( all he does is hum in response; yes, he did have to do that. does it matter? they're in a bathtub, sitting in water, they should be wet. a few water drops on his face won't kill him. not if anything else has thus far, anyway.
like a dutiful little spouse, wolfwood sits there silently while vash lathers up the shampoo. well, the intention is to sit there silently, but the feeling of nails dragging over his scalp winds up drawing a sound from wolfwood. it feels good, really good. better than he thought it would. he lets his eyes slip closed, tips his head to the side, exhales an almost content-sounding breath. so, vash is safe from more splashes.
for now.
this might be the most docile wolfwood has ever been. who knew a simple scritch behind the ears would have him silent. he relaxes a little more against vash's leg that's pressed against his back, drapes an arm over the edge of the tub. he has a passing thought to say something, but doesn't. why fill a silence that isn't tense? )
[Vash is kind enough that he doesn't comment on the sound. Instead, it makes his expression soften somewhat; it makes him redouble his efforts too. He takes his time, careful with his non-humanoid hand, using the pad of his thumb to run pressure over the muscles in Wolfwood's neck, working out a knot he's found just under where his skull starts.
He works like this for a few minutes, before he leans forward, his chest pressing to Wolfwood's back as he reaches for the showerhead in front of them. He tests the water first before he starts to rinse the soap free from now clean and eggless hair. It's warm here, a comfortable heat that cradles the rather domestic silence neatly.]
Keep your eyes closed. [He doesn't want to get soap in them.]
( the slight massage is unexpected, though not unwelcome. it's painful in that way that things feel really good; if he groans as vash's thumb presses into that knot, that's his own business. wolfwood can't say he's ever really relaxed, but this is the closest he's ever gotten to it, so vash should feel special.
in fact, he's indulgent enough in the quiet moment between them that he doesn't even flinch when he feels vash press against his back. he can feel some of the scars that litter his body and he kind of wants to ask about them, but it's likely not the right time for that. another time, maybe.
he tips his head back and dutifully keeps his eyes closed, seemingly content enough to continue this warm domesticity and let vash do as he pleases. it's the least he could do since he interrupted his bath, after all. )
[He tests the water first, but once he has the showerhead in his hand, water running, he starts to rinse the soap from Wolfwood's hair, muttering a quiet apology when a little of the water runs over closed eyes. That's why he'd wanted them to stay closed to begin with. He makes sure to check the whole of Wolfwood's now clean scalp as he sets a hand on the other man's shoulder.]
There. You don't have to worry about egg anymore.
[It's accidentally muttered right into Wolfwood's ear as he leans in again to replace the shower head back where he got it. If he's honest with himself, he finds the proximity comforting in a way. Maybe that's why he doesn't particularly mind doing something as simple as this for his friend.]
( the water sluicing down over his face doesn't really bother him. beats having sand constantly exfoliating the top layer of his skin off on the daily back home. and, in spite of that, it all feels really nice. wolfwood has always taken care of himself, and sometimes others ( livio, mainly, but whatever; the orphanage will always be a special place to him and he'd take care of those kids — but that's another story entirely ), but no one's ever taken care of him before. this is something entirely new to him, and as strange as it may feel, he finds he actually enjoys it.
that's something he's going to have to unpack later.
for now, he actually just ignores the way gooseflesh prickles along his skin as vash speaks so closely to his ear like that. he shifts when vash does, leans back against him as if this is something normal. this is fine, right? )
[The way they move more or less has Wolfwood against his chest, Vash's scarred legs bracketing him on either side. More water sloshes over the side, and Vash mourns the chore of cleaning the bathroom later but for now, he just lets his back rest against the tub, metal arm hanging outside the bath to keep it as dry as possible. He probably should have taken it off, but he's not quite to the point where he's ready to be that defenseless in this world.
His other hand still toys with some of Wolfwood's wet locks, and he thinks that right now somehow this is far more comfortable than he was before, alone. He lets his head tip back against the wall, a long exhaled sigh escaping through his nose as he wills his muscles to relax a little.]
Don't fall asleep.
[He says, as he already feels his eyelids drooping.]
( well, at the very least wolfwood may possibly help with cleanup. maybe. he'll have to see how he feels after they get out of the tub. he may have to go get some clothes, though. because he has no clean ones in here, but that's a future wolfwood problem.
in some way, this reminds him of being a kid, when he and livio would find some spot to just watch the sky or get up to something little kids aren't supposed to be getting up to. livio would tuck up against him as the sun crawled across the sky; wolfwood would lay there, pondering the future and how once he was old enough, he'd really protect livio, protect the orphanage, just do something worthwhile with his life.
things sure turned out differently.
he looks at vash's arm hanging over the edge, looks at the nearest knee and all the scarring on it. what a stupid idiot to be hurt this much. his drags a finger over the slope of his knee, pushing droplets off his skin then glances over his shoulder toward vash. )
[His hand moves from Wolfwood's hair to wrap loosely around him instead, submerged in the water as he dozes. He's conscious, his awareness still just over the horizon of sleep. He registers the touch to his knee just barely, the limb twitching a little but overall he doesn't move. He's comfortable where he is, the scent of shampoo and soap heavy in the air.
