Forums » General Roleplay » Summer Soirée - Beat the Heat River Party

- Be respectful. Seriously, I mean it.

- 18+ ONLY - writer and character. This is an adult thread meant for adults.

- Supernatural characters are allowed, but this is a human world (Frio River in Texas). All characters must pass for human/use their human form.

- No animals allowed. This includes - pets and furries.

- This is not mature content, but it is adult content. Please refrain from childish antics, as we find it disrespectful. Act your age, not your shoe-size.

- Respect the flow and themes of the posts.

- Not every character is expected to interact with every character that attends. Small groups can form within this larger thread.

- Please post an entrance and, if you are engaging with other characters, and exit so we know your character has left so posts can continue.

- HAVE FUN!!! It's the Summer Soiree after all.

Cassiel had stumbled upon Big Rock by chance when he had tried his hand at paddleboarding the river. Between the huge rocks that were perfect for jumping off of, the rope swings hanging from trees, the waterslide, and the little restaurant and bar - how could he not start pick this spot for a crazy Summer Soiree event? After dragging his buddy Maddox to check out the spot, they both agreed it was a great place to have a party.

They took to social media with pictures and a date as to when the pair would be there to hang out. They didn't reserve the spot - you can't really reserve a river - so they were hoping not just friends would show up, but anyone who just wanted to have a good time in some cold, clean water.

Frio means cold in Spanish and that was exactly what this water was - Cold! But in a refreshing way. With temperatures reaching into the high 90s Fahrenheit (+40 Celsius) the cold water was the best medicine for cooling off.

Day of the Soiree...

Cassiel had gotten to the river's edge just after the sun crested over the horizon - he wanted to get the best spot for his pop-up canopy tent. He had a few folding chairs and an ice chest with his favorite drinkables and some water bottles. Pop-up canopies were not an easy thing to erect solo, but he managed it. There was a lot of running back and forth from one corner to another, but luck and practice were on his side, and eventually the canopy was standing tall.

Even with the sun still barely in the sky, the day was already warm moving towards hot fast. Cassiel decided to take a dip and swim against the current for a little while to cool off and get a little work out in. As he swam, he eyed the big rocks that protruded out of the water and called to him to climb and jump. Refraining from such a siren call was difficult, but Cassiel wanted his first jump off the rock to either be side by with his best friend, Maddox, or...he had to stop that thought right there - she might not come.

The fight went out of Cassiel, and he stopped fighting against the current. He rolled onto his back and let the swift flowing water sweep him a few hundred yards downstream where he climbed out of the water and hiked back to his canopy. He did this a few more times, thinking he should have brought a raft or something.

When he tired of floating and walking the few hundred yards back, he decided to crack open a bottle of water and rest for a bit. He unfolded one of the chairs and dropped down into it. He stretched his legs out in front of him and enjoyed the way the dry air warmed his body. He finished the bottle of water and looked around for a trash receptacle. He had to mosey his way up towards Joe Jimmy's to discard the bottle. On his way back a rope swing caught his eye, and he couldn't resist!

Cassiel darted like a kid ignoring the protests of his parents to stop over to the rope swing. He loosened it from the hook that held it to the tree, gripped it tight with both his hands, backed away from the edge of the river as far as the rope would allow...

He took a deep breath and sprinted forward. He slung himself out over the river, the rope going taut in his hands. He let go of the rope with the intention of a cannonball but seemed to have misjudged his angle for Cassiel ended up smacking the water bellyflop style!

The morning sun wasn’t even at full strength yet, but it was already doing its damnedest to turn the Frio into a mirror of gold and heat. Mist still clung to the trees in thin ribbons, and the river moved slow and sleepy, like it hadn’t had its coffee yet.

That didn’t, and wouldn’t ever stop Maddox Everette from arriving like the main act at a rodeo grand finale. His boots hit the dirt with purpose, loud and proud as he trudged down the path dragging a half-scuffed red cooler behind him. The six-pack perched on top wobbled slightly with each jostling step but never tipped, because honestly, it had survived worse rides. Maddox himself was a sight: tan, shirtless, and smirking under the shade of a well-loved cowboy hat. He wasn’t sure what to wear, so he had thrown on just a pair of semi ridiculous white shorts with blue and pink patterns on it, partly because Cass had insisted that he had a surprise, and Maddox had learned three things: That either meant danger, hilarity was about to ensue or Maddox was about to have an entire new ammunition for jokes. Either way, he was ready to find out.

