the intimate bathing meme.

[byok]

the intimate bathing meme;

Grooming is an important part of many species' rituals. It keeps them clean, healthy, and content. And a good bath? It can change the whole tone of a day from terrible to relaxed and blissful. But nudity is sometimes viewed as a weakness - and it is almost always sexualized - so bathing is often kept a private matter. If you do share these moments with someone, they're almost always a significant other or a sexual partner. Like you're doing now. Whether it be after a battle or after sex (or before sex, even), the two of you are going to get clean. Be sure to help each other out with that, won't you? After all, there are places on the back that just can't be reached... HOW TO PLAY: Comment with your character, your prefs, etc. If there are other grooming-related practices or kinks you'd like to include, like shaving, hair washing, mention them! Reply to others!

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edward nygma | gotham

[mr_e]

[ ooc; f/m unless canon mate. that does include all of you. ]

Hello

[doctor_terror]

[Jonathan is sitting on a stool by the tub, wearing only a pair of pants, his ghastly face and scarred body fully on display. He's also washing Edward's hair.]

How do you manage to get your hair so dirty, Edward?

[Like Crane's any better.]

hey again!

[mr_e]

[ Ed is fully stripped down, of course, and exercising quite a curious ( and possibly detrimental ) amount of trust by baring his nape to a man who more often than not wore needles on his fingers. His eyes are even shut, half in some attempt to relax as his hair is carded through, and half in an attempt to block out the sight of blood in the water. ]

I think you'll agree it's really simple to accomplish, Jonathan. All you have to do is stand in the blast radius of an exploding man.

[ There's a tightness Ed voice that could be interpreted as annoyance, but it's not really directed at Crane. He feels, for a lack of a better word, icky. He's already showered off most of the gore that came with the earlier incident, but his hair and some patches of his skin are still stained.

Taking in a slow breath, Ed attempts to bat away the memory from his mind, unfortunately not to much success. A revolted little shudder rolls down his spine. ]

[doctor_terror]

[The glove is sitting nearby, on the sink. He doesn't plan to use it on Edward, he just likes having it nearby. He's quite unfazed at all the blood.]

That is why I prefer the psychological approach.

[He grabs the nearby loofah to get some gore off Edward's shoulder and feels that shudder.]

Don't tell me you're squeamish?

[mr_e]

I don't like being covered in biohazards, especially unexpectedly. Do you?

[ Ed snaps, petulantly, his shoulders tensing and drawing up. Without hands in his hair, he's free to turn his head and give a green-eyed glower to his companion. He might not quite be making the definition of a pout, but his expression is certainly reminiscent of one. ]

[doctor_terror]

I'm a biochemist, remember? As for gore, though, I suppose getting hit with it is quite unpleasant.

[He just glowers right back, cupping a bit of water in his hand and rinsing Edward's skin.]

[mr_e]

And I was a forensic analyst who performed routine autopsies. I'm not squeamish.

[ He knows better than to fess up to a fear in front of Crane, but in this case, he thinks he's being honest. There's a difference in his mind about being scared of something and being disgusted. ]

But gross is gross. I'll need to run some tests to see if I've caught anything.

[ His gaze relents on Crane and moves instead towards the shower. Without his glasses, Ed can't really see the lumpy flesh clogging the drain, but he knows it's there. He's not really looking forward to cleaning it up. ]

Fortunately, I have plenty of samples...

[ He shivers again as water sluices over him, but this time it's with pleasure. ]

That feels nice. [ When he looks back at Crane again, his expression has softened. This time it's more thoughtful. ] Thank you for helping me.

[doctor_terror]

[Normally he'd be all over taking mental notes over someone's fear or disgust. Maybe part of him is. He could do any number of things to a man afraid of catching some disease. Still, he's making a rare exception for Edward.]

Who else would agree to bathe you? Jervis Tetch?

[Crane picks up the sponge and soaks it with clean water in the sink.]

Eyes closed.

[He squeezes the sponge above Edward's head to rinse out his hair.]

[mr_e]

That annoying lunatic couldn't pay me for the privilege.

[ Not that Ed saw himself as any sort of prize-winning physical specimen, but he was particular about the company he kept, even in a world where there were very few people lining up for the opportunity. Or maybe he just liked being the only rhyme-peddler in the room.

Seeing Crane's intention with the loofah, Ed does what he's told and faces away once more, bowing his head and shutting his eyes. Knowing a river of blood is about to wash over his face, he also decides to shut his mouth. He runs his hands over his arms up to his shoulders. His suit had done well to keep most of the bone splinters out of him, but there were still a few telltale zings of pain at his blind re-inspection. How many would scar?

It didn't really matter. Even if all of them did, he'd still never rival Crane's collection. ]

[doctor_terror]

[Scarecrow picks up a few bone and flesh fragments clinging to Edward's skin and hair that got dislodged from the rinse. He next picks up a comb and runs it through his companion's hair to make sure he gets any others, much like a nurse might check for head lice.

He then picks up a pair of tweezers.]

You may feel some discomfort.

[Crane begins the process of removing any splinters. Edward might have gotten a few nicks, but Scarecrow had almost gotten his face torn off. Croc had even scalped him a little, as evidenced by the two bald streaks in his brown hair.]

[mr_e]

[ The combing feels nice, despite the undoubtable inspective nature. Even when the tines rake over the little nicks in his scalp, he can't deny it's an overall pleasant experience. He does jump just a little with the pain of the shards being plucked from his skin, however. The warning helped to make him steel himself so that he doesn't cry out or make any attempt to move away, much less stop the process.