It's okay if they stay like this for a few minutes, Vash's guard down, the tension in his muscles easing thanks to the heat of the water and the comforting pressure of wolfwood leaning back against him.]
( a few minutes becomes ten, fifteen, maybe twenty. wolfwood doesn't really sleep, he might doze for a minute or two, but his mind is still very much aware and alert. but, there is a comfort here that he's not used to having so he's allowing himself the few precious moments to enjoy it before things return to their normal of being annoyed and annoyer.
but, when the water really begins to cool and it becomes less warm and more uncomfortable than cozy, wolfwood opens his eyes and exhales a long breath. they should get out and get dressed. )
Alright. ( he leans forward and hits the drain to start letting the water out. ) Come on, it's time to get out.
( he stands up, probably could've put a little more space between them when he does because his butt might be in vash's face for a moment ( oops ) before he steps out of the bath. he reaches for a towel to begin drying off before looking toward vash. )
[Vash stirrs the moment Wolfwood moves, which means his vision is absolutely obliterated by the sight of Wolfwood's entire ass. He claps his hands over his face immediately, wincing a little bit with the enthusiasm his prosthetic hits his face. He doesn't even bother answering for a minute until he registers that the water is receding and rapidly removing any shielding he has for his OWN body.
He peeks from between his fingers, his cheeks rosy from either the bath or his nerves and he sort of just sits there as the water drains, more scars and patches of rough skin and implants being exposed by the moment. He laughs and in a comically funny scramble he pulls himself up out of the water in the same baby gazelle like motion as him reaching out to grab a towel.]
Okay, okay! I'm out... it was getting cold anyway.
not that it's not already, but the less they think about things, the easier this is. wolfwood is pretending everything is fine and normal and not a big deal. there's no reason for vash to freak out like he is. this is fine. it's
all
fine.
but, to save vash from tripping over the tub and crashing to the floor in a heap of limbs, wolfwood secures the towel around his waist before he leans down to collect the clothes he kicked off on the way in. though this bath was more or less an accident for them to enjoy together, wolfwood kind of feels like he wouldn't mind if it happened again. but, he knows he'll have to barge in again and not ask vash about it. )
Out? [He's busy ruffling a tower through damp hair, which, when he stops, has it standing more on end than it normally would, pieces of hair falling into his face at odd angles.
If he looks wolfwood over, it's quick and furtive, his gaze falling to his feet and the tile floor again. Wait.]
Oh. Haha, right! Because of the groceries... We can get more after if you want. But we should probably avoid the route you took.
[He says this as he very elegantly toes around where Wolfwood is standing and then ducks out of the bathroom and hopefully out of swatting reach.]
( when vash moves the towel and his hair is sticking out all akimbo, wolfwood just stares at it for a moment, another. then he exhales, ready to read vash the riot act for not remembering what they just talked about like twenty minutes ago, or however long they were in the bath. but, vash remembers all his own and wolfwood just shakes his head.
dummy.
he waits until vash leaves the bathroom and follows down the hall a bit until he gets to his room. he walks in, hand lifted to wave over his shoulder as he tosses his clothes to the side to a gathering pile there — he should do some laundry soon. )
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like a dutiful little spouse, wolfwood sits there silently while vash lathers up the shampoo. well, the intention is to sit there silently, but the feeling of nails dragging over his scalp winds up drawing a sound from wolfwood. it feels good, really good. better than he thought it would. he lets his eyes slip closed, tips his head to the side, exhales an almost content-sounding breath. so, vash is safe from more splashes.
for now.
this might be the most docile wolfwood has ever been. who knew a simple scritch behind the ears would have him silent. he relaxes a little more against vash's leg that's pressed against his back, drapes an arm over the edge of the tub. he has a passing thought to say something, but doesn't. why fill a silence that isn't tense? )
no subject
He works like this for a few minutes, before he leans forward, his chest pressing to Wolfwood's back as he reaches for the showerhead in front of them. He tests the water first before he starts to rinse the soap free from now clean and eggless hair. It's warm here, a comfortable heat that cradles the rather domestic silence neatly.]
Keep your eyes closed. [He doesn't want to get soap in them.]