He strutted toward the river like he was walking into a crowd of a hundred, boots kicking up dust and a beer already half-cracked in one hand. His smile was easy, like he’d been planning this exact entrance for three days and didn’t care if the only witness was God and a turtle.

And then….. A blur from up on Big Rock. Movement. Rope. Maddox slowed to a halt just as Cassiel, in all his ridiculous glory, came swinging into view like a damn angel on a mission. The rope arced high, catching the sun just right as that long frame whipped through the air and let go. There was a beat, a pause, a breath, and then Cassiel hit the water with a splash big enough to wake the whole damn county.

Water geysered. Mist scattered. Birds took off screaming. And Maddox? Maddox whooped, loud and sharp, then pointed his beer toward the sky like it was a national moment. “YEEHAW! That’s how you say good mornin’, baby!” He stomped onto the riverbank with a grin big enough to split his face. “Cassiel, you rope-swingin’ lunatic! I thought I was the only dumbass up this early, but I see the good Lord’s still handin’ out style points!”

While he waited for Cassiel to surface, the six-pack landed on the sand beside him, and he popped the lid off his beer with a practiced flick of his teeth, spitting it into his hand and watching foam hissing up the sides as he took a long swig. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then turned toward the empty shoreline and held out both arms like a performer basking in applause. “Well, hell. Ain’t this the crowd of the century.” He gave a long, slow bow to a bush. “Thank you, thank you. Y’all’ve been beautiful.”

No one responded. Not a soul clapped. Somewhere far off, a squirrel sneezed. And it didn’t matter. Maddox came to the river in full force, fully ridiculous, ready to party, and completely content to cause a scene, even if the only witnesses were a rock, a rope, and a soaking-wet best friend with an occasional death wish.

Kyria had heard about the Summer Soiree at the Frio through more than just social media. Cassiel’s energy vibrated along unseen lines, always a little louder, a little warmer when he was excited—and that had reached her days ago. She’d thought about ignoring it. Had told herself she was too busy, too complicated, too likely to draw unwanted attention by just showing up somewhere normal.

But Cass wasn’t normal. Neither was Maddox. And maybe she was finally starting to accept that she didn’t have to hide every glowing bit of who she was.

So she came.

She arrived not with fanfare but with curiosity. Barefoot and light-footed, her gauzy sundress fluttering in the breeze like moonlight on water, Kyria stepped from the tree line at the edge of the clearing just in time to hear Maddox’s triumphant YEEHAW echo across the river. She froze mid-step, startled—and then laughter burst from her before she could stop it. Her hand pressed gently to her lips as she caught sight of Cassiel’s long form rocketing from the rope swing and smacking the water with enough force to summon thunder.

“Oh stars, he would.”

The birds took off. The water sparkled. The world felt so alive here.

Kyria drifted toward the river’s edge, weaving through the sunshine and dappled shade with the kind of grace that made it unclear whether she was walking or gliding. Takoda, a local mutt she’d befriended weeks ago on a coastal wander, appeared at her heel, tail wagging like he belonged to her now.

She reached the spot beside Maddox just as he finished bowing to the bush. “Well, that was impressive,” she murmured, eyes sparkling. “Though the bush looked a little overwhelmed.”

She turned to the river, watching as Cassiel surfaced with a sputter and a grin, hair plastered to his forehead and glory clinging to him like wet clothes. Her heart did that soft, silly lurch it always did when he looked like that—unguarded, wild, completely himself.

“I wasn’t sure I’d come,” she called out to him. Her voice was clear and bell-like, carried easily across the river. “But how could I miss that entrance?”

Kyria dropped to the sand, knees tucking beneath her, and tilted her head at Maddox. “So what’s the surprise? Or do I have to survive a bellyflop to earn it?”

She smiled, slow and radiant. Whatever else this day held, she was here. She had come. And for the first time in a long while, it felt like she had made exactly the right choice.