ota

[reeliable]

Who: Noctis and you!
Where: lakeside
When: post-cavern explorations
Rating pg-13
What: the best hobby in the universe; fishing! primarily fishing, does include some swimming



a: monster of the deep?

[If one goes exploring around the lake, Noctis is back at it again with his fishing rod in hand and a line cast out - but he does seem to be struggling a bit with whatever is on the other end of his reel. Digging his heels in, sinking a bit into the muck at the edge of the lake, Noct grunts with the effort of pulling his arms back. Spying someone, or rather hearing the footsteps before he takes his attention away from the water, he turns his head with a wild sort of smile - this is exciting, despite the struggle.]

Hey! Can you give me a hand? Just give me some extra weight, let's haul this thing to shore! [He's dying to know what he has hooked; though hopefully it isn't a pissed off mermaid. They're smart enough to unhook themselves, aren't they?]

b: seaweed and seafoam

[It's finally time for a break after fishing for the last several hours, and Noct has only ditched his boots on shore when he starts to wade in. The water feels nice, and even if he can spy mermaids further out into the lake, he doesn't quite have intentions to go all that far in. Bending to scoop up a handful of water, he casts a little grin at his company and turns, giving them a light splash that feels more like a misting for how little he could throw it.]

Want to come wading? Water's fine, and it should be safe enough if we don't go swan diving.

Comments

a

[fuck1ngusernam3]

[The footsteps Noctis heard in this case belong to a Hank and a dog. The former stops to frown at Noctis; the latter keeps ambling in whatever direction the most interesting smell's coming from.]

Nothing but bullshit's ever come out of that fuckin lake. You know that right?

[He does not, notably, get close enough to help Noctis in any way. Hank is less than happy about this lake. He is less than happy about a lot of things.]

b.

[parttimes]

[Kou was probably woken up really early for this fishing trip, and by now? He's yawning, covering his mouth with one hand, and then blearily gives Noctis a deadpan stare.]

Yeah, no thanks, not interested.

[Make him do it, stop being a buzzkill, Kou.]

[reeliable]

[But why tho Hank??

Noctis still struggles with his pole, determined to catch whatever is on the line, even as he makes that note of just how much Hank is staying away. Aw, come on. Grunting, feeling himself physically drag his heels a good few inches back into the muck again, Noct tries to take a few steps back once more.]

Nothing but fish as far as I'm concerned - merfolk count as fish, Nessie sort of counts, everything is either a fish or dead. [Such as the cavern explorations proving to have nothing really in them - just spooky words, things to warn them of, things to keep in the back of their minds when a situation here turns strange.]

[reeliable]

Are you the kind of person who just hates to get wet?

[The earlier the better when it comes to fishing - so yeah, they have definitely been out here since the crack of dawn with mild threats of returning with a fish to wake Kou up. Giving him a cheekier look, then staggering out a little deeper into the water, Noct bends down to get his arms down into the water better - and make a much larger splash.

Either get drenched or get dragged in, Kou.]

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Well thanks, now I'm imagining an undead zombie fish on the end of that hook and honestly I'm kinda worried about it.

[Hank does walk a little closer at that, frowning at how deep the kid's feet've been pulled into the mud and leaning out, craning his neck to try and see for himself whatever's on the end of Noctis's hook.]

Besides, you say that like it proves me wrong, somehow. It doesn't.

[reeliable]

There is such thing as a mummy fish in my world - it's fiesty, only swims around Angelgard, and it's a pain to catch.

[Kind of like this - he had a boat and friends on hand to help him with that sucker, so when his boots sink into muck again and Noctis almost growls as he tries to step back a third time only to get dragged back into mud, he gives a small wheeze as he strains his arms again to reel - it actually clicks a handful of times this time, proving that Noct is winning out. It's just such a long process.]

So hey, I'll take a hand holding my jacket at this point, c'mon. [It's hard to think someone Noct's size could outlast a fish pulling this hard, but his stamina isn't as bad as it looks, though his arms are definitely taking the brunt of the strain.]

[fuck1ngusernam3]

[Hank makes a face - more of one - and tilts his head, reluctant.]

Come on, kid.

[It's the little wheeze that does it. Fuck. Okay.

Hank picks his way into the mud of the shoreline, careful and obviously not really having the time of his life. Once he gets there he reaches out toward Noctis's shoulder, remembers he's trying not to touch anybody - thanks Astoria, your choice in magic superpowers sucks balls - and moves to get a good grip on the back of Noctis's jacket instead, sighing.]

