do you believe in magic in a shared bath's heart?

[dadsandals]

The bath at the mansion really is extensive -- probably more extensive than a lot of them have seen, considering there are literally multiple pools of varying temperatures, probably statues and indoor plants or something for atmosphere, steam rooms, complimentary bath things (everything in the manor is kind of complimentary but shshhh) and whatnot.

On this particularly fine and nondescript day, though -- there's a bit of a commotion whenever you wander in butt-naked for your soak or whatever you like to do in here (you can hang from the ceiling like a bat or something we ain't the judge of you); there's two enterprising wizards flitting about poking at things.

The thing with 🪄 Cid Kagenou 🪄 is that he is Very Into Baths, and Very Into Magic, and thus the Bath Magic is one of the few areas where even his li'l old self can shine. Or not shine, given that they've all been here for 2.5 days (extremely rough estimate) and the miracle is nobody has blown up the mansion trying magic yet. But there is definitely magic happening! Since there's already steam and everything.

And then there's 👓 Yamato 👓. Yamato is Here and enabling himself by watching Cid experiment with various things in the area. Initially he probably would've tried to stop him, but seeing what Cid's been doing has made him want to try some magic experimentation of his own. Pairing a teenager who kind of knows what he's doing with a man who has no idea what's going on makes it even more of a miracle that the mansion has not been blown up yet.

But if you look even closer, you'll spot various small differences:

🛁 all of the water has bubbles in it; the hot bath in fact looks like it has small duck-shaped bubbles just sort of trundling along, occasionally a duck pops and releases a puff of scented air (scents may vary at your discretion)

🛁 the cold water bath keeps turning different colors, maybe they should stop experimenting with it before somebody ends up blue for the week

🛁 some of the statues and potted plants have been slightly altered; nothing too outrageous, but at least one or two statues have been turned into roomba replicas and there's a potted plant with leaves that look like people in the manor's faces in miniature

🛁 the steam room is letting out an intermittent screaming noise that sounds very human, but there's no one in it

🛁 some of the bath soaps are extremely bright and keep on changing colors, as if they were colored like a disco ball (rave! in the bathhouse!)

............. Enjoy your bath!

(OOC: This is backdated to before the South mission so South Wizards get in on the fun too!)

Comments

[1145pm]

Room two.

[ Tatara adds without missing a beat, sensing the question without having to dwell on it.

He leans back in his spot. ]

Any time. I can't wait to see how much you've accomplished so far.

/2

[lighthaus]

[ "Anytime."

Does Tatara know how dangerous that is to offer to someone like Khun? Probably not. Or what it means to offer something like that while holding his hand. Probably not. Or worst of all, to do all of that while having that carefree expression on his face?

Even Khun himself doesn't know, even if he's begun to recognize the shape of this sort of thing, ever so slowly. It's why there's a noticeable pause, Khun regarding everything reflecting in the bubbles before him. His gaze lingers on Tatara longer than it needs to. ]

[lighthaus]

[ ah. he blinks, recentering himself more into the present and less his thoughts, with one of his usual smiles to accompany it. ]

No complaints then if I drop by your room at 4am to steal you away. [ this isn't even a threat he will absolutely do this. and as if to punctuate that, or maybe it's just delayed reaction, khun squeezes his hand back before letting go. ]

[1145pm]

[ Though short, Tatara notices the pause. He sees the way Khun looks at him, and he tilts his head, just so, the damp strands of his hair falling into his eyes as he returns the gaze. There's a question in his eyes, why the look, blissfully unaware of what thoughts roam his mind. He searches his eyes, his face, for an answer,

But when he blinks, it's over. Khun smiles, Tatara smiles back. ]

Why would I? Especially since now I know you're going to show me something amazing like this.

