[Open] It's getting hot in here

[showsnopiety]

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!]

Comments

[passtave]

[ Sasuke...? Is it... the same Sasuke that she shares a room with? Because he definitely looks around the same age as Miss Sakura. What are the odds that three such close people would all arrive together? Sakura almost wishes... well, there's no use dwelling on her missing retainers. But still, she's a little bit envious...

The mention of war doesn't surprise her—after all, she's fighting in one too, back home. He must be around her age too, and if the two of them are too young to be soldiers in an army, then that's why she wants to follow Corrin and find lasting peace. So people her age don't have to know war... so nobody has to know war. Maybe he's fighting for the same thing...? ]

She was very kind to me... she comforted me when I was sad. [ Her tone is almost hushed, as if she's conscious of the reverence his voice holds for this person. Relaxing a little, she pulls her knees up to her chest under the water, her smile rounding out in reaction to the tenderness in his gaze. ]

U-Um... is Sasuke here too? My roommate is Mister Sasuke...

[acknowledges]

[There's something about the way this girl speaks that quiets him. This is an unusual experience for Naruto because he is, almost by definition, a boy that can't stop moving. There's a boundless energy thrumming through his veins at all times, trying to escape, trying to find the air maybe. But every once in awhile Naruto has found himself keeping company with someone who holds him still- even if it's just for a little while.

He hasn't seen Sakura-chan all that much since he got her, they seem to have been busy right away. But that sounds like her. Comforting a stranger. Beneath her impossible strength, she has been and always will be that girl who ran between her teammates- ready to cast herself between them if she had to.

His mouth opens, reply at the ready, but she continues and there's... there's suddenly something so cold.] Your roommate... [Is Sasuke...]

Sakura-chan... do your best. I believe in you.

[passtave]

[ Ah... maybe Naruto and Sasuke have a... complicated relationship... because the way he says that makes it sound like Sakura should be pitied for her roommate. But to her, Sasuke doesn't seem that bad—sure, he's pretty hard to read and (to her) very, very intimidating, but she's noticed that he's quiet and tends to just keep to himself. Half the time she can't even tell that he's there, to be honest... if he's even there half the time.

But... ah, she supposes there is one thing... ]

H-He's not a bad roommate... [ Always generous, this one. ] I-I'm just not used to living with a m-man.

[ Her siblings would probably be offended on her behalf, actually. Sakura herself isn't that prudish, even though she definitely changes in the bathroom instead of risking anything else, but it's still a... bit of an adjustment. For one thing, she was so accustomed to having a lot of space to herself where she could relax without anybody watching. ]

[acknowledges]

[Maybe there isn't a better description for it than complicated. Naruto knows that he couldn't possibly hope to explain the things between them with something as simple as words. Even now when Naruto looks at him, he can't just see the person he is here- he sees everything they've ever been. He remembers the boy at the edge of the dock. He remembers the teammate that nearly died to protect him from senbon needles. He remembers the desperation of his peers trying to stop a kidnapping and he remembers the curse mark when it spread. He remembers chidori punching through his chest and the first time they saw one another after three long years. Sasuke is the person he promised to die with if it came to that- a boy as alone as he'd been and one bearing an impossibly heavy burden.

And also- his friend.

Just as it had with the mention of Sakura, there's a fondness that moves over his features, a little bit resigned and a little bit helpless.]

Don't worry, he's not the kind of guy to peek. Lots of girls in the village always liked him, but he was always interested in training instead. I don't think he'd do anything weird just because he's old now, but he's definitely a jerk.

Ano ano- Sakura-chan, if he says anything mean to you you lemme know and I'll go beat him up, okay?

[passtave]

[ Definitely complicated, if he can call Sasuke a jerk with such a tender look on his face. Boys are so strange... ]

H-Huh? [ She blinks at the question, caught a little off guard. She hadn't expected Sasuke to do anything mean—she hasn't known him for very long, of course, but he really doesn't strike her as that type of person... he's intense and a little gruff, but so is Big Brother Ryoma to people that don't know him. Not to mention the fact that he saved her from that dragon! He can't be that bad.

Maybe this is just another boy thing... ]

O-Okay. I will. [ Naruto seems pretty intent on the idea of beating Sasuke up, so she'll humor him on this one. ] Thank you.

[ The gratitude might seem a little out of the blue, but her smile is earnest. She's glad that he's so willing to look out for her, even if it's probably just because he wants to fight his teammate. For someone as shy as she is, it's always been hard for her to make friends... but he's already acting like they are, and she's grateful. ]