[ Cloud, meanwhile, is going to start stripping down his own accessories. The shoulder armor, the straps, his gloves and gear, the Buster Sword he forgot to take off at the front door so now he's leaning it in the corner of the bathroom where it'll stay until tomorrow... He even begins to take off his shirt. He'll at least have decency and wait to take off his pants for when she isn't looking or she's settled in! ]
If I do, but you're still sleepy, can I letcha go back to bed?
[ She's yet to undress, but she'll do so after she closes the faucet. There's steam coming out of the tub, too! It looks very comfortable. ]
Please go on ahead.
[ She has her armour on still, after all. And she'll wait until Cloud's back is turned before she starts to undress. It won't take her too long to join him, at least. ]
[ GOOD. Faucet off! He'll just wait for her to turn so he can drop his shorts as well. Once he's stripped himself down to nothing, sending his underwear to the hamper too, he steps past Ayaka, resting his hand on her shoulder for a brief moment. He almost forgot just how smooth her skin felt... ]
Thank you.
[ The sound of him dipping in was short and sweet, and he's got his back turned to her now as the hot water almost works instantly on him. This feels so good. Just a rinse. Wash his hair. Nothing spectacular. ]
[ Off her armour goes, placing each piece on the counter neatly. Then her skirt and her jacket, socks, et cetera. It's not like Cloud's never seen her naked before, but she wraps a towel around her as she walks over to the tub, only removing it before getting in, folding it up quickly and placing it over to the side.
[ Even when Cloud turns around to see her remove her towel as she sinks into the tub, it's just a natural step of their relationship that he doesn't gasp or watch in awe. Not in this context. He's way too tired. She's way too tired. It ultimately boils down to, "yeah yeah there she is all nekkid she's getting in the tub time to relax you two". Once she's in? Cloud is going to waste little time in dunking his head, submerging entirely for a few seconds.
Once he emerges? ]
Don't think either of us coulda waited if we wanted to.
[ Wiping the water from his eyes and pulling his hair back, it's extra droopy now. He's mindful to make space for her so that they're not just jamming their legs into one another. ]
[ Ayaka doesn't feel too crowded, at least. She'll get up after soaking long enough to shower, because she does also want to scrub and shampoo her hair. ]
Are you hurt anywhere, or just tired?
[ Admittedly, her ankle is hurting a little especially now that they're in water, but she'll manage. It's not so bad that she has to call attention to it. ]
[ Cloud's easily influenced. He just won't admit it. LKAJSDF So if Ayaka's going to scrub and shampoo her hair? He's going to wanna go to bed feeling squeaky clean too. What started off as a hot rinse was gonna turn into an outright bath.
They're already here. They're already tired. Rinsing, just to go to bed, wake up, bath again, would be a waste.
When Ayaka asks him how he's feeling, he blinks before looking down at himself. As if he was expecting to happen upon some random injury he didn't realize he'd accrued. But when he thinks about it? ]
Think I'm just tired... Which is weird for me. I never get tired. [ She'd knowβ I MEAN ] Getting our energy sapped before I pushed myself... Don't think I've actually tried going that far before.
You did very well today. I fear we would have experienced much worse if you hadn't noticed that there was something strange going on.
[ So... she's glad he's just tired and that he isn't hurt. He can rest lots and recover, and he can also get spoiled lots by his girlfriend in turn! When she has also recovered. ]
[ As she says that though, it gets him thinking... Neither of them knew, but he also had dropped his guard in the same vein. Which brings a little frown to his lips as he soaks with her in the tub. The tension in his shoulders ebbs away at least. ]
I shoulda been more careful. At first, I woulda scouted things out more thoroughly.
[ She pouts at him, and he looks back at her surprised. He was being hard on himself again, wasn't he. She points it out so quickly now, and doesn't sugarcoat it with him either. It's...a breath of fresh air. It's what he needs. She's what she needs. Which is why the smile he gives her is both soft yet apologetic. It's true. And just like that, simple words lift him up one more time.
And this time? He's not coming back down. He knows what he needs to do next time. He's going to learn from last time. And the two of them are even better for it. ]
[ It is not bad to be critical of oneself. Ayaka is the same, after all. It is Cloud who always brings her back up whenever she is that way, too. It's only fair that she tries the same thing when she's on the other side of things. ]
Though, if it will make you feel better, it was the only possible shelter we could have had in that area. [ A beat. ] ... even if there wasn't supposed to be any settlements in that area.
We can discuss it further with the guild tomorrow.
Fair enough... Guess that's an offhand compliment to that house. [ He can say that now that the four of them have literally beaten it to splinters. asfdlkj ] It knew how to throw us off.