[ With his hand free, he gestures towards the bloody bubble battle (is it bloody? maybe it is now,). He scarcely seems to notice he's let go. ]

[lighthaus]

They're just bubbles. Save the praise for something more worthwhile. [ it's not literally bloody since that would be unpleasant and khun's not about making his life that way unless he can avoid it, but it is very sudsy since that's how bubble beings bleed obviously. ]

What do you like? [ a broad question, but he has to start somewhere. ]

[1145pm]

[ He chuckles, like it's a joke. It sounds like Khun's telling him he'll get to see something better in the near future. And is it true? Is he going to go out of his way to show him something "more worthwhile?" That's exciting.

The question, though, catches him off guard. ]

What do I like? Mm... [ Give him a sec to think. ] Lions? The color red? [ ... ] The afternoon sun? A fine bottle of bourbon?

[lighthaus]

Got it. [ yes he absolutely will. he can work with those, but he'll probably skip on the lions because i live in agony over whether common things exist in ToG. ]

The afternoon sun is pretty specific. [ as opposed to just the sun or dawn. looks at him expectantly to explain. ]

[1145pm]

[ Tatara beams, nestles his chin in his palm (where is his elbow resting? who knows—). ]

What, you don't have a favorite time of day, Khun? [ Partial tease, partial genuine curious question.

He closes his eyes, remembers the afternoon sun streaming through the dusty windows of the bar. ]

It's the warmest time of day, perfect to nap in. I dunno how to describe it, but it feels safe. Like things are gonna be okay.

[ He cracks open an eye. ]

Y'know?

[lighthaus]

The sun is artificial where I'm from, just like the rest of "celestial bodies".

[ he says that word like it's a foreign one because it is, he picked it up from a book here. ]

So no, not really.

[1145pm]

You don't have the sun?!

[ Tatara sits up straight, totally shocked by the revelation. He tries to imagine a world without the sunlight warming his afternoon naps, and he just can't imagine it.

All things considered, Khun has probably been outside many times by this point, but— ]

I'll show you what I mean, then. I'll take you on a walk sometime.

[lighthaus]

It's a projection. [ Honestly Khun doesn't see what the big deal is because it's not like they live in darkness and it's pretty realistic as far as he can tell (he has no idea sunburn exists). but he can't help but smile at tatara's excitement, it tickling some memories from the not so distant past. ]

Invitation accepted. But if you're taking me somewhere, I want the full experience. Don't forget the nap.

[1145pm]

Whoa... [ Tatara's gaze drifts as he tries to picture a big projection of a sun to light...a whole planet? An underground bunker? What's the scale of this thing? That's...really impressive, and hard to imagine.

But then maybe a real sun is hard to imagine for Khun, too.

"Invitation accepted" draws his attention back, and he grins. ]

Then it's settled. Next time we get a sunny day, [ which is like, every day— ] I'll take you to my favorite nap spot in the training forest. Sound good?

[lighthaus]

[ the small pause here is momentary, solely in part because napping in a forest? the training forest? if they were in the Tower he could just deploy his lighthouse to make sure a beastie isn't going to ruin their day. here...well he probably should shore up his shielding magic? also he doesn't really nap, but he's kind of just going along with the flow. sleeping on the grass itself he really doesn't understand either so expect him to bring a very nice blanket whenever this happens.

all that aside, he smiles easily and nods. ]

Then it's a date.

1/2

[1145pm]

[ Tatara blinks. "Date" isn't exactly a word he's expecting (despite it, you know, perfectly slotting into the definition), so there's the briefest of moments where he looks blankly at Khun.

He wants to take it in stride, like he usually does, but he's more confused with himself in that he doesn't, if anything. ]

[1145pm]

[ But he recovers quickly, a bright, touched, excited little smile crossing his face. ]

It's a date.

[ He reaches out to poke Khun's cheek, his hand probably dripping with water from being submerged. ]

Look forward to it!

[lighthaus]

[ does he notice that pause in between him turning over all thoughts in his head? maybe.

but he definitely notices the poking, pulling a very dramatic face how dare. ]

You're going to give me unrealistic expectations, considering I already was.

