chippedsoul | The Journal [Inbox]

[ He left the door ajar. Susato gently pushes it open with her free hand on her way in, still unable to say anything. The sound of running water echoes the walls, and then she sees his face by the candlelight, through the steam.

She places her candle with the rest of them. At some point on the journey over, she'd gotten a towel for herself, too. She drapes it onto the towel bar next to his, all the while staring at him. She still is, when she places a hand on the shower room door. ]

You are smiling. [ He's been doing that more lately. She thinks. ]

Hm? [He glances curiously in her direction. Honestly, he wouldn't have even noticed unless she brought it up.]

...I suppose I am. [The smell of hinoki wood fills the room. A calming citrusy aroma almost.] Am I keeping you from proceeding...? [He ask in jest.]

[ For a moment, she smiles, too. Him smiling more is a good thing, after all. The soothing aroma of the wood fills the air, which only does more to help, but before she realizes it, his expression has slipped into something else. That subtle teasing look. There is something expectant about it, and yet . . . nothing pressing at all.

Kazuma will see a brief flash of fluster before she slips into the shower room and shuts the door. ]

Yes. [ She makes sure she is heard over the sound of the water as she stands there, back against the door. Then she realizes her answer doesn't make any sense. (Was she just joking, too?)

. . . Either way, her hair loops come undone first--which is a relief. Next, her clothes are slung over the walls of that shower room, perhaps more delicately than is necessary. An additional chorus of water running from the shower soon joins the water filling the tub.

Then there's just a muffled, ] No.

[The sound of the water muffles the laughter coming from Kazuma at both of Susato's replies. Where did this constant need to tease her come from? Maybe he just wants to see what more he could pull from beneath that "modeled woman". Is that wrong for him to think...?]

The bath is ready when you come out. [The water for the bath had stopped, having filled it to a suitable amount for two that it wouldn't overflow. He puts a hand in the water. A little cool to the touch, but he'll be able to remedy that momentarily thanks to the warmth he just naturally emits. He'll go ahead and pull the ribbon from his hair in preparation to use the bath. He was sitting with his back to the shower room, in case Susato wanted moment to adjust.]

[ Susato is not expecting a response, so she doesn't really listen for one. She just spaces out, continuing to breathe in and out deeply as she feels the nervous energy leave her body. Her eyes close at some point while she goes through the motions, sweat and grime being scrubbed off every limb and strand of hair.

By the time Kazuma calls out, she has no idea how long it has been. Did she doze off? No one knows. ]

I, I'm done.

[ There's a sense of urgency in her tone. Presumably Kazuma would like to use the shower room, too. It still takes her a few more minutes, though. Her hand reaches out of the shower room out of habit to grab her towel, which she then wraps around herself. It is snug enough when she steps out, but not too snug.

. . . She makes her way towards the wooden tub before getting too comfortable, and she dips her feet in to test the water, as if sitting at the edge of a pool. ]

[He hears the water stop from the shower room, and approaching footsteps from Susato. He waits until she's dip her feet into the water before looking properly at her. He's certain at this point, that he rather likes her hair when it's down.]

Please, relax. I'll try not to be long. [The water should be warm enough now as he removes his hand. If Susato doesn't stop him, he's going to head on into the shower.]

[ She sees no reason to stop him. There is a nervous quality to the smile she gives him. She chooses that moment to toss some of her hair back behind her shoulders, as if she doesn't know what do with it.

Relax, he says. ]

Um... Okay.

[ She'll try. For a while she was content to just sit there at the edge, lulled by the familiar warmth of the water. Well after Kazuma has gone into the shower room, however, that towel comes all the way off and she finally does more than just splash her feet. It's insane how vulnerable this makes her feel. She easily sinks into the comfort of the water.

Soaking. Fidgeting. She might have blown some bubbles? (What is she, five years old?) ]

[All this happening and Kazuma isn't there to see it. It's fine, he thinks Susato probably needs a little space before he joins her anyway. He might be taking a little longer in the shower, having a bit more dirt and grim to clean off. Not a big deal, and he's soon wiping himself down with a towel except....there's blood?

He blinks, seeing blood smeared over his towel. He checks himself, there are no open wounds to be seen? He looks down at his feet, eyes widening. There was blood everywhere, and a moment later, he lifts his hand to find blood himself.] What...?! [He can't wipe it off. There's just so much. There may be some thumping at the shower door as he moves about to clean this impossible mess.]

[ Susato's eyes are closed, and she's trying to think of what the hell else they're supposed to do in a bath. Bubbles are fun, but it's tempting to doze off again. Can she just sleep through the embarrassment? (So much for a young maiden's secrets.) Luckily...or not, her eyes shoot wide open when she hears the sudden exclamation. It takes her a moment to react. She has to be sure she didn't dream that. ]

...Kazuma-sama?

[ She glances over towards the shower room, where the water is still running. She doesn't see anything unusual, and is perhaps prepared to leave it alone, but then she can hear the thumping. She cleans enough to be able to recognize something familiar about it.

The hell is he doing? After a while, she looks left and then right, as if a dream carriage might show up in the bathroom at any moment to run her over. Then Kazuma will hear the sound of approaching footsteps (or will he?)--gentle and tentative. ]

[Shit. No matter how much he tries to clean it up, there's still blood everywhere. It's going to flow out, she'll see. The water is still run, hoping it'll wash the blood down the drain. Susato will receive no reply, only this uneasy chill the closer she gets to the shower room.]

[ Something might have flowed out, but it's just water if anything. Susato checked. She's still not sure whether she should intrude on what should be his private time, but she presses her ear against the shower room door, thinking he probably just didn't hear her.