[ Cloud's closer to the bottle of shampoo and conditioner, and he'd be faster than her so... Reaching back, he grabs both bottles before handing them over to her. ]
[ Oh! Guess this is the sign to get a move on, huh? Ayaka takes the bottles, placing a good amount of shampoo on her hand first before she starts mixing it into her hair. She's going to have to put all of her hair up on top of her head for now, unless she wants to mix it in the bath water already. ]
[ After Ayaka finishes with the shampoo, he'll ask for it back so he can get some scrubbed through his hair too. Nice and soapy and suddy. Which works! That gives the two of them plenty of time for the shampoo to work its magic while they prepare to drain the tub and run hot water for a shower. He may be overtired, but the soak did help rejuvenate him a little. Enough that he can get through this. The second the two are dried off later and see a bed though...all bets might be off. One of them is flopping first.
Until then, he reaches back to pop up the plug for the tub, letting it slowly start to drain.
He shifts from sitting in the tub across her to his knees. He can get up just fine, but he wants to be there for Ayaka more. He won't force her or reach out and grab her, but he's close enough. ]
[ The warm bath was a nice way to relax. She's far too exhausted to do anything else, but it certainly helped soothe some aches and give her just a bit more energy to be able to finish cleaning up.
She pushes herself to get up, but she does hold onto Cloud's arm to make sure she doesn't slip.
When the tub is empty and the shower water's running, she starts to clean her hair. She'd normally offer to wash Cloud's back or something, but they can be cute and romantic another time. She just wants to get clean, wash her hair, soap up and down, and be done with it.
She does, at least, make sure Cloud gets his towel first once everything is said and done. Gotta take care of her beau somehow! ]
[ Yeah, romance is the farthest thing from his mind in this case. While Cloud exercises some bouts of modesty here and there, turning his back to her when it was his turn under the shower head after her. Soaped up, he doesn't even care about styling his hair after. In fact... ]
Thanks.
[ Accepting the towel from his girlfriend, before he can wrap it around his waist, he immediately covers his head with it and starts scrubbing furiously. Every spike. Every strand. From the front. To the back. To the top. The sides. Rolling some of the longer spikes in the towel. For a good minute he does this. By the time he's done and starts wrapping his towel around his waist? ]
There.
[ Oh. ... Oh no. His hair's still got a tendency to naturally spike, but...it's also really frizzy. And poofy. How does he look? ]
Ayaka barely has any energy but that gets a laugh bubbling out of her. ]
We should both be glad you aren't going anywhere else tonight.
[ Because you do not look presentable at all, Cloud. But that's enough of that! She dries herself up with a towel before putting a robe on, and then wraps the towel around her hair. She'll have to go to her room first to get changed, but she'll join Cloud in his soon after. ]
[ Not even going to argue against it. He knows. He also doesn't care. It'd be no different from if Ayaka were all frizzy or her hair was out of sorts in the morning. He'd be there to help her brush it. Once he's properly dried off, he takes a robe as well, parting ways with Ayaka for a brief moment to go to his own room. He's not even in the mood to get fully changed... Hang up his robe, neatly fold his towel, get into a clean pair of underwear and get some comfy pants and a loose sleeping shirt. He doesn't care if they match or not.
He barely takes a couple minutes before he's deliberately ignoring looking at his bed right now. Not until Ayaka gets here. Opening his door back up, he waits in the hallway for Ayaka to show up. ]
[ Ayaka's '-' blinking up at him now that she's all ready for bed. She would have thought he'd be in bed already, but why is he waiting outside his room? ]
[ Rubbing one of his eyes, he yawns before answering tiredly, ] No, no just wanted to wait.
[ Beau doesn't wanna admit that if he's going to flop over passing out, he wants to do it with her. ...tonight was scarier than he would like to admit. They got lucky. ]
[ Bed's nice and made! He has a feeling that despite taking a fresh bath and shower, he's going to just conk out completely the moment he hits a pillow. Hand in hand with her, he slides the door shut behind them. ]
Alright. Love you. G'night.
[ Cloud's turn to tug tug...in fact, he hardly remembers how they got into the bed, everything becomes a blur. But once the two of them were nestled in bed and under the covers, it was like a massive weight was being lifted off his shoulders. He's too tired to even think about what they had gone through with the giant Hell House. So for Cloud at least? His sleep was uneventful. Any dreams he may have had weren't anything to write home about either...
It's what happens when the two return to their Spring Guild the next day, however...that would feel like a dream. ]
The Next Day, at the Spring Guild . . .
Mind repeating that again?
