VALKYRI Bath time

VALKYRI Bath time
Date of Scene:	31 January 2013
Location:	Traverse Town - VALKYRI HQ
Synopsis:	Maira and Avira have a BFF heart to heart in the tub.
Cast of Characters:	Avira, Maira

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Maira has posed:
Since VALKYRI HQ was sort of trashed by Makenshi and LASER DRAGON OF DOOM, clean up has been happening. Maira, of course, has been helping. It felt very strange to be scrubbing her own blood from the kitchen floor, turning the soapy water in the bucket a strangely pretty pink.

The kitchen is just about clean though, so Maira sits back and takes a breather, tossing the sponge into the bucket and leaning her head back. She's dressed in sweats and a tank top, her hair tied in a bandana for cleaning.

The mage closes her eyes then, and lets her mind wander. There is much to think about, most of it fairly unpleasant or at least worrying. When she is alone, as she is fairly sure she is now, she can let herself go. She's tired and overwhelmed, lonely and often insecure. She breathes in deep and lets it out slow.

Avira has posed:
'WHAT THE HELL HAD HAPPENED HERE?!' was the first question on Avira's mind when she walked into the headquarters post-Makenshi. After that it was anger. She had hoped that if the Gaudium Lords were to make a move on Skoll, she'd be there to do something about it! She was actually pretty upset that Maira got hurt in the process too and, despite her thoughts and feelings towards Skoll, she's actually kind of glad he's not staying here anymore. Though it all further highlighted her inability to really protect what she cared about.

After a long day of training in preparation for the Hades Cup, Avira slinks back to their home. She looks exhausted, as if she was really pushing herself in preparation for this thing. Upon opening the door, she finds herself seeing Maira cleaning up their new kitchen area.

Sure, the bloodspatters had to be removed, but Avira felt bad seeing Maira being the one doing it. "Hey Maira." she greets, unbuckling her weapon-holding belt and tossing it onto the large table down the center of the hall.

"Are you feeling alright?" Of course Avira's concerned! Maira had a major concussion!

Maira has posed:
Uist was giving Maira a little space, as was necessary every now and then, so Maira was not warned Avira was entering. When she hears a voice she sits bolt upright, startled as she looks toward the door. "Oh! Avira! I'm sorry, I must have drifted off," she says, rising and moving over to the very tired looking woman. Of course, she had been training relentlessly for the Hades cup, hoping she could win the world shard for Manhattan.

Maira frowns lightly, seeming to ignore the question of her well-being in favor of fussing over her friend. "You've been training so hard--ou! You know what you need? You need a hot bath with some bath salts. That will help your muscles. Yes yes, I can prepare one right quick for you too!" she says, grabbing her best friend by the hand and dragging her out into the kitchen toward the bathroom. Maira had a little container of bath salts stored away that she'd bought on a whim recently, considering relaxing in the tub, but she bets Avira needed them way more. Once in the bathroom she digs into a cabinet for a small jar filled with lavender scented bath salts and uncorks the lid, taking a sniff before reaching over to turn on the hot water before spreading some of the salts in to melt and fill the bathroom with the soothing floral scent.

Avira has posed:
Avira's eyes widen a little. "...man, that DOES sound like a good idea. Sitting back and soaking in the bath with a book." she sighs dreamily, lowering her hands to remove the two hip armors she wears over her shorts. Her breastplate comes next, leaving her in that leather sleeveless shirt she wears underneath it. No sooner than she removes her armor, Maira takes her by the hand.

She'll happily let herself be dragged to the bathroom, putting up no resistance whatsoever.

"Man, it's been so long..." she remarks, "...since I've just sat in the bath. I didn't know we had any salts." Casually, Avira walks into the bathroom and starts removing her shirt. There is, of course, the Ivalician equivalent of a bra underneath but that's gone pretty quickly soon. Apparently Avira finds absolutely nothing wrong with being naked around Maira-and why should she! They are friends.

Of course, if Maira's never seen Avira without clothing, she might be a little surprised that there were various scars and marks under the clothes too. "You didn't answer my earlier question, by the way. How are you feeling? Have you been getting lots of rest?"

Maira has posed:
Maira also does not find anything strange or in the least bit uncomfortable about Avira undressing in front of her. She grew up in an orphanage, privacy was very much /not/ a thing. "Mmmhmm, it will do you a world of good I bet! Really glad you but a nice big tub in here," she replies, adding a little bit more salts before Avira climbs in.

Maira does indeed notice her scars, but she doesn't say anything about them. It is expected! Avira is a tough warrior, she is bound to bare some marks. She's sure each one has a story.