She can feel the thumping and scrubbing getting worse. She pulls back and finally knocks. ] Kazuma, what's wrong?

[Fang has made a screech from somewhere outside the bathroom, agitated by something. Don't come in here. Shit, shit, shit-]

Don't come in here! [Oh yea, that'll stop Susato. In fact, it'll probably make her worry even more. Trying to cover things up would also be pointless around her.] Just--there's just blood everywhere!

[ How is there so much happening all of a sudden? Fang's screech is somewhat distant by comparison, but still concerning. It feels like the sound goes straight into her ears and right down her spine. She turns her head, wondering what the chances are that an intruder has found his way in, but ultimately, Kazuma wins out.

Her heart feels like it stops. She pounds on the door some more, as if the barrier is suddenly a nuisance. ]

What do you mean? Are you hurt?

I don't- [The questioning, the continuous flow of blood, it's all starting to disorientate him. Fang is clawing at the bathroom door to be let in, as if recognizing something is wrong with her caretaker. There's a thud as Kazuma ends up sitting against the shower wall. Breathe. Just sit there and breath. He shuts his eyes, trying to focus on just breathing.]

[ . . .

Sorry, Fang. It's hard to listen to. Susato glances towards the bathroom door, but ultimately she continues paying more attention to the one in front of her. She is breathing faster suddenly, her sense of urgency flaring up like her inner flame. She is borderline frantic by the time she hears him thud against the wall, and finally she realizes there is no lock it all. There never was.

She's not sure what to expect when she opens that door, but she does so with a heavy slam. Her hand is shaking. ]

[ There's nothing. No blood. Just the shower running, a soaking wet towel, and Kazuma, slumped on the ground. She can see him shaking too, breathing with effort, but they can't both be stuck in this.

After taking a moment to take in the scene, Susato drops to her knees and throws her arms around him in a hug. ]

[He freezes at the sudden contact. It feels even colder in the shower. Damn. He had no idea what to say. Thought things would get better with his mind distracted. Thought he could at least keep it together around Susato.

Relax.

His arms are noodles while he tries to put them around Susato. Fang is still crying from outside. Come on, he just needs to relax.]

[ Susato shivers beneath his touch, as if only just now noticing the temperature drop. Is she seeing her breath, or is she just imagining it? Either way, they stay like this. She is determined to allow him all the time he needs.

She isn't usually one with the warm, radiant heat around her, but just for today, when he needs it the most... maybe she is.

She still needs to say something. ] Relax. I'm here.

[She's here. His grip may have tighten as he clings to her flesh. Skin? They were going to enjoy a bath, weren't they? His breathing steadies, his eyes, slowing opening. He was expecting to still see a sea of red, but there was just water. Susato before him, giving him a warm embrace. The rest of his senses eventually come back to reality, and he rest his head on her shoulder.

The temperature gradually returns to normal. Fang is still calling from outside, though not as intense as before. What a mess.]

[ She may have repeated the words a few times, waiting desperately for some sign that he was OK. I'm here. Relax. You're OK. He's OK. She glances up at the ceiling, focusing for a moment on Fang's cries, as if wanting to channel the feelings to her as well, so that she knows. It's not until the temperature starts to rise again, and she feels his head on her shoulder, that she starts to relax herself.

Tension starts to flow out of her body with the water. Susato still refuses to move. The constant stream of water starts to feel heavy against her skin, weighing her down until she plops next to him with some effort, hand slipping from his shoulder to his upper arm.

Feels like she's been holding her breath for some minutes. Maybe she has.

Was this her fault? ]

[Her presence and constant reassurance that everything's fine is honestly appreciated, even if he isn't telling her. Mostly trying to work out what to do from here. His head moves to lean against the shower wall, a hand moving to rest against the back of Susato's head.]

Sorry. [He manages to get a word out. Quietly.] I'm all right. [There is no blood anywhere to be seen.]

[ Susato leans into his touch, and squeezes his arm as her way of acknowledging his apology. Words still choke her when she tries to speak them, caught in her throat. It is difficult to speak, but whatever the case, she doesn't seem to be in a hurry to leave. ]

I'm relieved. But... someday... [ She swallows. ] Someday, I fear you will have no choice but to talk about it. [ Somehow. One way or another. She still remembers one of the first conversations they ever had here, when she asked him about the nightmares. ] I want--

[ No. Not just 'want.' ]

I will be there, when that happens. [ Whether he likes it or not. ]

Edited 2022-06-18 23:22 (UTC)

...Yes. [She's not wrong, as much as he wants to tell her otherwise.] I know you will be. [Honestly, sooner or later, he'd talk about it, if it's Susato. Just...not yet. Not on the floor of the shower room for sure. His hands lower to grip hers.]

Let's...just get up from the floor. [Turn off the water so they aren't drenched. There are still sounds of chirping from Fang.] Let Fang see that I'm all right. [Naked, but all right.]

[ What do you mean, naked--

Some of Susato's composure starts to slip as she is turning red all over again. She's still recovering from all that, and at the same time, the mention of Fang saddles her with a slight guilt. She squeezes his hand in return, then moves to stand with somewhat stilted motions as the water threatens to send her back onto the floor.

It doesn't. (This time.) A small mercy. ]

O, Of course. I would have let her in sooner, but I just-- well, you--

No, I'm glad you came for me when you did. [Really, he just-

Ah. Her face is going red. And she is exposed to him. He is looking. What were they doing?]

...We simply should not keep her waiting, that's all. [He carefully scoots passed her, still holding onto her with one hand as he makes his way out. The floor is a bit slippery outside the shower room due to the water having leaked out. He can't spot any clean towels he can use in the vicinity to cover himself so- ]

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CW: Blood imagery

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