If I fall into this fuckin lake again... I don't know what I'm gonna do but it's not going to be a fun time for either of us, okay? You want me to, uh... pull that little pole for you? I mean, don't want a mummified fish monster to eat your face.

[reeliable]

[Either Noctis is being pulled in the lake or someone helps him, because he's not letting go of this fish. Brightening a bit with Hank deciding to come in and help him, turning his head to put his attention back on the water as he leans slightly one way and then the other, his fishing rod following the line, Noct only starts adjusting his feet once he feels that hand gripping the back of his jacket.

At last, an anchor.]

You can let go if it starts coming to that, a little water has never hurt me. Just pull me back slowly, I just need to get out of the mud and it hasn't been letting me get very far.

[Casting a short smile over his shoulder, then trying to free a boot while not giving up any inch of reel, Noct lets out a harder exhale as he starts to pull back on the pole again, taking one solid step back. No more of this muck, get him out of that.]

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Ugh. Fuck, you must not of fallen in yet if you're so cool about it.

[Shit, this pulling him out thing would be easier if Hank could get a hold of something more stable than a jacket. He keeps feeling like the jacket's just going to come off.]

How would you be handling this if you caught something this big and no one was around? Would you just be letting this thing go? Cause if I'm just enabling your dangerous fishing habit I should probably just leave.

( a )

[protettore]

[When Gladio goes on foot in search of Noct, he knows he doesn't have to go far. It's just a matter of figuring out which corner of the lake he's camped himself out on. He's not surprised that his footsteps give him away, but he finds himself paused for a moment at the wild, excited expression upon Noct's face.

He looks just the way he always would upon finding a fishing spot back home. The other three of their group having to linger behind and simply watch him, and while Gladio knows they put him through a lot of agony with their back-seat fishing and complaining, he knows that Ignis and Prompto feel it to: that satisfaction of watching Noct enjoy his life. Being happy.

It twists his gut and his chest hurts.

Ignore it. Don't be such a big damn baby, he tells himself. Don't let Noct suspect that Gladio hasn't seen him smile this way in months.]

You know what happened the last time I helped you with anything. [Gladio grumbles casually even as he approaches.] If there's trash-talking I'm out of here.

A.

[hauhra]

[ Dark Bakura, on the other hand, is unsmiling as always, and is making a point of keeping his hands comfortably in his pockets while he watches Noctis struggle, which he does have to admit is amusing in its own right. The corner of his lips quirk in response to the sight, temporarily breaking the cool and collected facade he had worked so hard to put on. ]

Having seen what's in that lake even just from standing around the shores, I'm not entirely certain I want to... for all I know, there's something that's looking for its next meal on the other end of that line.

[parttimes]

Ugh... no, it's not that. Exactly.

[It's kind of that.]

I'm not big on--

[WATER. UGH. The splash gets him pretty good; he wasn't expecting it, and he ends up pretty thoroughly wet, hair dripping into his face as he makes a face at Noctis.]

Really?

a!

[punshots]

[ Prompto might've appeared a little over-eager to join Noctis on this fishing trip, but look — he severely needs a distraction right now. That said...fishing is still not his favorite pastime. Or rather, watching Noct fish isn't his favorite pastime, and he doesn't even have his phone to entertain himself with this time.

So, he's fiddling with his camera a bit by the time Noct hooks his fish, though he's quick to stow it away as soon as the other calls out to him and dash over to lend a hand. Or two hands. Geez, this one's a big one, isn't it? ]

Man, what the hell did you hook, Noct? A whale?!

[ 'Cause that's kind of what it seems like! Still, he grabs a hold of the rod, pulling back with all his strength to help Noct haul his catch out of the water. ]

[reeliable]

It's just water, what we've seen in the caverns can't be all that different from what's here in the lake!

[Managing to free one foot from the mud and stepping back on to slightly dryer land, Noct works to get his other leg free as he struggles - there's a yank on the line that almost makes him take that step back, but Hank holding him steady even through his jacket prevents a full step. Grunting, struggling back that next step and giving a little relieved exhale, it's short lived as Noct tries to pull back with his pole again.

It's giving, little by little. Whatever is on the end is getting tired enough to come out of the depths at last.]

I'd struggle until my line broke, probably. Or I'd go for a swim. Usually Gladio is around to help me haul catches like this. Once I get it to the surface, he steps in to muscle it to shore.

[reeliable]

[It's absolutely that from the look on Kou's face, and he has to laugh out loud. Dropping enough in the water to wet his sleeves, leaving his arms all wet, he starts to wade back onto shore with full intentions to give Kou a nice wet hug.]

