pawnstorm | [Open] It's getting hot in here

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[Open] It's getting hot in here

Who: Caren and anyone visiting the hot springs!
When: Post dungeon, could be right after fail/success, could be days after
Where: Hot Springs of course
What: There's a hot springs, so now there's a hot springs episode.
Rating: Could be a p-13 and beyond because some people are only wearing towels in this place.

[Win or fail, everyone needed a reason and a way to relax. With the fall of the towers, there was all sorts of good things to come from it. Some would say it was the birds; and others would say it was the hot springs.

The large, large pools of heated water. Sure, they could be used as a way to get all steamed up (or even steam punk) but after all that hard work, everyone deserves a break!

Bring your swimsuits, your towels, your drinks and snacks-who knows, you should be able to find them in the bazaars, or even on Airy. It's time to soak in the heat!]

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[His face might have been bright red for a while now, but at those words he can't help growing pale.]

Please don't. I won't feed you anything.

[Especially not the gelatin spit. So much for trying to sound menacing, Gil...]

[You tried Gil, you really did. But you're dealing with a woman of menace.]

You can feed me.

[She huffs softly.]

Just don't feed me that.

Like I need to...you've brought enough snacks for yourself.

[He's still missing the point, sort of.]

Are you feeling better? Can we, um...

[Words are hard. It's been barely a minute or two, though...what is he expecting, really.]

Those aren't for me. They're for everyone else.

[She huffs. She thought that was obvious. And when he starts his awkward little stutter, she reaches up to poke him on the cheek.]

Calm down. Unless you're suggesting a way to speed this up, I will not hear of it.

[Huff. He started it. Might as well finish it.]

Or is this your way of saying you find me attractive Gilbert? I never would have thought.

That's really nice of you—

[Of course he had no idea. It's difficult to speak up clearly when his cheek is being poked, but he tries nonetheless.]

Uh, right.

[Why this is his life.]

I never said anything like that?! Hmph...

[At least she's not grabbing his cheeks? But then she won't get to see how cute his face gets when he's all flustered! Her hand drops in any case.]

I have my moments. As for attraction, don't forget. You would be considered a fine, attractive man yourself, worthwhile to any man or woman who was interested in you.

[Pause.]

Until you opened your mouth.

[He's about to say that's really nice of her, but then she drops the bomb. The bomb which hits him quite hard. So hard that his reaction is delayed, even.]

Be quiet, you're slowing things down.

[Of course she isn't because talking doesn't affect mana exchange, but he needs to say anything before he goes completely silent, offended by her words. Maybe if he was a different kind of a man, he would find a more effective way to shut her up, but it's Gil. It doesn't even cross his mind.

Instead, he's going to hold her without saying anything else for at least a few minutes.]

[Wow that really got to him, didn't it? She has to smile a little, and snicker quietly. She could apologize-though she rarely does so, and never directly-but she's not sorry.]

Aaaah. Gilbert is rather sensitive.

[She's still being used as a head rest, or she would have turned her head. She has to settle for letting her finger go down, and lightly doodle against the side of his leg.]

Maybe it would be different if you didn't sputter so much. Do I fluster you so? Or is it so hard to deal with people?

Another woman might take it as a sign of interest, you know.

[Still no verbal reaction.

Because saying that there's no reaction at all would be simply a lie—his whole face grows hot, especially when the tip of Caren's finger is tracing a pattern over his skin. It's impossible for him to keep silent under these circumstances for too long.]

Stop blabbering nonsense...

[He even reaches out to grab a snack from one of the trays, hopefully to feed her if she'll keep saying stuff like these.]

[She could almost feel him sweating. He's got a bit of a problem when it comes to Caren; she's having a great time, and that means she's going to tease him more. Though if that means Gilbert tries to shove something at her mouth, he might end up bitten.

Not entirely anyones fault, it's just reflex.]

I don't think it's nonsense.

[Of course he's going to do just that, especially since he's out of better ideas. All that matters is to make her stop talking (and embarrassing him), even for a short while. Gil shifts his body a little and tries putting a cracker into her mouth.

Tries is the keyword because it doesn't end too well either for his fingers or the cracker.]

Why did you do that?!

Reflex.

[Which is true. She did do it on reflex, and the cracker (what got in) ends up shoved into one cheek. It's easier to talk that way.]