Looking down into those nice scented waters, Maira wonders if there might just be room for her!

Alright alright, she'll have to answer the question. "Yeah, I'm feeling alright...still kind of headachey, but it is getting better. Yes, I am resting--I even went to the beach the other night. It was nice to sit around and look at the ocean, even if it got a little stressful at the end," she says, pursing her lips briefly.

"How is training going?"

Avira has posed:
"If there was anything this base absolutely, positively, certainly needed to have-" Avira says, slipping off her boots and then her shorts, "It would be a nice bathroom. With a tub. Just for things like that." And in a few more seconds, she's completely naked.

Slowly, she slides into the tub, pulling her feet out quickly at first due to the heat. She waits a few seconds, then drops herself in completely. Avira squirms for a few moments before she acclimates. The huntress is a pretty tiny person-it's likely Maira would be able to fit herself in that tub too.

"Stressful? At the beach?" Avira frowns, "Why, was somebody bothering you?" How cruel, picking on someone so injured!

"...it's going alright. Angantyr is being brutal as usual. I still don't have a team finalized yet so there's only so much we can do."

Maira has posed:
Maira laughs a little, shaking her head. "No one bothering me really...there was just...this really weird guy there--he was like...almost naked!" she says, flushing as she remembers. "He was dancing around in what looked like women's underwear...and that would have been fine I guess except that Angantyr was there and we were just hanging out with Shida--did you know, he's going to teach us to swim!?--and then he comes up to Angan and is all...dancing and...and...commenting on Angantyr's ...body....and..." Maira basically can't put the words together anymore, and takes a moment to compose herself.

"So Angan got angry, threatened the guy and what not, then others thought he was over-reacting...I thought there would be a fight for sure--so I told Angan I wasn't feeling well and asked him to take me home," she says, sheepishly. She's only a little ashamed of her manipulation.

"Heh, any room for me?" she says, gesturing to the tub.

Avira has posed:
Avira listens to Maira explain what happened at the beach, a slow-growing frown on her face as she tries to picture the events in her head. She's met Dameon once, sure, but she doesn't know him well enough to blame him for being -that guy- who shows up to the beach to dance around in a speedo. She does figure out the speedo part at least though.

"...I can't imagine Angantyr taking some random clown coming up to him and commenting on his body very well. Not unless he was in a good mood." Avira figures that after the attack on their base, he probably wasn't in such a good mood. "Still, perhaps he hadn't witnessed a man in a speedo before. It can be quite shocking."

Avira actually pauses for a moment to consider Maira's question. She's never bathed with another person before (moms that might bathe with babies don't count). After some thought, she scoots backwards. "I think the tub's big enough, yes."

Maira has posed:
"Oh, I don't know. I'd say he was in a pretty good mood....for Angan," she adds with a laugh.

Given the go ahead, Maira begins to undress quickly and slip on into the tub, not hesitant in the least. Privacy, not a thing. Maira wants to soak in the hot water too.

Indeed, its not hot enough for her. She channels just a bit of fire to heat the water, smiling brightly.

"Speedo? Huh...it was pretty disturbing. I could see his--his--THINGY--almost," she says, shuddering lightly. "But he does have a temper, no sense pretending he doesn't, heh. He's working you hard huh?" she asks, tilting her head slightly in question.

Avira has posed:
"Just between you and me, he isn't always in that great a mood in public. So serious. Though I bet you've already seen a little bit of that by now." Her thoughts drift back to the boat ride they were on with him, even if most of it was spent being seasick.

Much to her surprise, Maira heats the water a little more. The skin of Avira that isn't submerged begins to sweat from the increased heat. That's a little TOO hot for her. Any more and she might start to boil.

"Speedo." Avira confirms, trying to relax. "Yeah. Well. He's always worked me hard as far as learning to fight goes. He sort of passed his teaching style down from Garland, who was even more brutal." The big difference was Angantyr didn't actively try to kill her. "Personally, I like it. It's challenging. Makes me feel great when I get better."

Maira has posed:
Speedo. A word she will never forget!

"Oh, sorry, am I making the water too warm? I can cool it down," she says, and at her comment the water cools. No incantations, no waving of hands. She simply absorbs some of the heat from the water.

"Heh...he seems like he would be intense, but I'm sure it is just to be sure you are as strong and quick as you can be--after all, he wants you to stay alive, and I'll certainly thank him for that!" she replies with a smile, leaning back a little to relax some.