Aw come on, don't look like that. It's just a little water.

[fuck1ngusernam3]

Oh, so your dangerous fishing habit's gonna be enabled no matter what. Guess I might as well stick around then, make sure you don't drown.

[Hank steps to the side, keeping a hold on Noctis's jacket but trying to look around him, wanting again to see into the water. He sees, as usual, a whole lot of not much. The great unknown. Wheeeee.]

You saw what's down there yourself and you still want to go pulling random shit up? What do you wanna do, find out what grilled mermaid tastes like?

[reeliable]

Does it look like I'm in any condition to hassle you?

[Giving a half laugh even as he puts his attention back to the water, Noct tries to take another step back to get himself out of the mud, not entirely unaware of that momental pause Gladio had - something is on his mind, but he can't really place what. And now isn't really the time to think of it, with another lurch dragging him a couple of inches back into the mud and Noct thinks again that he's grateful his boots are waterproof.

He is filthy with mud at this point, and Gladio's extra muscle is going to be so good here.]

Pull me back, I just can't get out of the mud at this point. Every time I ease up, it takes the cue to run.

[reeliable]

[Ah, it's one of these sorts of guys - who just want to watch and get more fun in watching the fight than any of the reeling. Looking over with the words, then snorting as he tries to reef back on the pole and only manages to get dragged another inch in towards the water, Noct exhales a wheeze. He doesn't want to give this questionably strong fish up though!]

Probably, but if I can haul it to shore, maybe it'll be a meal for me instead. I'm pretty fond of a good salmon steak!

[reeliable]

[Just this once, Noct won't ask about Prompto's eagerness to actually go fishing - maybe he misses it, is his own optimistic thought. Maybe he really did like to sit back and watch! Maybe. He can tell himself this all he likes, when he knows it isn't the greatest most exciting thing ever, watching someone fish.

Grinning as Prompto comes to help though, shifting his grip to make room for extra hands, Noct pulls back with Prom as they start to back out of the mud.]

I'm sort of hoping whatever it is, it doesn't have teeth. Got my tonberry lure on, that's already rare as it is, I wouldn't want to lose it at the bottom of this lake! [Well, some teeth, just nothing to chew the line through with - he might be using dragon's beard, but it could go if this fight keeps up for too long.]

B

[metagame]

[Lately he seems to always find Noctis by the lake. It's kind of nice, actually! A steady routine that he finds welcome since exploring from the caverns. The splash garners a grin in return; he reminds himself there's no fault in dropping his guard or relaxing.] I'll have to take your word on it.

[punshots]

No way, man! We're not letting this thing get away —

[ Or else all his boredom will have been for nothing! He can at least admit that this part of fishing is exciting — the catch, the reel, the unknown of what is at the other end of the rod. Whatever it is is putting up one hell of a fight, though, which can only be promising. ]

Anyway, don't worry about the lure, worry about our arms getting ripped off!

[ He shouts as he throws more of his weight against the rod and away from the water. This is intense! ]

[hauhra]

Oh, I wouldn't count on that if I were you. Your salmon steak could just as easily end up being a Loch Ness steak instead.

[ He's grinning outright now, clearly having no qualms about the thought of making a meal out of the sea creature that had just been ferrying the people of the Temple about while they were down in the caverns. As far as he's concerned, food is food, whether you're a starving thief from ancient Egypt looking for any means to scrape by or the malevolent and vengeful spirit of that thief that's been forced back into a human body with needs that are impossible to ignore. However, "Nessie" is probably where the other people in this world will draw the line, and indeed, Bakura would have been bracing himself for some lame speech about sentimental attachment to the beast were it not for Noctis' approach to this particular catch -- ]

But then again, you seem like the adventurous type, too.

[parttimes]

[Nnnghhhhh. Kou looks at the approaching soggy hug, and immediately tries to shove Noctis back into the water.

What's more likely to happen is both of them going in though, let's be real here.]

[reeliable]

What, still not going to come out?

[Bending, just letting his hands run through the water as he fishes around and seeks out a handful of mud just to let it slip through his fingers, Noct lets touch guide him as he looks for rocks. Just whatever he could be walking along, vaguely wondering if there is a danger of fishing hooks - probably not for this lake, it was hidden for quite some time he thinks.]

[reeliable]

[Noct's reflexes are better than that Kou! Laughing even as he feels the push, he catches his hands onto Kou's arms and shirt and they are both definitely toppling into the water together. It's shallow, barely two feet, but going down like this is bound to get them both drenched.]