Your fingers-let me see.

[Oh look Gilbert, she's concerned!]

But—

[What kind of a reflex is this, he wonders. At least he learned his lesson (probably) and won't feed her without consent.]

I'm fine...it's just throbbing a little.

[To think of it, being bitten is just another way to exchange mana.]

[A terrible one, really. She makes a small noise, and moves to take his hand. Even if he doesn't, she can still make a sweeping gesture.]

I do not think I broke the skin, but I can take away the pain.

[One second, have to quickly chew on that cracker that got in and swallow. It's digging right into her cheek.]

Take away the pain?

[Does she know healing magic? It must be the case, she wouldn't say what she has just said, otherwise.]

Wait, you're still short on mana...and it doesn't hurt that much, I'll be fine, seriously.

Consider it a way of repaying the favor.

[And since Gilbert didn't move to cover her mouth, she's going for it, she's going to say the spell.]

Pain is a kindly, hopeful thing, a certain proof of life.

[The throbbing vanishes. If it were possible, Caren has grown a little paler, and she tensed moments after, clearly in pain herself. Didn't tell him about that part did she.]

[He sure took into account that she'll lose mana, but he had no idea that it would be that much. It may be just him, but Caren looks like she's going to collapse any moment now, so Gil wraps his arm around her on a reflex to support her if needed.]

Damn, what did you do? It wasn't worth it.

[At this point, he's not even angry with her, just with himself for letting her do this. With his other hand, he brushes the bangs off her forehead and sighs softly.

It's going to a never ending loop of favors, but letting her suffer is not an option.

That's why, with his heart racing wildly in his chest, Gil presses his lips against Caren's forehead and stays still for a longer while.]

Just a healing spell.

[She mutters the words, feeling dizzy. Her eyes close, and she thinks, maybe, if she just takes a few moments, she won't fall over. She'll be fine. Then she...feels it.

It's warm. She feels the mana going through her, strengthening her, before she realizes why. A kiss on the forehead? It's tame, but between that and the grip he holds on her body, she's no longer courting a faint. But this is bold, for him.]

Gilbert...?

[He can stop now, she's fine. She didn't need this in the first place.]

[He knows that much but asking further questions will get him anywhere. It doesn't really matter, what's done is done. Now he needs to focus on something else.

If something as focusing during the kiss is possible. Actually, he gets a little dizzy but manages to stand more or less firmly. Hearing his name makes him pull away to clear his throat.]

It was just for the sake of the mana exchange.

[This should be enough of an explanation, right?]

[He's holding his breath for this forehead kiss, isn't he. She wouldn't be surprised if he did.

But she's looking up at him, a little...bewildered, before nodding. She'll just...reach up, take his face in her hands and...

lean in to kiss his throat or chest, if he lets her.]

Just for mana exchange.

[It's not even a matter of whether he's going to let her do this or not—his body simply refuses to cooperate with him as Caren leans in, leaving him defenseless.]

I-If that wasn't enough, I...I can do that thing again, you don't have to...!

[From now on, he's going to ask himself every night why mana exchange involves physical contact. This is too much.]

Please. I can do this.

[She touches him lightly on the chest.]

And I couldn't if you weren't being our bedrock.

[...is she teasing him again? Yes. Yes she is. Caren is a horrible person. Gilbert needs his master.]

But...you're the one who needs mana, not me.

[Why pushing someone away isn't a polite way to say no? If it was, Gil would have done that ages ago. Instead, he's looking down at her, or, more accurately, at her hand on his chest.]

If I weren't...?

[He needs Oz so bad.]

You're keeping us upright, currently. It'd be too easy for me too fall back.

[A fact, but a skewed one, aimed to his heart strings. She's being a manipulative little thing so she can get what she wants. And she's not good about sitting here with him.

It feels more intimate then a kiss would.]

And I do need mana. But for both our sakes...just once Gilbert. You don't have to do anything but sit here with your eyes shut tight.

[If he was the one to choose, he would gladly give her all of his mana (without the actual exchange, of course) so he could escape this embarrassing situation.]

If there's no other way...

[His shoulders droop, while he's watching her. He's the one at fault, if it wasn't for him, she wouldn't lose even more mana.]

Use me...this once.

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