[ a friendly warning(?), coupled with an enthusiastic poke in return. ]

[1145pm]

[ Tatara just giggles (hello? there are other people in the bath) and flinches playfully when Khun retaliates, and he takes it upon himself to fight back with a little splash of water. Don't make him go all out (an even bigger splash)! ]

Aww! And what'll you do if it doesn't live up to expectations?!

[ He stares at Khun in the way that tells him he is fully playing. The poke back was a declaration of war and he is ready. ]

[lighthaus]

I'll have to show you how it's properly done, obviously.

[ don't threaten him with a good time because then he'll threaten you with a good time? this logic. he also might mean this for splashing too (he definitely means it.)

...khun's usual consideration for things like these are his hair, which he spends a silly amount of time on each morning. but he'll have to redo it regardless of if it actually gets wet or not due to the steam. the very tips of blue already have a slight wave to them already, plus a few droplets from the small splash.

which is to say he is also ready and he plays dirty unfortunately. so with one hand he shoves water at tatara, expecting him to dodge it, and with the other he casts a quick impero to hit him with a splash of water from behind.

there are other people in this bath you two. ]

[1145pm]

[ For a second, what Khun says doesn't really register. Show him how it's done. He thinks, maybe, that means on the date itself. Not that there could be an implied second? He isn't thinking that far.

Mostly because he's splashed before his mind can catch up, already slowed from the heat of the bath. His hair, drying in that way hair is when not properly towel or air dried, is dampened again from the water. He laughs out loud, holds up his hands to shield himself, only to be attacked from behind as well. ]

Hey! [ Now he's soaked. Par for the course of sitting in water, but, you know. ] That's not fair!

[ He splashes Khun back with a little more force this time, but not enough to be aggressive, or to overwhelm him with water. Just because he's having fun. And the bubble creatures, have they survived the sudden turmoil... ]

[lighthaus]

I don't play fair~. [ ever, including love and bath wars. he's smirking just a bit too much to avoid the wave of water fully so he's getting more wet by the second, but he doesn't seem to have noticed.

he returns the attack of course, this time with both hands from the front. the bubble creatures are facing their version of an apocalypse, but a few of the intrepid ones have started to retreat to the other end of the bath. ]

Don't worry, I'll give you a consolation prize.

[1145pm]

[ Godspeed to the bubble creatures, because their creator(s) is (are) play fighting.

Tatara is going to really have to dry off after this, considering he was planning on just waltzing out after this. This isn't a turn he expected his day at the bath to go, but he isn't complaining. It's been a while since he's laughed this much.

Sorry to literally anyone else still in this bath, because this is quite the scene.

He flicks some water from his bangs, just to keep it out of his eyes, and he peeks at Khun before deciding to splash him back. ]

And what's that gonna be?

[ The answer will determine Khun's fate! ]

[lighthaus]

[ ...honestly he didn't really have a prize in mind, but the sight of tatara's bangs gives him an idea. ]

I'll fix your hair for you after, looks like you'll need it. It's an offer I don't extend to just anyone, so it's a rare prize. [ he bats back a handful of water, more to keep the rhythm going during their negotiations. ]

[1145pm]

Hmm...

[ Tatara brings a hand to his chin to think, fully relenting in the fight.

He was probably going to accept anything Khun offered him anyway, but. ]

I accept.

[ And Khun splashes him.

He keeps his thinking pose, and he replies with a comedic gravity: ]

I forgive you.

[lighthaus]

[ pffff, now it's khun's turn to laugh, bright and somewhat tickled. he doesn't tend to laugh often like this, though catch him laughing comedically evilly if he needs to ham it up. ]

Okay, that performance deserves an apology from me. I'm sorry I won~ [ playfully ] And I'm not sorry that I'm looking forward to our date.

[ also playfully, but there's a genuine note in there too. ]

[1145pm]

[ Tatara drops the act when he hears Khun laugh, and he can't help but laugh himself.

That was fun. This was fun. ]

Yeah, me too!

[ He says this with joy in his tone, and a bright, delighted smile.

Huh. Well. Not how he imagined his day at the bath going, but he's not going to argue. ]