escordvi | closed 🌠⚡ it's far too easy to miss the beauty in the simple things

[He's so cute when he worries about her like that... He looks like a sad puppy, and she can't help but puff up a little with affection.]

Don't worry. I think the bristles will protect me from the worst of it, and the glass itself isn't that sharp...

Edited 2025-06-07 18:25 (UTC)

This must be natural sea glass and not broken pieces from above...

[Which might help with any sharp edges, but he still can't help but watch with some worry!!]

But your size does help here.

Natural sea glass?

[She burrows just beneath the sand with some wiggling and shoves herself beneath the shard.]

Makes you wonder how... it's... made!

[And with that last word and some strained exertion, the glass pops right out of the sand and drifts up through the water for him to catch.]

See!? Told you I could do it.

[...

Oh.

Oh no, that was cute, and he almost fumbles the glass because he was so distracted by how she moved to pop it out. But when he does, there's a smile and then a small laugh.]

Yeah, you did. Now you need to do this at least ten more times.

[A wry grin.]

Should be easy.

[She wiggles her way out of the sand and shakes herself off. Not that it does her much good.]

It's like doing a set of push-ups, right?

Imagining a slug doing push-ups...

[He can't help but chuckle as he pulls up some grass around her to help loosen the dirt around more prospective sea glass.]

Just don't pull a muscle.

[Do bunny sea slugs even have muscles? Well, they must if she's able to pull off such a feat. But she sniffs around at the glass before deciding that yes, he has good taste. She likes this one. And she'll do the same thing and start to burrow under.]

You're right. I forgot to do my stretches.

[And then she disappears under the sand. This one is a little tougher to get out due to its slightly bigger size and the fact that it's in there, but after a few more pushes and shoves and puffs, she manages to pop this one out as well. And it's a cycle that she'll repeat over and over, with Eustace carrying her closer to shards that catch her eye in between his tasks, even a few that are more pearly white than clear shades, or some that are mixed two or more different colours.

Again and again until she's gathered a very small pile (it looks much bigger for her because she is tinier than they are), and she rests against them, catching her breath.]

Been a while since I've had that kind of workout. Wonder if I'll still feel it when I turn back.

[A small pile that isn't really much for Eustace, but fortunately they don't have to collect a lot and he's also gathering some to help. So with their efforts combined, they should have plenty to be made into that lotion.

Lying down on the grass flat on his stomach, he quietly laughs as he brushes the top of her head with the tip of his finger.]

Hopefully not. But if you do, I can help stretch you out later.

[Her ears wiggle at him, and he'll feel her body bounce in and then out with each brush of his finger. If she were in her normal form, he'd definitely notice her flushed cheeks right now.]

I hope you mean when I'm back to normal.

...Hm... I could try stretching you now.

[And he's going to tease her by trying to stretch out one of her "feet."]

["Feet" that are barely there, and "feet" that she will wriggle at him like she's trying to kick his fingers away!]

I might pop if you do, be careful!

I wouldn't let you pop like that.

[He will just lightly tap those wriggling "feet" and pull on them just a little bit before trying to poke her underside where he thinks her stomach might be??]

[She tries to kick him again, but when his finger nudges her stomach, she ends up rolling over with a high-pitched shriek until she's lying belly up in the sand, her body squirming.]

Now you're just being a bully!

[Except she's giggling through her attempts at shouting.]

[He snorts and tries to tickle her again.]

You noticed only now?

[But she really is cute like this—no no he needs her to turn back!!

But maybe one more tease for the road as he tries to poke her tummy again.]

No, but at least you were helpful before!

[She shrieks when he pokes her belly again, and tries to roll back onto her front, rocking back and forth, but alas, to no avail. She huffs and groans.]

Now put me back!

[There's just another laugh as he watches her.]

What are you, a turtle?

[But he will try to roll her back over...but teasing her again by using enough force where she'll roll a few times instead of just once.]

[As soon as she lands, she lets her bristles stand on end, like a cat trying to make itself look larger to its enemy.]

Being a bunny sea slug is hard, alright? Now enough teasing, we should grab our things and be getting back.

[Can he hear the pouting?]

[He just laughs as he gently pets her this time as if in apology.]

Sorry, it was too tempting... But you're right. We've gotten everything we need for the lotion, so it's just the coral left. There's a reef just over there we can look through.

[He holds out his hand to her then to carry her.]

Uh huh...

[She slides along the sand and into his palm, curling herself around his thumb.]

Would it make you feel better if I rode in the bubble for that?

[A low hum as he looks at her.]

It's been fine so far, so... I think you should be okay like this.

I could go back on your head, if you want. Was pretty comfortable up there.

[A quiet laugh.]

If that's what you want.

[He'll go ahead and raise his hand up there so she can swim down onto it.]

Glad you're not a bird or you might have tried to make a nest...

[She darts from his hand into his hair, right to the spot between his ears where she can get nice and snug, and he'll feel her burrowing a little, getting herself tucked away so that she doesn't move quite as much.]

Who's to say that I haven't already tried? Good thing you can't see your hair right now.

[Annnd she flattens against the top of his head, allowing his hair to drape over her body.]

But I'm good now. Let's finish this job and get me back to normal... please.

[He glances up and just shakes his head a bit. Not enough to jostle her free, but enough to shake her around a bit.]

You'll have to fix it later.

[And then a chuckle as he swims towards the reef where they will have to hunt around for the right kind of coral described on the paper. It will take a bit, but with their combined efforts they finally spot it and Eustace is able to carefully take a piece off without damaging the rest too much. After double checking they've collected everything, he quickly swims back to the seahorse where they make their way in town to the mermaid's shop to get both the lotion and the potion made.

"Oh wow, you managed to convince Ol' Maura!? With this you'll definitely be remembered as a favorite for sure~ Just give me a little bit and I'll be able to make both of these."]

Somehow.

[Tifa lowers her voice at the mermaid.]

Helped get some barnacles off her back, so she did us a favour in return.

[The mermaid chuckles softly. "Ah yep, the whales do have that. They've been especially bad lately, and with them being so stressed out, they start to build up, you know? I'm more surprised she trusted you to do that than anything." She holds up the ingredients. "Now, wait right here while I go and prep these."

And as she swims away, Tifa shuffles forward on Eustace's head.]

Now let's hope it actually works... After this, it's back to Maura's shop with the lotion, yeah?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject