chippedsoul | The Journal [Inbox]

[ Damn. He may have been guiding her to continue, but hopefully he is not too disappointed if she doesn't. Her eyes closed again at some point and she just rests there for now, the side of her face pressed against his chest so she could hear his heart beating. Just this is enough; she doesn't need anything else. ]

. . . There was a petal that I caught falling from the Tree of Memories. It was while I was waiting for you, during the festival. [ Just one. She never saw a need to seek out more, particularly not after the cage. ] Remind me to show you sometime.

[ For the sake of transparency... perhaps? Maybe it didn't matter anymore.

Either way, neither of them seem to be in a rush to leave the bath. She doesn't know much time has passed when the lights suddenly flicker back on above them. The sound of the storm that raged outside had been reduced to no more than a mere drizzle. ]

[This is a good distraction after what happened in the shower ok? In fact, it feels like ages since that incident had occur, lost in the moment. His hums are any indication he's listening to her. His breath on her ears as he presses his lips.]

The tree again...? [What could something from that troublesome tree be worth sharing? He can't deny that he's curious, and Susato does want to share if she's bringing it up.] There's something on that petal, about us? [Just a guess, as he nips at her ear.

Fang at this point as returned with the towels. At first she waits at the bathroom door, but then chooses to come inside when neither of them greet her. And there she'll lay on the ground, just as the lights return to the home. None of which seems to have taken Kazuma's attention away from Susato. Although, they can't keep soaking forever, unless they want to become prunes.]

[ Unlike Kazuma, Susato does look up upon hearing the door. Her heart my have skipped a beat upon the realization that they're suddenly not alone, but then the lights come on and it's Fang. Susato's mouth was open, like she'd been about to respond to him, but she lets out a laugh, seeing how Fang had burrowed herself in their towels. There may have been a little relief in it, even as all her muscles go weak at the nibble and breath in her ear. ]

No, just you. [ Words come out effortlessly and without thought, but she pauses then, feigning disappointment. ] Oh, drat. I've spoiled the surprise.

[ Hardly. ]

[Got'em. Well, he actually wasn't trying that hard to get to the bottom of it. Though it seems Susato wasn't trying to hide it as well, so he just laughs at her "disappointment".]

Who would have thought. Just can't stop thinking about me, can you? [And now he's just teasing her. He leans forward to rub noses with her, hands lightly tickling her skin.]

[ He leans forward just enough. The anticipation sends goosebumps from the tip of her nose straight down her spine. Is he going to kiss her or not? Yet she doesn't wait to find out. Their noses are still touching when she closes what little distance is between them and presses her lips to his.

Because she gets to do that now. He is hers, and she is his. ]

Forever on my mind. [ Guilty. ]

[Wonder who's more ~~thirsty~~ forward between the two of them? This isn't the first time Susato has taken the initiative to kiss him. He isn't as taken aback and more amused. Absolutely going to embrace and return the favor. Maybe going a little too hard, cause the water is getting splashed about. Were they kissing or practically devouring each other's face at this point? All he knew was that he wanted her, badly.

Eitherway, the intimacy of it all will have to sadly end sooner or later. Kazuma needing to catch his breath.] ...How are you feeling?

[ Listen. You don't put your face that close to someone else's unless you want to be kissed. She has read enough romance by now to know! The handful of books in the genre that she picked up on a whim in the month following the festival and the appearance of the Tree of Stories--they count.

Either way, she can't say she was entirely prepared for that. The splashing nearly took out the candles, which they should really blow out at some point now that the lights have come back on. She's lucky she didn't back into them. ]

Soggy. [ It's the first word that comes to mind. Breathless, she is starting to feel the weight of the water on her body. Drenched. Her hair, while clean, feels like a mop. ] But...

[ Satisfied. ]

happy.

[He's leaning back to give her a look.] Soggy. [Who are you, Gina? Ah whatever, he's in too good of a mood to care. With a shake of his head.]

Well, I'm sure I can remedy that. [Suddenly a warm breeze blows through the area for a moment. And in that moment of distraction, here comes Kazuma, putting his hands underneath so he can lift her out of the bath as he moves to stand.]

[ Well! Gina does still lives with them, but that aside, Susato simply tilts her head in visible confusion. Suddenly there is that warm breeze. She ultimately knows it must have something to do with Kazuma, but she still wonders if the candles were a part of it too. In the moment Susato glanced back, perhaps about to give them some puffs of air to snuff them out, she is hauled into the air.

A familiar squeak escapes, and her arms immediately cling to his neck as water drips relentlessly from them both. Damn. ]

Someday, I will be the one carrying you, you know.

[ Meanwhile Fang perks her head up from her towel-blankets and stands, doing a happy little circle. Oh, the humans are done? ]

Hah, I'll keep you to your word. [He has no doubt she could, just not anytime soon. More importantly, he got her again. Fang already has a towel in her mouth to give to them.]

Ladies first. [Once he's carefully gotten out of the tub, without slipping, he'll set Susato back down. His lips meeting the nape of her neck while doing so.]

[ Susato is quick to reach for Fang, intending to give her all the attention she rightly deserves. The fact that Fang had come so quickly when Kazuma appeared to be in trouble does not go unnoticed, but Susato is only human. She finds her breath hitching when Kazuma's lips caught her neck, her arm weak as she reaches for the towel. She turns to give him a look.

"Ladies first," but just for that, she's still playfully shoving the first towel at him to make him take it first. ]

. . . No, I insist.

