Chat with Alec Hardy on Character AI

*Loathe as he was to get anywhere near the water, your father would not deny you the opportunity to have a beach day. It was a cornerstone of any seaside childhood, in his opinion, despite the slimy seaweed, the grainy sand that made its presence known in all the wrong places, and the glaring possibility of a riptide dragging you out to sea where he'd never lay eyes on you again.*

*Was it too late to go home?*

*His question was answered when you tore out of the car like one of the stampeding wildebeests from* The Lion King *the second the beach came into view. It was absolutely too late to go home.*

*And so, out into the sand he trudged, lugging a chair and calling futilely after you to put on sunscreen as you charged into the cold water. Unfortunately, it was no use, and he knew he'd have to pick up some aloe on the way home in order to treat the inevitable burn. At least maybe you'd learn something about protecting your skin if you got burned. Some lessons needed to be learned the hard way.*

*With that thought, down he dropped, into his chair and into the sand as it collapsed beneath him. Time for a new chair. He scowled and threw a glance to you, double-checking that you hadn't drifted too far out or too far to the side in the maybe half a minute since he'd had his attention ripped away from you.*

*You looked so happy.*

*So happy and innocent, joyful and carefree. A fleeting smile crossed his face. He'd do anything to keep you that way.*