[ "Um...you mean the 9,000 Moon Coins?" ]
[ See your beau, Ayaka? That's the sight of the bags under his eyes getting instantly sucked away, waking up. Listen. He was a merc at one point. But he was not prepared for that. ]
[ "That's right. These things have been cropping up in distant reaches of the region. And no one's been able to figure out the difference between 'em before it's too late. And since you're the first ones to claim you downed the one we found on morning patrol..." ]
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2023-12-13 09:16 am (UTC)If I do, but you're still sleepy, can I letcha go back to bed?
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Date: 2023-12-13 03:10 pm (UTC)I would like to go with you.
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Date: 2023-12-14 03:27 am (UTC)Alrighty. Together it is, then. [ A beat. Puts clothes into hamper. Is down to his shorts. ] Optional nap when we get back.
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Date: 2023-12-14 06:40 am (UTC)[ She's yet to undress, but she'll do so after she closes the faucet. There's steam coming out of the tub, too! It looks very comfortable. ]
Please go on ahead.
[ She has her armour on still, after all. And she'll wait until Cloud's back is turned before she starts to undress. It won't take her too long to join him, at least. ]
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Date: 2023-12-14 08:46 am (UTC)[ GOOD. Faucet off! He'll just wait for her to turn so he can drop his shorts as well. Once he's stripped himself down to nothing, sending his underwear to the hamper too, he steps past Ayaka, resting his hand on her shoulder for a brief moment. He almost forgot just how smooth her skin felt... ]
Thank you.
[ The sound of him dipping in was short and sweet, and he's got his back turned to her now as the hot water almost works instantly on him. This feels so good. Just a rinse. Wash his hair. Nothing spectacular. ]
Your turn.
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Date: 2023-12-14 10:12 am (UTC)She could fall asleep like this... ]
Yes. This was a good decision.
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Date: 2023-12-15 07:16 am (UTC)Once he emerges? ]
Don't think either of us coulda waited if we wanted to.
[ Wiping the water from his eyes and pulling his hair back, it's extra droopy now. He's mindful to make space for her so that they're not just jamming their legs into one another. ]
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Date: 2023-12-16 08:07 am (UTC)Are you hurt anywhere, or just tired?
[ Admittedly, her ankle is hurting a little especially now that they're in water, but she'll manage. It's not so bad that she has to call attention to it. ]
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Date: 2023-12-16 08:37 am (UTC)They're already here. They're already tired. Rinsing, just to go to bed, wake up, bath again, would be a waste.
When Ayaka asks him how he's feeling, he blinks before looking down at himself. As if he was expecting to happen upon some random injury he didn't realize he'd accrued. But when he thinks about it? ]
Think I'm just tired... Which is weird for me. I never get tired. [
She'd knowβ I MEAN] Getting our energy sapped before I pushed myself... Don't think I've actually tried going that far before.I'm all...achy? Sorta?
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Date: 2023-12-16 03:58 pm (UTC)[ So... she's glad he's just tired and that he isn't hurt. He can rest lots and recover, and he can also get spoiled lots by his girlfriend in turn! When she has also recovered. ]
Thank you, Cloud.
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Date: 2023-12-16 08:32 pm (UTC)I shoulda been more careful. At first, I woulda scouted things out more thoroughly.
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Date: 2023-12-17 08:28 am (UTC)[ Now is not the time to be saying something like that? >:c In fact, she is pouting at him from the other side of the tub because of this. ]
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Date: 2023-12-17 09:11 am (UTC)And this time? He's not coming back down. He knows what he needs to do next time. He's going to learn from last time. And the two of them are even better for it. ]
Where would I be without you...
Thank you.
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Date: 2023-12-17 01:06 pm (UTC)[ It is not bad to be critical of oneself. Ayaka is the same, after all. It is Cloud who always brings her back up whenever she is that way, too. It's only fair that she tries the same thing when she's on the other side of things. ]
Though, if it will make you feel better, it was the only possible shelter we could have had in that area. [ A beat. ] ... even if there wasn't supposed to be any settlements in that area.
We can discuss it further with the guild tomorrow.
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Date: 2023-12-18 07:25 am (UTC)[ Cloud's closer to the bottle of shampoo and conditioner, and he'd be faster than her so... Reaching back, he grabs both bottles before handing them over to her. ]
Here.
[ She can go first. ]
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Date: 2023-12-18 01:43 pm (UTC)[ Oh! Guess this is the sign to get a move on, huh? Ayaka takes the bottles, placing a good amount of shampoo on her hand first before she starts mixing it into her hair. She's going to have to put all of her hair up on top of her head for now, unless she wants to mix it in the bath water already. ]
Maybe we should just take a shower already.