"What else has been going on?" she asks, eager to hear what is happening.

Avira has posed:
"Just a little." Avira says defensively, "Any hotter and I might start boiling! Ahh, I cannot withstand the heat like you, even with all the time I've spent in the desert."

But hey, at least she hadn't been sunburning like she used to when she first got to Ivalice. So much outdoors-ness.

Idilly, Avira reaches over and flicks some water at Maira with a finger. "It's true." she agrees, "He only does it so intensely because he wants me to live and survive" Leaning back, she stretches out in spite of Maira being there and seems quite relaxed. "Hmmm what else what else...oh, TRON. I took TRON to Ivalice. Wound up buying him armor! He's a funny fellow."

Maira has posed:
"Hehehe," she laughs, scrunching her nose when she is flicked with water, which she immediately returns with her own splash. "And you will survive, cause I won't let you do otherwise!" she informs her with a bright smile.

"TRON seems very nice! I quite like him! Very curious, I hope I'll get to talk to him more! Glad he's with us here. The more the merrier!"

"Have you seen Mercade recently? How is he doing...?"

Avira has posed:
"Haha, so feisty about that! Makes me happy hearing that you've really got my back." There's a grin on Avira's face at that. Avira lifts a hand to protect her face from the return splash! She herself sticks with the one-finger flicking since she doesn't want to make too much of a mess on the bathroom floor.

"Isn't he? He means well, though there's a lot of things about humans that are confusing him! It's kind of fascinating to show him."

The subject of Mercade is brought up and Avira laughs, "Just yesterday, actually. He helped me bust some Pig Noise that had been messing up DJ Zero's radio station when he was broadcasting. He seems fine. I think we're going to be on the same team together for the Hades cup."

Maira has posed:
Maira nods, swirling the water with her finger a little. "Heh, yes he has a lot to learn, but it really is fascinating to teach him though!" she replies.

She smiles and nods upon hearing Mercade was going well. "I was worried about him after Manhattan...obviously I was worried about you as well, but he wasn't...there...figured he probably felt very guilty for it," she comments, shrugging a little. "I imagine you've helped him though. You know, right, that he...likes you?"

Avira has posed:
"I was really worried about him after Manhattan...especially when he disappeared on us." Avira's shoulders sink. It must've been horrible for him to find out what had happened...and have been unable to help. "Yes, exactly. But now he's helping us all get it back. Even if it's slow going, there's still that."

She pauses, then slowly nods. "Seems he does. Also seems he's afraid to show it, honestly. I caught the tail end of that conversation with Angantyr." she looks a little awkward. "Kinda have to agree with him."

Maira has posed:
Maira looks up, her eyes widening. She'd caught some of that conversation too, but she hadn't known that Avira was there as well. Maira flushes, shaking her head. "Hehe...oh Avira. How do you do it? You'll...maybe you'll have to teach me to be more like you, heh," she says, looking down a moment as her insecurity shows glaringly in her eyes.

"So...do you like Mercade? You could, you know...make the first move. B-but I don't understand, what about Angantyr? ....And apparently Skoll?" she says, raising a brow. Quite a little triangle!

Avira has posed:
Avira was definitely there. She caught a lot of it, much to her dismay, though something along those lines would have happened eventually. Two men obviously interested in the same woman, of course they'd run into each other and realize their affections. "Be more like me? W..well, you don't really have to do that. I learned a little trick at one point, though, and that's you have to picture yourself being the person you want to be. Then you start thinking...what would that person I want to be say? What would that person do? Then you picture yourself saying and doing those things. Eventually, you start being that person."

Avira moves forward in the bath, reaching out to touch the side of Maira's face. "You're a lovely girl, Maira, and I'm sure there are guys out there going crazy for you just as you are. You don't need to be like me."

She leans back against the wall of the tub. "Besides, I'm not THAT great!"

Oh dear, back to her own little love...cube. "Well...yes, I do like him. I could make the first move but...but I don't want to. I shouldn't /have/ to. And I'm afraid if I do then...then it's not gonna work out." She looks away. "I had a boyfriend once, before my world was destroyed. I made the first move on him. We had a relationship but...he wasn't really into me. I don't want to repeat that mistake."

Maira has posed:
Maira blushes when Avira leans forward to reassure her, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Ridiculous! Why should she cry? That's just silly! "Heh...I don't think so Avira. I thought maybe Ivo...but I don't know, Katyna says he treats a lot of girls like they are special--I'm not just going to be one of those girls, if that is the case. I know I at least deserve better than that," she replies.

