aesculapian | assorted non-canon and AU threads

[ they've been following the new group of shades for a while now‐ long enough to start getting an idea of their Arbiter's personality and testing goals, as well as the individual shades' patterns and habits. enough to make sure they can leave the group and catch up easily, all without being noticed if necessary— which is really just in time, because one of the more bloodthirsty teams started a messy fight yesterday and as a result they really need a bath.

thankfully, bathing is easier, nowadays. she's had time to get over self-image issues (well, some of them) and her phobia of the water, and for all that her partner tends to be quiet on her own she's very good at keeping up enough of a running chatter to distract Lilith from thinking too hard about what she's doing or the water tugging at her legs.

(but then, distracting a mopey girl from her own thoughts is probably easier than distracting someone from the fact that they're hideously injured. the serpent has had a lot of practice at that.)

unfortunately, being distracted enough not to get into a panic spiral of some sort and keeping someone distracted enough not to do that means neither of them are really paying attention to the shore. ]

[He came to bathe too, but he's not bodyshy and has no real concept of it either. Not yet. So he doesn't particularly check them out, but he's not looking away, either, when he clears his throat from not far away at all.]

Mind company?

[ things he was probably not expecting: for her to jump and sit down hard in the water, covering up as much of herself as she can ]

— what in Hell do you think you're doing?!

[ ...while that's the same voice, it's nowhere near her usual high, soft tones; it's a low, nearly snarled alto instead, although her voice cracks at the end. more than that, the skull's jaws are open; he can see both her expression and the fact that she is bright red rather clearly ]

[He startles, badly, reeling for a few seconds before shouting back, flustered and a little stung, even noticing that it must be her host.]

Wh-

I need a bath too!

[ "Oh, oh dear ... Don't yell at him, please, I can—" "I will yell as much as I like, thank you very much. I thought you were watching!" ]

I don't see a shortage of river!

[he's visibly miyazaki fluffing]

This is a good spot! And I was just asking! You didn't need to get mad, I'll take "no" for an answer, fuck!

[ starts to snap something back—

[ —only to be interrupted by the skull snapping audibly shut in front of her face.

"I do not shout at your friends. Please do me the courtesy of not shouting at mine ... ?"

...they sink down slightly in the water. ]

Please excuse her ... ? She did not mean it personally, she was just startled ...

[t-tries to unfluff. a little. snaaaaake....

tugs some of his mane over his shoulder and starts fussily yanking his fingers through the tangles, keep his hands busy so he can chill the fuck out.]

...S'fine. I was startled too.

[ pulling their hands from the water and slipping them under her skull to put on their face. uncomfortably warm cheeks...

checking briefly with her partner (who is now sulking, badly embarrassed) before confiding: ]

She has reasons to dislike being seen unclothed ... Please don't look ... ?

-Oh.

[looks away, even turning his head resolutely.]

Sorry. I can go, too...?

[ —wait why is she in control again SERPENT PLEASE TAKE IT BACK

"... I will not."

other things about snake: just because she is soft-spoken does not mean she's a pushover. whyyy. ]

...it's fine if you don't look.

...I won't look. I promise.

...thank you.

[ awkward splashing... ]

[starts. undressing.]

It's no problem, I just... didn't realize.

[ ...oh. that's. well—

"You're welcome ... ?"

...well played. ]

You had no reason to. It isn't as though my partner is shy about it...

[he is hot and very scars, if they're looking. finishes undressing pretty fast and slides into the water, but doesn't hide, letting himself adjust to the temperature slowly.]

It's just not something I think about, I guess.

[ if they're looking? ...rather, if Lilith's looking. the serpent is mostly just seeing, which is a different thing entirely.

...going entirely underwater for as long as she can stand to make herself, both to make herself stop gawking and also because getting her hair clean under the skull is an Adventure that requires thorough soaking. when she comes up: ]

Some people don't. It's somewhat cultural, in my experience.

[by the time she comes back up he's starting to wet his hair, in waist deep.]

Maybe? I don't... remember much, so I couldn't say.

[ with kind of wry amusement ]

That tends to be one of the things that doesn't require actual memory to stick. ...Thankfully, for those of us who are body shy. I'm not sure I could handle that many people running around naked.

[after starting to deal with his hair, pretty much immediately stops trying to deal with it, instead focusing on scrubbing blood off his skin.]

It's too much exposure to the environment, even if you aren't shy, just running around naked...

[ traumatic flashbacks to Jyacinth ]

...that depends on the person.

...Yeah. I guess. If they've got fur or something, clothes wouldn't really be necessary...

Some are just more durable than others, as well.

[ eyeing him... ]

... do you want help with your hair when I'm done?

...If you want, I definitely wouldn't argue.

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