greatoldjohn | TLV Inbox

You're more than welcome to keep them here as well, it's not like I don't have the shelf space for it. As long as you don't leave them where I'll trip over them. I'd rather not survive a cult sacrifice only to crack my head open slipping on nursery rhymes.

[It's always a little odd having the sensation of someone helping with his outfit, but he does appreciate his shoes being off faster, and he kicks them off to nudge under his chair as he stands up.]

...Christ, I don't remember the last time I had a proper bath, I might still do that first.

[I didn't want to assume.

A bath is a good idea. And you've got someone to keep you from falling asleep in the water.]

John, if I can have a hot bath then I'm absolutely going to fall asleep in it.

[He sounds delighted by the prospect, in fact, and he'll stand to walk towards it now, his hand already unbuttoning his shirt.]

The problem will be making sure I don't drown.

[ Fondly dry. ]

[Yes, well, we know I can do that.]

[That gets a little laugh, inordinately fond.]

Yes, well. Oh- what does the bathroom look like? In the real office it was just a toilet and sink.

[The floor is titled, white hexagons in a repeating pattern. To our right is a freestanding sink with a medicine cabinet and mirror just above. A few feet in is a white claw foot tub, complete with a white shower curtain. Beyond it, to the left, is the toilet and paper stand, well away from the water.

The rim of the tub is about two, two and a half feet high. ]

Ah, brilliant.

[He scoops his singlet and shirt off in one lift, and the rest of his outfit follows shortly after.]

Here, yes? [He's sweeping carefully with his foot to find the clawed feet, so he doesn't injure his- or, John's toes, and finds one shortly with the side of it, so he can put his hand on the rim.]

[ Yes, you've got it- a little more to your right. It's in the corner of the room, off center from the door. ]

[A part of him feels like he ought to be more self-conscious about being naked around John, now that they have the option to be separate. But that part is largely drowned by exhaustion, alcohol and the familiar comfort of his voice, still in his head, still in the softer moments they've had together.

So, John stays.

There's two sets of taps - one each for the shower and bath, but he misses the higher set completely with the way he aims low for the faucet first, and turns it on - pure piping hot water first, by accident, and he nearly scalds himself.]

[ Oh! Careful! That's... the other knob is about a foot over, same height if we want to adjust the temperature.

Are you all right? ]

Jesus.

[His fingers are bright red, but unharmed as he gropes quickly for the other tap, but he also gives a quiet, thrilled laugh.]

I don't think I've ever had my bathwater heat up so fast. [He lets the cold water run for a good few seconds before he bends to stick his hand into the flow again, and then rummages for the plug to jam into place.]

Where is it-- ah. [Nailed it.] Hold on, John, my feet have always been bit cold...

[And he's climbing into the tub, holding the edge with a vice grip as he carefully dips his feet in first.]

[ Feet first means toes first, meaning John gets that sensation as Arthur does. ]

[ Ooooh. ]

[ It's... nice. Very very nice. John is suddenly very glad they have a bath now. ]

[ ...and we can do this again? ]

Ohhhh, John.

[And that's definitely a moan, as he lowers himself fully into the tub, and he's so caught up in the sheer euphoria of a hot bath that he doesn't even care.]

My friend, if hot water isn't going to be an issue, I'm going to have one every fucking day.

[He slides down so he can rest his head on the edge of the tub, and turns the hot water down a bit; he wants to be fully cooked like a fucking lobster. And he'll only turn the water off when it reaches his shoulders in this position.]

[ Mmmmm. ]

[ John's response isn't so much a sound as a happy verbal purr, and it's clear that his friend is enjoying the hot bath just as much as Arthur is. ]

[Arthur's more than happy to just spend a few minutes in their companionable silence, just letting himself finally unwind. The gentle wash of steam across his exposed skin, where his elbows rest on the sides of the bath, hands in the water, his neck pressed against a cool patch of porcelain.

It's just nice.

Before he lulls into sleep completely, though, he pushes up a little, lifting his hand and brushing his hair off his forehead, checking how grimey it is now.

And then his face wrinkles in distaste, and--

He takes a deep breath, and dunks his entire self under the water.]

[ Arthu-

Oh. Huh.

...this is weird. ]

[But in a kind of neat and interesting way]

[ The water feels different on our arm when we're completely submerged like this. I never would have guessed that. ]

[For obvious reasons, Arthur doesn't speak. He's just hoping John has their eyes closed against the water, as he uses his hand to scrub vigorously at his hair. He forgot to ask if there was any soap so, fingers and nails it is.

Thankfully Doctor Tepes got to them first so there's not an obscene amount of dirt and filth still left in his hair, but it just feels better.

And he's going to stay under there, until the air in his lungs turns into a prickling burn, and finally he's forced to surface, with a sharp gasp.]

[ He closed his eyes automatically, opened them, felt it burn, and closed them again.

When they pop back up- ]

[ Why did you do that? ]

[ Just curious! ]

I, ah... I'm not quite sure. It's just... sort of what you do, in baths.

[He still needs a moment to catch his breath, swallows briefly, and then he can speak properly.]

You noticed how it feels different, when your arm is properly submerged, rather than just floating? The same goes for the rest of you. In a nice warm bath, doing it because you want to, it feels utterly divine.

[ Oh.

Well, I did like it.]

[A brief pause and then-]

[Did you need the soap? It's to your right, on a ceramic dish inlaid in the wall. Shoulder height to you right now.]

Excellent. Give me a hand with it in a bit, would you? I'll need you to wash my right side.

[He'll take it first, at least, and sit up properly to start scrubbing where he can reach one-handed.]

Oh, and- if you can, try not to let it get in our eyes. It'll sting like fuck.

[ Oh. No, I don't want that.

Pass it to me when you're done on that side.

Do we use this for your hair too?]

TLV Inbox

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject