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It had been Nyx’s idea (because of course it would be Nyx’s idea). They had been spending too much time cooped up in citadel and couldn’t Cor see what a nice day it was outside? Warm, clear skies, sunshine, and no threat of rain on the horizon. That meant only one thing, a trip to the beach.
“I can’t believe you dragged me all the way to Galdin Quay,” Cor groused to Nyx when they got there. “How did you even convince Clarus to let me go? Do you know how annoyed Monica is going to be having to deal with all that paperwork? What if something happens and I need to be back?”
Nyx held up his hands to placate him. “And this, my dear Cor, is why we’re here in Galdin Quay. You, need a break.” Before he could say anything more, Nyx had spun him around and was marching him down to the beach. “Also, you have trained Monica to be a very capable second in command and she is more than able to handle the boys back home, trust me.”
“Trust you? Why, have you done something to invoke her wrath? Do you speak from experience?”
“That is neither here, nor there. Now you are going to go down to the beach and have fun even if I have to make you.”
Cor grumbled but let himself get shoved around by Nyx. There was no arguing with the man when he was in this kind of mood. Might as well play along until Nyx got bored and he could sneak back to Insomnia. “Did you at least pack sunscreen? I’m not looking forward to getting sunburns all over me.”
A mock gasp from behind him. “You accuse me of forgetting the sunscreen? How dare you, in case you forgot, I was the one who planned this trip, you know.” Cor rolled his eyes and walked of his own volition down to the beach. It didn’t take long for Nyx to call after him, “and I wouldn’t think you would need sunscreen given that you’re wearing a very dark jacket and slacks right now. No need to worry about sunburns, but you might need to worry about heat stroke.”
Cor took a great amount of pleasure in balling up his jacket and throwing it right at Nyx’s face. There was a squawk behind him. He smirked, direct hit. Cor walked right up to the water line and stared out at sea. There were few other people at the beach and it was quiet except for the sound of gulls overhead. He spoke when he heard someone come to a stop right next to him. “Sunscreen first-” He held out his hand for the sunscreen bottle. “But what did you have in mind for fun here?”
Nyx shrugged as he pulled the bottle of sunscreen out of the bag he was carrying. “I dunno, build sand castles?” Cor gave Nyx an unamused stare before he took the sunscreen and began to apply it to his arms. “Geez, you don’t have to be like that. I don’t think I have enough space in my bag for a bucket and shovel to build sand castles with.”
“Good, because I’m not doing that.”
“Hmm,” Nyx set the bag down and began to dig through it. “You know, when I went to the beach when I was younger we used to look for shells and swim a bit. I have swim trunks packed-”
“-even for me?”
“- Especially for you, jeez you really need to go out and have fun more old man, but we can either go shell hunting or swimming. Up to you.”
Cor nodded and handed the bottle of sunscreen back to Nyx. “Let’s start with shell hunting then,” he said as he rolled his his slacks. “Apply that evenly over yourself, I don’t care how tanned you are I don’t want to hear you whining about getting burned because you didn’t apply it. We can talk about what to do after we’re done shell hunting.”
“Aye-aye, marshal, sir.” Cor glowered at Nyx, who seemed all too happy right now, and muttered about not calling him that out in public before he stormed off in one direction to go look for shells.
Somehow, he still managed to have fun despite himself, the two even joining in an impromptu beach volleyball game around noon and then going for a swim after lunch. Monica teased him for a week straight about the tan he had somehow picked up on the beach and Nyx whined to him about a sunburn on his arm from where he hadn’t put on sunscreen. Even then, he only had to look at the picture he had of the two of them on his phone just to remember how fun it had been. (Maybe he should let Nyx drag him out more often.)