her hand. he's going to need to ask fast, it seems, since it does have something of a timer even without her intervention. the glance his way is all fluttering lashes and cloyingly sweet, her impish little grin hidden by a swirl of frozen vanilla. )
I do like it when pretty boys ask me nicely for things.
( whether or not she does anything about it is another matter entirely though. )
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he drags his gaze away from Fearne's mouth to meet her eyes, returning that little grin with one of his own. even though the sun has been down for a while, the air is still summer-warm, so it makes sense that the ice cream won't hold up long. now, Reno can be prideful, but he also loves a game, so he leans in a little and flutters eyelashes, coquettish on purpose. ]
Please share, Fearne~? [ it kind of doesn't matter whether she actually agrees, at this point. Reno's just having fun playing around. ] I'll trade ya for some slushie.
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to see her own antics mirrored to her is objectively funny though, so of course she laughs. )
Aw, well how am I supposed to say no to a face like that?
( the magnanimous fearne calloway, with all her frills and ribbons, makes a grand flourish with the cone in her hand - only to tap it once against his lips to get some on him and likely let him get a bite in before she heartlessly tears it back away. )
There. Good?
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Reno grins. ] Perfect. [ he switches his slushie cup into his other hand, careful as he holds it, and brings his other hand up so he can use his fingertips to wipe the melted ice cream off his mouth and the tip of his nose. each one of those fingertips then goes in his mouth, ostensibly an effort to make the most of the taste she gave him. ]
You want some of this? [ the slushie, he means, lifting the cup he's holding in the hand that's linked through Fearne's. ] I'd try to pull the same trick on ya but I can't think of a way that doesn't end up with half of it down your dress.
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