After a moment, he clucks his tongue. ]

Here I am trying to gather ideas on how I can possibly repay you when I'll bet you already have some.

[ Silly me, is the tone hanging in the air, but the undercurrent speaks of some discomfort. Ed doesn't like not knowing things, especially when it comes to where he stands with others. Once he knows what to expect, he can be at ease, regardless of what the expectations may be. Whether or not he rises to meet them is another matter entirely.

He realizes he might not get a straight answer from his companion, but then again, maybe he will. ]

[doctor_terror]

Oh, I might be able to think of a few uses for a genius such as yourself, Edward.

[He's being half-sardonic with those words, and a bit of ego-stroking. He likes to keep people on their toes.

Crane gives Edward's hair another once-over, followed by checking him over for other splinters. It looks like he got them all. If nothing else, he's sure Edward will make it known if he missed any.]

[mr_e]

[ It works. Despite not having a conclusive answer, Ed relaxes and gives a puff of wry amusement. He leans back against the wall of the tub and tilts his head back into Crane's hands, exposing his throat and the long, lean line of his torso. The water is tinted pink, but by no means opaque. Fragments of skin, bone, and even a tooth swim around the surface, churned by the motions of Ed's arms as his hands inspect by touch what Crane can visually. ]

You're certainly no imbecile yourself, Jonathan. I find it difficult to imagine a situation where your intellect would be lacking, and I don't think I flatter myself by saying I have a very good imagination.

[ And he could imagine other factors that would get in Crane's way, but being an idiot wasn't one of them. ]

But it's nice having friends, isn't it? You can't be everywhere all at once...

[ He flakes a fragment free from his skin just below one of his nipples with the scritch of a fingernail. ]

And there are just some things that aren't as satisfying when you're the one doing them.

[ His brows arch up at the other while his mouth curves a small, sly smile, as if to ask if the other man takes his meaning. ]

[doctor_terror]

Flattery, from you, Edward? I'm touched.

[He cups Edward's head, his eyes still grazing over his companion's lithe body. Best to make sure he didn't miss anything.

He raises an eyebrow. Namely the one good one, since Croc also took off part of his left eyebrow, and Crane counts himself lucky the beast didn't take his eye instead.

Oh, he can play this game too.]

I might be inclined to agree. You don't make a lot of friends when you look like me. How lonely it gets.

[Not to mention the part about being a criminal who likes to scare people.]

[mr_e]

Most people tend to equate flattery with insincerity. So let's call it an observation.

[ His breath is thinned now, possibly because the other's grip very slightly restricts his airflow. Under the doctor's observation, he arches his spine and further exhibits his torso. The stretch of skin also helps to make the foreign bodies of the remaining bone fragments that much more apparent – there's one that had hidden under the bottom of his ribcage before. ]

I consider your looks to be the least interesting thing about you, Jonathan.

[ His tone and the twinkle in those green eyes implying he found them quite interesting indeed. Crane was a horror show for sure, moving beyond the realm of unfortunate in his mind to impressive. Ed doesn't even try to hide the face he's tracing every crag and line with his gaze. This close to him, he doesn't need his glasses. ]

You must have touched your face at some point after you washed my hair. You've got a little...

[ He makes a vague gesture with one hand towards his face. Got a little bit of someone there.]

May I?

[ Extending his wet fingers in preparation to remedy this. ]

[doctor_terror]

This is a face that has sent many screaming.

[Because why not make the most of his new look?

Crane picks the tweezers back up and plucks out a few more splinters, putting them with the others, on a nearby newspaper. He's going to need to fish all this crud out of the tub before he drains it, lest it clog the plumbing.]

You may.

[mr_e]

That must brighten up your grocery runs.

[ Ed grins, then immediately winces with the plucking, unable to quite control some squirming this time around. His heel thumps lightly against the other end of the tub. Once it looks like Crane is satisfied ( or at least taking a break ) and Ed has taken a steadying breath, he reaches to fulfill his initial task. Delicately, he thumbs to wing of Crane's nose and lets it ride along his cheek until he reaches his jaw, where it comes free with a bloody flake of skin attached to the end. ]

Mmm, yummy. [ He wrinkles his nose and dips his hand back into the water, washing the skin flake away. ] Is it bad I really am kind of hungry?

[ He'd thought about making a fear-related inquiry, but had decided his curiosity could wait for a moment he's less naked and virtually at Crane's mercy. This time, anyway. ]

[doctor_terror]

I buy my groceries online, thank you.

[He can't help but shudder a little as Edward touches his damaged face, watching him carefully.]

An odd reaction, considering the circumstances.

[He looks over Edward one more time, until he's satisfied that the gore and bone is all gone.]

[mr_e]

[ It's certainly odd for your typical human being, but not for Ed. He was accustomed to eating his lunch around corpses when he still worked for the GCPD and that was very much a choice, not a necessity. Of course, he had never been close enough to contaminate things either way. Ed's fairly certain he's not going to really feel clean until he's had a shed of a few layers of his epidermis, but this is a start.

He relaxes once more, allowing his hands to run over his belly and spine while the warmth of the water does its work for his muscles. One at a time, leisurely, his long legs breach the surface of the water for inspection. ]

Be that as it may, we could have dinner. Delivery or take-away might be the best option if we do, though.

[doctor_terror]

I suppose I could stand to eat. There is a Chinese take-out place that delivers nearby.

[His hands run over Edward's legs, inspecting them for shards, and plucking out any that he finds. These limbs wound up being luckier than the rest of him.]