[Open Log]

[bearshermark]

Who: Elliott and OPEN to ALL Different!
What: Beach Partyyy!
When: May 31st, all night
Where: Rockaway Beach
Rating/Warnings: Will update if needed



It's a good spot.

Two diagonal picnic tables are parked a within roasting fork distance of the fire pit. It starts as a small, flickering fire, but once everyone's gathered, Elliott takes the opportunity to kick the night off and turn up the heat with the aid of a few magical fireballs.

There's hotdogs and an overlaying grill to cook up Yotsuyu's mix of meat and veggie kebabs. A cooler filled with soda and water bottles sits further away to avoid premature melting. Cookies and marshmallows or s'mores feature as dessert- or dinner, if that's anyone's preference.

For entertainment, Roselia makes a live, musical debut with Lisa as its sole performer. Meanwhile, Elliott does his best to encourage socialization and facilitate any necessary introductions. There's even a volleyball net and ball, and at least one attempt is made to form teams and get a game going.

But for the quieter sorts, dark, ocean waves lap at the shore outside the firelight. The weather is perfectly clear, and the location affords a rare opportunity to enjoy the stars. There might even be a cat playing in the sand somewhere nearby.

Some accouterments (like cutlery or extra chairs) might have been accidentally overlooked.

...He tried okay.

Comments

[neverjedi]

"Breathe in calm and breathe out anxiety; they have nets." He nudged Bail lightly and gently, he was teasing and not at all unsympathetic.

[consortofalderaan]

Bail laughed. "It's amazing how rational I can be with patients and other people about their emotions, but when I think about my daughter in any physical harm, I am not a rational person. At least emotionally, I've never prevented her from doing things that are objectively, statistically safe."

[neverjedi]

"I don't know how my parents did it. I don't know how my student's parents do it. I think it helps that figure skating is generally not seen as inherently dangerous, but some of my private coaching students give me near heart attacks on a pretty regular basis." Which was to say he was not unsympathetic, but he also wasn't pretending to know how much more intense that was as a parent.

[consortofalderaan]

"Lots of reminding myself that she will be just fine," Bail said. "And at any given tournament there are a handful of parents doing the exact same thing... DO any of your private students want to compete on the level you did?"

[neverjedi]

"All of my students want to compete at the level I did - especially the little kids." Which was not what Bail was asking and he knew it. "My private coaching kids are pretty serious. I think the most serious will probably pursue someone more experienced at coaching than me at some point. I'm trying to shove realism and life-work balance down their throat while they're with me."

[consortofalderaan]

"Do you ever want to coach an Olympic athlete?" Bail wondered if it was pure desire to stay out of that arena again. Or if this was more of Ben's self-depreciating opinion of himself.

[neverjedi]

"I don't know," he admitted. "Leaving aside whether or not I'm capable for the moment...." Because he didn't know the answer to that, either, "I love the sport, I love competing, I loved the Olympics, but there is a lot of toxicity, especially at those levels. It can be a pressure cooker and a meat grinder. I want to encourage my students to reach for their dreams, but I also want them... capable of recognizing the pressure, maybe countering it, definitely assessing whether the payoff is still worth it to them." That was a lot of words, and a lot of thought, but he had a lot of feelings about it.

[consortofalderaan]

"Do you think you're incapable of helping them navigate all that as their actual coach?" Bail asked.

[neverjedi]

"I think that I am better equipped than some coaches I've had, less equipped than others, and that most high level competitive sports professionals would benefit from a psychologist."

Which was to say he wasn't one. And also 'I don't know'.

[consortofalderaan]

"From what I've seen and heard... I would have to agree," Bail said. "Competition can be healthy, but like all things humans do, it can be unhealthy, as well. But... I think your students are lucky to have you, you who puts the whole of their lives first, rather than just competition."

[neverjedi]

He starts to say something then realizes they don't know each other nearly well enough for that yet - too personal on his end - but maybe someday. Hopefully someday.

"I appreciate that vote of confidence." He really did. "Let's go roast some marshmallows."