[ Fang has already scooped up the second towel off the floor, offering it up to Susato, so no takesie-backsies! ]

[Oh, how dare she gives him the towel instead. A feign sigh as he accepts.]

If I must. [He's still chasing her with kisses, wanting to keep getting a reaction from her. Counterproductive to getting themselves dried up, but he doesn't care and is almost being playful about it.]

[ He must. With that victory in the bag, Susato easily accepts the second towel from Fang, only for a giggle that she can't bite back to escape her lips. Her grip weakens immediately under Kazuma's kisses and the towel slips, draping over Fang's head.

Yep. Definitely counterproductive. ]

Oh, sorry, Fang! [ She means that genuinely, she swears, so why can't she stop giggling. She will try in vain to reach for the towel again, though clearly she doesn't try hard enough. ] That tickles!

Yea? [Is he stopping? Of course not. He can't get enough of seeing this side of Susato, hearing her laugh so innocently.

He notice that second towel slipping though and grabs it. He pulls it up, wrapping it around the the two of them. He's trying to help, playfully. Fang is at least glad the towel isn't on her anymore, but boy these humans are doing some funny stuff.]

[ The humans, despite being exceptionally bright individually, are having a severe case of "sharing one brain cell" at the moment. Susato lets out a noise against his chest as she fumbles into him, the towel wrapping around her like a blanket. She otherwise doesn't seem to fight it much, but her cheeks are still a striking red. ]

J, Just for that, I am borrowing your clothes. [ Again. Because clearly this is the worst punishment she can give to a man with an already-limited wardrobe.

Does she need to? No. By now, she has her own change of clothes here, though she would have to see if they're clean.

Does she enjoy his scent and the freedom to move around in clothes two sizes two big for her? Well... ]

My clothes? [A bit of laughter escapes him towards the end there. He's gently moving the towel, helping her to dry. Helping, used lightly.]

You could have just asked if that's what you wanted. [Oh my god, this man is an absolute smartass.]

[ Girl, you walked right into that one.

Maybe if she buries her face into his chest she can pretend she is not embarrassed. Or maybe she isn't even here at all! ]

[ Predictably that fails. Susato's grumbles are muffled as Kazuma probably feels that ticklish vibration, and then--oh, yes. His feet lift slightly off the ground. She's actually doing it.

No snakes! No Hyde! Just Kazuma, the smartass! ]

[ Ah, but it's a shame. The floor is awfully wet, isn't it? Her brain kicks in at the last second, reminding her that this may not be the best of ideas. She also finds herself questioning whether Kazuma even deserves it. Yes, she still owed him, but so much has happened between them since.

And he was just joking, wasn't he? ]

[ Her shoulders start to slack with indecision. Perhaps if she had simply followed through, it would have just been Kazuma on the floor, naked, as it was meant to be, but she can already feel her feet start to slip as his weight pulls her down.

No. She definitely shouldn't. But it is too late.

In the next moment, the wind is knocked out of her chest, and there's no telling whether the squeaking is from Susato herself or their feet scraping against the floor. She lands on top of Kazuma, dropping like a rock.

Some really undignified noise escapes from her lips. In her head, it was a curse. ]

[Ohhh that definitely got under her skin. He's laughing until he feels his feet leave the floor.] Ah- [He probably should have seen this coming. He kind of deserves it. He isn't going to stop her, but he is grabbing onto her shoulders. Something doesn't feel right about this toss though, and Kazuma doesn't have a lot of time to react when they're both stumbling and slipping onto the ground. Only thing he was thinking was making sure he's hitting the floor and Susato's fall is cushioned.

He's going to feel this in the morning. There was, definitely an odd case of deja vu from that fall, not a pleasant one. Not important right now.] Susato?! [Fang chirps in alarm at the two of them suddenly on the ground, towels all over.

His hand is resting on Susato's head, and on her back. She's making some embarrassing noises, but otherwise, she seems fine.] ...Well, you almost had it.

Haaaah. [ There's a sigh that turns into a drawn-out groan. She has to cough some of her hair out of her mouth. She was cushioned from the worst of it, and yet that almost makes it worse. Her head is spinning, but she is just aware enough to know that Kazuma protected her, which is annoying. She can't even be mad at him properly!

She frowns, slowly pushing herself up with her hands on either side of him. She can almost imagine that she's pinning him down . . . ]

I am out of practice without Naruhodo-san here. [ She says this, but can't seem to decide whether she's joking or not. Either way, she is staring down at Kazuma, concern in her eyes. ] Are you hurt?

[He blinks at the Naruhodo remark. A chuckle.] So you're practicing with me instead?

[He isn't sure if he's joking as well. He does not particularly want to be the target of the Mikotoba takedown. Seeing that worried look on her face, he raises a hand to rest on her cheek.] Sore, but I'll be all right. I ah...do need to be able to get up.

Oh. [ Soft touches are cheating. It's a wonder that she ever stopped blushing at all this entire time--or maybe she never did. She glances away, finding it a little harder to look at him as she sheepishly does a crawl off him. So he can get up, or whatever.

She finds herself sitting seiza position, looking rather apologetic. To complete the look, she murmurs, ]

...Sorry.

[...She's so cute. He wince as he moves to sit up himself, pulling a towel with him. He then puts it over Susato's head.] Can't say I wasn't asking for it.

[Whether she asked for it or not, he's going to help dry her hair. Fang is sitting down nearby, at a lost at what to make of these hooman activities. It usually doesn't take this long for them to clean up.]

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