Avira admits to liking Mercade, and Maira chews her lip. "Well, Mercade is really into you, and you know it! He probably doesn't think he has a chance with you! What with...competition..." she mentions with a small smile.

"But what about Angantyr? I sort of thought you two were actually together--he obviously really cares about you--and who is Skoll!? Goodness Avira," she says, laughing as she splashes her friend again.

Avira has posed:
"Damn straight!!" Avira exclaims. "You deserve someone who is into /you/, not a time-share! And if Ivo plans to make you part of some...some.." Avira gestures, as if trying to grasp the word, finally finding it, "...harem! Then I will rip off his nuts and stuff them down his throat!"

Looking embarassed, Avira splashes Maira back. "That could be it. He could be afraid to compete. But man, even Angantyr told him to step up his game. They all know I'm going to have to pick. I know I'm going to have to pick. In fact, Angantyr is really understanding about that and says he's gonna respect whatever I choose."

Her thoughts drift back to that conversation, which brings back a small highlight to her thoughts. It was a very liberating moment. "I care a lot about Angantyr too though I'm still trying to figure out whether or not I /love/ him. Ahh...Skoll, you met him while he was here. He is my teacher and I'm very concerned for him. I do like him, but I think I would like to see him freed from his masters even more. It's sad, me being around him boths helps him and harms him in that regard."

Maira has posed:
Maira is genuinely surprised to hear that Angantyr said that. She had figured he would be the jealous type, as he is fairly intense when it comes to everything else. Maira wants to tell Avira to choose Mercade, but she knows that urge is ultimately selfish and she dismisses it. Laughing instead to think of Avira's threat againt Ivo. "Th-that was very graphic Avira...but thank you. I know you're there for me," she says, leaning forward to hug her friend.

Which would be pretty normal if they were not, you know, naked.

"Oh! Oops! Sorry..."

Avira has posed:
Avira had figured he might be the jealous type too, though it turns out that Agantyr is the most mature of them all. It made her wonder if Angantyr had previously experienced a relationship in his life before. "/I'll do it/." Avira says threateningly. "His roguish charms will not stop my vengence if he upsets you."

Though she's acclimated to contact, a naked hug is actually a bit beyond what she's experienced, girl or no! She seems a little startled by it and remains kind of stiff, even afterwards.

She still seems shocked that it happens. "Eh don't worry about it. I'll have to draw the line at...um...kissing though, no offense or anything!" Now she's even looking a little flustered.

Maira has posed:
Maira laughs nervously. She'd forgotten where they were! "S-sorry! Hehehe, of course! Didn't mean to uh...yeah," she laughs, fairly mortified.

Indeed, she thinks she'll get out of the tub now!

Maira steps out and wraps herself quickly in a towel.

"I'll let you stretch out now, heh. Good luck Avira...with your decision...okay? Don't wait too long, or that patience might not remain," she says, offering some practical advice. Its the same thing someone should really tell Ivo as well.

Avira has posed:
Avira is left alone in the tub. The moment Maira gets out, she immediately notices the water getting a little bit colder. All that ongoing heat in the bath, entirely Maira! "I..it's alright..." Avira says consolingly, feeling kind of bad for her reaction now. Once she is left alone, she lets her legs fill the length of the tub again.

"...you're right." Avira says, looking at the water. She wouldn't be able to hold their attention forever. Much like her, they too had a choice. It seems to pain her to think of it. "I have to decide."

Maira has posed:
Maira continues to dry off, shooting Avira a warm smile to let her know her feelings were not hurt or anything! She was just silly, and didn't mean to embarrass Avira either!

As Avira agrees that she has to choose, Maira's eyes turn solemn as she nods. "I....I would offer to help you Avira, because you know I want to help you in anything that troubles you--but my advice...I couldn't trust it...and it's not my decision to make. Kind of thing you really need to make on your own. But I am here for you if you need to just...talk," she says, forming a quick towel dress.

Avira has posed:
Avira sinks down into the tub so she's submerged up to her neck, enjoying the full remaining warmth of the water. It's definitely started to cool and Avira notices her fingers starting to wrinkle.

"...heh." She says, looking to Maira over the edge. She is honest, Avira realizes, because she does know that Maira is fond of Angantyr. "Thank you, Maira. You're the best friend I've ever had."

Maira has posed:
Maira beams, absolutely glowing with the smile. "Thanks...you are too. I wouldn't ever want to that to change," she says, reaching for the door. "Well! I'll go dash out to get dress and hope I don't accidentally run into anyone in a towel!" she cackles, then makes a break for it!