[ OPEN ] Hot Springs Episode!

[shri]

CHARACTERS: EVERYONE
WHERE: The Second Flight
WHEN: DAY :022
SUMMARY: The Sauna!
WARNINGS: Nekkid times.

[ A few hours after the murder, she hasn't blown the ship up, and here they are. Another knock knock on everyone's brain: ]

( For those of you that are interested - I have secured us a place at the Sauna. Free for us to be use without interruption from outsiders.

You are to be clean before you come in. )

[ Maybe you're here because she bullied you, maybe you want to soak - maybe you're the poor bastard that is standing guard at the door. Either way, welcome to the Suana, have fun. Or don't. ]

Comments

[shiro2hero]

From where he'd sat himself, on the edge of the pool, all he can see is the back of her shoulder. Which works out great for him. Him and his shirt-and-rolled-up-pants wearing nonsense. He figures he'll just cite the arm and leave it there, if asked.

But this is Aloy, and he can relax a bit, where she's concerned.

"Well all owe Lakshmi big time for this one. I'm not sure I want to know how she managed to pull these strings."

[huntsmachines]

Her shoulders and the mass of her braided hair. Aloy glances back over her shoulder at Shiro and beams happily--there's not much that's going to bring her down right now. She reaches back to begin unbraiding her hair, then starts to shift herself closer to Shiro. Immodest as always, that means turning more fully towards him.

"We do! It's a relief to be out of those robes for a bit. Can you help me get my braids undone before I get my hair wet?"

[shiro2hero]

He offers her a smile in return -- tired, but sincere. Just averting his eyes as she starts to turn. He won't run or overreact this time, he's learned by now. But staring still seems... off. Still seems like something you should avoid.

"Never thought I'd be glad to get back to the station."

The words trail off. And the hesitation this time has nothing to do with her being naked.

"I can try. Braids aren't really my specialty..."

[huntsmachines]

Shiro's meticulous concern for her modesty amuses Aloy more than anything, but she's not going to push him to do anything that he finds uncomfortable. So she laughs and shakes her head.

"Undoing them is fairly simple. It's not as if I'm asking you to do all them up again, you know."

[shiro2hero]

"Aloy you're doing your hair a bigger favor than anything, not asking for that part."

Shiro is not too proud to admit he'd be hopeless with the braiding. Completely. It's not something he'd ever had to practice, after all.

But in the end, he scoots closer.

"Where do I start?"

[huntsmachines]

"It's not hard, honestly. There are some ties at the bottom of the braid. Take those out and then unplait the hair. Run your fingers through it to get rid of any knots. A comb is better if you have one." Aloy tilts her head back a little and smiles. Shiro is so clumsily earnest and kind at times, it makes her want to laugh.

"Make sense?"

[shiro2hero]

"Fresh out of combs, sorry."

Take the ties out, undo the hair. Treat it like wiring, right? It seemed simple enough. Even as part of him is debating asking Pidge for a tip or two. He holds up his right hand as she glances back, though, waving the fingers.

"Does this count?" It's mostly a joke, but he does start gently unwinding her braids.

[huntsmachines]

Aloy looks back at Shiro and gives a soft snort of amusement as he wiggles his metal fingers.

"I think it counts," she says with a wry grin. Then she perks up a little more. This is really the first time she's gotten a clear look at Shiro's arm and it's a little exciting.

"I've never met someone with a machine arm before. How does it work?"

[shiro2hero]

"Good. Because that's about all I've got on hand."

Get it Aloy? Please get it. These kinds of jokes are all he has left of his stupid sense of humor.

But he's careful. Very careful, untangling the strands of her hair, his whole focus on it. It helps -- to keep his brain from completely shying away from the question.

"I don't know," he tells her. Honestly and simply. "I... heard it was a weapon. But aside from that, I don't have any idea."

[huntsmachines]

Aloy can't help herself. She half-snorts, half-giggles at Shiro's joke and her head dips forward for a moment as she shakes with repressed mirth.

"That was awful, but I really have to hand it to you, that was also funny." Aloy smirks even though Shiro can't see it. She's not letting him get away unscathed!

"...That must be kind of frightening. Having a weapon attached to you and not knowing what it is." She goes a little more quiet. That's definitely something to be serious about. "And it's not like you can just take it off."

[shiro2hero]

Oh. Oh you've done it Aloy. He just beams at her. Trying not to burst out laughing right there. But there's no hiding the look on his face. Or the sudden surge of gleeful amusement in his head.

"Never get caught empty-handed," he says. "Need some good one liners."

His attention turns back to her hair. Working it free more slowly than strictly necessary. For focus' sake.

"It has been." He moves to another braid. "I don't want to say I'm used to it, but, I think I've gotten there."