Astien couldn't help but chuckle at the suplex bit. "Thank you."
Delas came out of the shop with the various beach items he'd collected. "Are we ready to go?" He asked.
Astien sighed. "As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose." He tucked the shirt into his bag and took the swimsuit from Delas, then followed the young man as he bounded out the door.
Marius kissed Astien's cheek while he gave his fiance's butt a quick squeeze before heading to the beach.
On the boardwalk, there were changing tents waiting for people to change from their street clothes to swimwear. Delas quickly changed and dashed down to the water, with all the excitement of a child. It took Astien a while to change, but he emerged wearing the swimsuit and shirt Delas had chosen for him. It was actually quite comfortable, and and fit his body well. Still, he wasn't crazy about it.
Marius was waiting for Astien outside of his tent. Cormac had already changed and flown off to swim in the ocean with Delas. "Hey Sexy," Marius said with a wink at Astien. Several people, men and women alike, were catching glances of the large, burly man as they walked pass them.
Astien blushed at the staring people. "Let's just go." He mumbled. As he stepped onto the sand, he saw Delas and Cormac setting up a spot for the four of them with a blanket and a large umbrella before dashing off into the water. "Over there," Astien pointed, and he started walking over.
As much as Astien preferred to think he had a normal walk, with the unstable terrain of the sand beneath his feet, whatever semblance of a normal walk he had quickly devolved into a distinct waddle. Astien inwardly cursed at the fact. He also quickly noticed that said waddle caused him to shake his butt as he walked. He silently thanked the gods that I'Karis wasn't there to call him out on this and suggest an under-the-docks romp.
"I'm glad to see you go some confidence back," Marius teased.
"Ha ha ha." Astien couldn't help but notice the people stealing glances t him as he waddled along. Finally, he eased himself down onto the blanket, and laid back with a book. "The sea smells so nice, doesn't it? And look at the boys, don't they look like they're having fun?"
Delas had somehow managed to talk Cormac into climbing onto his shoulders and was now trying to balance him as he waded through the water. "Careful. Caaarefuuuuull..."
"I'm trying to be careful!" Cormac stated. "It's hard to walk in sand, let alone against a tide.
Marius took in a deep breath. "It's been a long time since I last smelt the ocean."
"Hey, get your feet out of my face!" Delas said.
"Same here," Astien said. "And to think, we're going to get married here!" He practically squealed with excitement.
"Get your face out of the way of my feet!"
Marius smiled and laid on the towel. "And now that we're here, we can work on planning it in more detail."
"Oh, real mature!"
Astien smiled and nodded. "We need to set a date so we can get the invitations done. When do you think your family will get here?"
"In about a week or so. They're coming from quite a ways."
"Do you think your mother's going to be upset that she's giving her little boy away?" Astien asked with a chuckle.
"Upset? She'll be elated, Astien. She's been trying to get me to settle down for Gods know how long."
Astien laughed. "Ooooh, she's that kind of mom, eh? Well, then I'll do my best to be the son-in-law she always wanted. What have you told them about me in your letters?"
"Of course," Marius said. "Why wouldn't I?"
"Yes, but what have you told them?" Astien asked excitedly.
"That you saved my ass, have a fine ass, are kind, caring, wise. Let's see...That you're a well respected teacher at an academy. Oh and that you're pregnant with an ex's child." Marius smiled.
"Ah. Continuing that little lie, are we? Well, here's hoping they don't think I'm used goods that aren't good enough for you."
"I'm not really sure if my family can get their head around the whole god-baby thing," Marius chuckled. He sat up a bit and kissed Astien ."And you're not 'used goods'."