Don't Worry, Be Happy??

[firstbump]

♥ Who: Ardbert, Gaius, Emet-Selch, Era, Estinien, and potentially others (so, mostly closed except CR?)
♥ Where: Their two houses
♥ When: A span of time after the untempering plot from last week. Various scenes.
♥ What: Dealing with the aftermath
♥ Rating: PG-13 because I'm sure someone will have a filthy mouth.

The days after they succeed feel strange, like a moment stuck in time. But they succeeded, and there are days after. It's a start.

Comments

[stardiving]

He does appreciate it, to be sure, and he definitely isn't looking.

"Mm." He steps forward and carefully takes the knife back from her, then pauses to consider, pausing for a moment to search out a wide toothed comb in the drawers around the sink. He draws it through her hair first to ensure it's even before gathering it up and slicing just below where she indicated.

(He knows that it will seem to get shorter as it dries, and that more can always be removed if needed faster than waiting for it to grow back.)

[astralera]

Era waits patiently, tail wiggling as he gathers up a comb and runs it through her hair before cutting it. Almost immediately she feels lighter, prompting her tail to wiggle in earnest. While she may struggle at times with the concept of cutting her hair, Era can't deny how wonderful it feels to be free of the added weight.

She runs her fingers through her shortened hair, then turns around to offer Estinien a pleased smile.

"Thank you."

[stardiving]

He very deliberately does not look down, but does nod a little. "Is there aught else you would like help with?"

He doesn't phrase it as need--if she thinks he thinks she needs it, he feels that it may make her stubborn about asking for it.

[astralera]

His question is given due consideration, and while there are a few things she knows she needs some help with, Era hesitates.

"...Will you help me wash my back?" It is a simple enough request, and much less involved than helping wash her hair.

[stardiving]

Well, he doesn't want her to fall and crack her head, or pull something and start bleeding again, so this is an expedient way to make sure she won't.

He nods in response, and gestures at the bath. Go ahead, get in.

[astralera]

Fortunately the bath is barely a few steps away, so it takes all of two seconds to climb into the delightfully warm, fragrant water and be partially engulfed by foamy bubbles.

"How have you been?"

[stardiving]

"Hm? Well enough. Unlike others, I have managed to avoid grave injury for at least the last few months."

He kneels on the ground and picks up a folded washcloth from the side of the tub and wets it in the water before starting to wash--he's efficient about it, but thorough.

[astralera]

"Your aether is all..." She searches for the word. Eventually, she finds it: "Prickly."

Prickly aether or not, Era is more than happy with his thorough washing of her back. Not too long ago she would never have fathomed allowing anyone to help her like this. Now it's something... nice, not something to be feared. She lets out a tiny little hum of contentment, ignoring the enthusiasm of her tail as Estinien scrubs clean a particularly difficult (for her) to reach spot at her lower back.

[stardiving]

He doesn't note it until some of the perfumed water splashes up and over, not far but enough to wet the rug and his knees beside. He makes a little noise of surprise but--well, stopping isn't going to un-spill the water, so after a brief pause he continues--higher up.

Just when Era might think he's not deigning to answer the question:

"Considering we were in a life-or-death battle, I thought it imprudent to hold back. No small amount of Nidhogg's aether yet remains entwined with my own. Tis no danger, but calling upon it has had--unforeseen results."

[astralera]

His hand moves upwards and her tail returns to its more mildly enthusiastic wiggling, sparing the man from any further soakage. Era doesn't seem to mind at all, and leans into the pressure of his hand when it reaches the tense muscles between her shoulders.

"You'll grow accustomed to it over time," she assures him. "I always felt odd after I finished a Dreadwyrm Trance, but now it's... comfortable, like a pair of well-worn breeches, and the after effects easier to shake off."

[stardiving]

"Hm." He makes nothing more than a thoughtful noise as he finishes, handing the wet cloth back to her over her shoulder.

"Maybe so." Though now he's just uncomfortable with it--trapped in his skin that suddenly feels too soft and too small. It's not his own feelings, he knows--it's echoes from Nidhogg.

[astralera]

She takes the cloth and begins washing her front, working her way down to her legs.

"You're still you, just... a little bit more," she comments as she pulls her tail around to begin washing the scales. "It might seem like you don't fit in your skin sometimes. But... that just means you're alive, hm?"

She feels that way right now—like her skin is ten sizes too small, and she's squeezed uncomfortably inside of it. It's tiring... Like her soul is trying to burst out of her chest in its yearning to be free again. Era shivers.

"...Will you help me with my hair? I've overestimated my stamina..."

[stardiving]

"Something like that."

He certainly is alive, deserving of it or no, and it seems likely to stay that way.

He shakes his head, he'd expected something like this--though it's a little awkward to be sure. "Well I'm certainly not going to leave you sitting there. Lean back."

There's a cup conveniently next to the sink that he grabs, and careful to not dump water in her face, he starts wetting it.

[astralera]

Era does as directed, leaning back and closing her eyes. This isn't a situation she would have ever considered being a possibility, but knows she shouldn't be entirely surprised by it—Estinien, while gruff and abrasive on the surface, is a caring and kindhearted man.

"...The one thing I can recall with any sort of clarity is that I did not wish to come back," she shares with him. "I was free, and I miss that feeling.

"Is that selfish of me, Estinien?"

[stardiving]

He doesn't respond immediately, not because he didn't hear her but because he doesn't know how to.

A younger him, even only a few months, would have said yes, without hesitation. Freedom was an unknowable, inscrutable thing for a soldier in an undying war, who had sworn their lance and their life to it with the full expectation that the only freedom he'd receive in return was his inevitable death, and he'd looked down upon any who showed even a moment's weakness in wishing for it.

Until he'd so desperately wished, there on the Steps of Faith with his hard-won fingers buried in his stolen throat.

Perspective changes a man.

"...mayhap it is. That does not mean you do not deserve it.

"Though do try to choose a freedom with less dying involved."