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in fact, he's indulgent enough in the quiet moment between them that he doesn't even flinch when he feels vash press against his back. he can feel some of the scars that litter his body and he kind of wants to ask about them, but it's likely not the right time for that. another time, maybe.
he tips his head back and dutifully keeps his eyes closed, seemingly content enough to continue this warm domesticity and let vash do as he pleases. it's the least he could do since he interrupted his bath, after all. )
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There. You don't have to worry about egg anymore.
[It's accidentally muttered right into Wolfwood's ear as he leans in again to replace the shower head back where he got it. If he's honest with himself, he finds the proximity comforting in a way. Maybe that's why he doesn't particularly mind doing something as simple as this for his friend.]
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that's something he's going to have to unpack later.
for now, he actually just ignores the way gooseflesh prickles along his skin as vash speaks so closely to his ear like that. he shifts when vash does, leans back against him as if this is something normal. this is fine, right? )
Thanks. Not so bad, Blondie.
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[The way they move more or less has Wolfwood against his chest, Vash's scarred legs bracketing him on either side. More water sloshes over the side, and Vash mourns the chore of cleaning the bathroom later but for now, he just lets his back rest against the tub, metal arm hanging outside the bath to keep it as dry as possible. He probably should have taken it off, but he's not quite to the point where he's ready to be that defenseless in this world.
His other hand still toys with some of Wolfwood's wet locks, and he thinks that right now somehow this is far more comfortable than he was before, alone. He lets his head tip back against the wall, a long exhaled sigh escaping through his nose as he wills his muscles to relax a little.]
Don't fall asleep.
[He says, as he already feels his eyelids drooping.]
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in some way, this reminds him of being a kid, when he and livio would find some spot to just watch the sky or get up to something little kids aren't supposed to be getting up to. livio would tuck up against him as the sun crawled across the sky; wolfwood would lay there, pondering the future and how once he was old enough, he'd really protect livio, protect the orphanage, just do something worthwhile with his life.
things sure turned out differently.
he looks at vash's arm hanging over the edge, looks at the nearest knee and all the scarring on it. what a stupid idiot to be hurt this much. his drags a finger over the slope of his knee, pushing droplets off his skin then glances over his shoulder toward vash. )
Don't you, dummy.
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[His hand moves from Wolfwood's hair to wrap loosely around him instead, submerged in the water as he dozes. He's conscious, his awareness still just over the horizon of sleep. He registers the touch to his knee just barely, the limb twitching a little but overall he doesn't move. He's comfortable where he is, the scent of shampoo and soap heavy in the air.
It's okay if they stay like this for a few minutes, Vash's guard down, the tension in his muscles easing thanks to the heat of the water and the comforting pressure of wolfwood leaning back against him.]
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but, when the water really begins to cool and it becomes less warm and more uncomfortable than cozy, wolfwood opens his eyes and exhales a long breath. they should get out and get dressed. )
Alright. ( he leans forward and hits the drain to start letting the water out. ) Come on, it's time to get out.
( he stands up, probably could've put a little more space between them when he does because his butt might be in vash's face for a moment ( oops ) before he steps out of the bath. he reaches for a towel to begin drying off before looking toward vash. )
I'll throw you out if you take too long.
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He peeks from between his fingers, his cheeks rosy from either the bath or his nerves and he sort of just sits there as the water drains, more scars and patches of rough skin and implants being exposed by the moment. He laughs and in a comically funny scramble he pulls himself up out of the water in the same baby gazelle like motion as him reaching out to grab a towel.]
Okay, okay! I'm out... it was getting cold anyway.
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not that it's not already, but the less they think about things, the easier this is. wolfwood is pretending everything is fine and normal and not a big deal. there's no reason for vash to freak out like he is. this is fine. it's
all
fine.
but, to save vash from tripping over the tub and crashing to the floor in a heap of limbs, wolfwood secures the towel around his waist before he leans down to collect the clothes he kicked off on the way in. though this bath was more or less an accident for them to enjoy together, wolfwood kind of feels like he wouldn't mind if it happened again. but, he knows he'll have to barge in again and not ask vash about it. )
Once we're dressed, we'll head out.
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If he looks wolfwood over, it's quick and furtive, his gaze falling to his feet and the tile floor again. Wait.]
Oh. Haha, right! Because of the groceries... We can get more after if you want. But we should probably avoid the route you took.
[He says this as he very elegantly toes around where Wolfwood is standing and then ducks out of the bathroom and hopefully out of swatting reach.]
no subject
dummy.
he waits until vash leaves the bathroom and follows down the hall a bit until he gets to his room. he walks in, hand lifted to wave over his shoulder as he tosses his clothes to the side to a gathering pile there — he should do some laundry soon. )
Yeah, yeah, smartass. Ten minutes.
( and he'll leave with or without him, too. )