Beach Headcanon
for day one of @hoperaievent
Lightning and Hope both burn very easily (fair skin family, amirite), so of course they spend forever putting sunblock on each other’s backs....and everywhere else ohoho
they like renting a beach house for a couple of weeks - it starts out as a small little couples retreat, but grows to eventually include their whole big family
Lightning likes wearing bikinis (all the better to show off her piercing, ahem)
Hope isn’t a very strong swimmer (being a city boy and all), so in the ocean, he’ll just wade out up to his knees and let the waves lap at him. Lightning’s the one who’s doing the actual swimming
she finds it kinda nice to have him looking out for her though, cause she knows he wouldn’t hesitate to go after her or rush to find help if something happened
the town where they rent their beach house reminds her a lot of Bodhum - it’s a big place, but it has a quaint, homey little feel and Hope has a feeling that Lightning relishes in that atmosphere
Lightning’s pretty much an expert at being on the beach - she always knows EXACTLY what to bring and where to sit to get the perfect breeze from the ocean. Hope has long since learned to not argue with her choices~
there’s a really good seafood restaurant in this beach town and Lightning insisted on taking Hope there when they were first vacationing in town....he was hesitant because he’s not really a seafood guy, but of course she was right about that and now it’s tradition for them to go there their first night of vacation~
after they go for a couple of years, the residents of the town start to recognize them and slip them free food and smile in congratulations when one year they’re suddenly carrying a baby between them :3
Hope’s favorite beach towel is this gaudy yellow/green/orange looking thing, and he’s sad when it eventually becomes too degraded to use.....so Lightning spends days trying to find a similar one for him and unceremoniously packs it for their next vacation. it’s worth it to see his face light up when she unveils it
Lightning really likes the feeling of sand between her toes
they never bury each other in the sand (Hope’s too worried about his hair lol), but once their daughter is old enough, she’s the one who gets buried and it’s hilarious and adorable
Lightning’s really susceptible to getting ‘sun drunk’ and Hope forever cherishes the hours when she just dozes against him and listens to the sound of the waves and the feel of the salty air~
nobody who looks at them would ever guess that they love the beach so much since they’re so pale and live in the city, but they both love getting away and getting soothed by the sand and the waves