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Date: 2023-12-18 07:15 pm (UTC)[ After Ayaka finishes with the shampoo, he'll ask for it back so he can get some scrubbed through his hair too. Nice and soapy and suddy. Which works! That gives the two of them plenty of time for the shampoo to work its magic while they prepare to drain the tub and run hot water for a shower. He may be overtired, but the soak did help rejuvenate him a little. Enough that he can get through this. The second the two are dried off later and see a bed though...all bets might be off. One of them is flopping first.
Until then, he reaches back to pop up the plug for the tub, letting it slowly start to drain.
He shifts from sitting in the tub across her to his knees. He can get up just fine, but he wants to be there for Ayaka more. He won't force her or reach out and grab her, but he's close enough. ]
Grab me if you wobbly.
[ He hasn't forgotten about her foot. ]
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Date: 2023-12-20 09:03 am (UTC)[ The warm bath was a nice way to relax. She's far too exhausted to do anything else, but it certainly helped soothe some aches and give her just a bit more energy to be able to finish cleaning up.
She pushes herself to get up, but she does hold onto Cloud's arm to make sure she doesn't slip.
When the tub is empty and the shower water's running, she starts to clean her hair. She'd normally offer to wash Cloud's back or something, but they can be cute and romantic another time. She just wants to get clean, wash her hair, soap up and down, and be done with it.
She does, at least, make sure Cloud gets his towel first once everything is said and done. Gotta take care of her beau somehow! ]
no subject
Date: 2023-12-20 09:55 am (UTC)Thanks.
[ Accepting the towel from his girlfriend, before he can wrap it around his waist, he immediately covers his head with it and starts scrubbing furiously. Every spike. Every strand. From the front. To the back. To the top. The sides. Rolling some of the longer spikes in the towel. For a good minute he does this. By the time he's done and starts wrapping his towel around his waist? ]
There.
[ Oh. ... Oh no. His hair's still got a tendency to naturally spike, but...it's also really frizzy. And poofy. How does he look? ]
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Date: 2023-12-20 12:13 pm (UTC)Ayaka barely has any energy but that gets a laugh bubbling out of her. ]
We should both be glad you aren't going anywhere else tonight.
[ Because you do not look presentable at all, Cloud. But that's enough of that! She dries herself up with a towel before putting a robe on, and then wraps the towel around her hair. She'll have to go to her room first to get changed, but she'll join Cloud in his soon after. ]
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Date: 2023-12-21 05:41 am (UTC)[ Not even going to argue against it. He knows. He also doesn't care. It'd be no different from if Ayaka were all frizzy or her hair was out of sorts in the morning. He'd be there to help her brush it. Once he's properly dried off, he takes a robe as well, parting ways with Ayaka for a brief moment to go to his own room. He's not even in the mood to get fully changed... Hang up his robe, neatly fold his towel, get into a clean pair of underwear and get some comfy pants and a loose sleeping shirt. He doesn't care if they match or not.
He barely takes a couple minutes before he's deliberately ignoring looking at his bed right now. Not until Ayaka gets here. Opening his door back up, he waits in the hallway for Ayaka to show up. ]
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Date: 2023-12-21 11:03 am (UTC)[ Ayaka's '-' blinking up at him now that she's all ready for bed. She would have thought he'd be in bed already, but why is he waiting outside his room? ]
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Date: 2023-12-22 09:48 am (UTC)[ Rubbing one of his eyes, he yawns before answering tiredly, ] No, no just wanted to wait.
[ Beau doesn't wanna admit that if he's going to flop over passing out, he wants to do it with her. ...tonight was scarier than he would like to admit. They got lucky. ]
M'good.
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Date: 2023-12-22 10:20 am (UTC)[ This rest is way overdue. ]
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Date: 2023-12-23 01:42 am (UTC)[ Bed's nice and made! He has a feeling that despite taking a fresh bath and shower, he's going to just conk out completely the moment he hits a pillow. Hand in hand with her, he slides the door shut behind them. ]
Alright. Love you. G'night.
[ Cloud's turn to tug tug...in fact, he hardly remembers how they got into the bed, everything becomes a blur. But once the two of them were nestled in bed and under the covers, it was like a massive weight was being lifted off his shoulders. He's too tired to even think about what they had gone through with the giant Hell House. So for Cloud at least? His sleep was uneventful. Any dreams he may have had weren't anything to write home about either...
It's what happens when the two return to their Spring Guild the next day, however...that would feel like a dream. ]
Mind repeating that again?
[ "Um...you mean the 9,000 Moon Coins?" ]
[ See your beau, Ayaka? That's the sight of the bags under his eyes getting instantly sucked away, waking up. Listen. He was a merc at one point. But he was not prepared for that. ]
[ "That's right. These things have been cropping up in distant reaches of the region. And no one's been able to figure out the difference between 'em before it's too late. And since you're the first ones to claim you downed the one we found on morning patrol..." ]
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