bakerstreet | The Personal Hygiene Shipping Meme

The Personal Hygiene Shipping Meme

Personal hygiene is just that - personal. By the time we've come to a point in our lives where we notice that the concept exists and we should be prudent about it, we can take care of ourselves. There are also many practical reasons why we don't involve other people in this process. We're not too keen on showing off parts to be cleaned that are private in most contexts, and there's definitely an ingrained aversion to showing so much soft, fleshy skin. Hot water or a sharp razor could spell dangerous with a capital D should they come into the hands of someone with a vendetta against you. No need to be extra vulnerable.

So, if you're involving another person in your cleansing routines, it must be someone you trust. Not only that, but it's most likely someone you're comfortable with and likely at least somewhat open to being intimate with. You may not be dropping all your clothing in front of them, but it's still you opening yourself up to touching and closeness unparalleled in more "usual" moments.

Established and burgeoning couples (or not-so-couples) can bond through this showing of care and good faith. Will you like being pampered and find the attention endearing? Or will things go terribly, terribly wrong?

...you never should have let them near that shaving cream.

Comment with your character and preferences.
Smut is not required. Mention if you want/don't want it.
Reply to others and use the RNG.

Comfort: You've decided to pitch in a helping hand to get your partner to unwind, and warm water or suds may do the trick.
Romantic: The sole purpose of this endeavor is to set a lovey-dovey mood. No shame here!
It Started Out Platonic...: What a good pal you are, volunteering to give your friend a good scrub. Of course, you didn't count on the cute way she squirms as you scrub her back or how he blushes when you shampoo his scalp.
No Choice: Currently, you're unable to clean yourself up. That means that you need assistance, and it might as well be the person you lov- tolerate the most.
Open: You have trust issues. Actually, you have backlogs of trust issues. Still, you want to show the person you love that you're willing and trying to change for them, and what better way than letting down your walls and having the assist in your grooming?
Shave: Whether it's your face, your legs, or...your other places you've decided to shave, there's a certain intimacy involved in letting your lover do it for you. Let's hope they won't leave you looking like you got into a battle with a book with the paper cuts to prove it.
Reluctant: They want to get you clean. You don't want to show off your body at all. It's injured, it looks weird, what if they don't like it...
Forced: You love them, you really do, but you won't kiss them if they continue to look like an unwashed hobo clown. You have to draw the line somewhere, and if they won't take action, you will.
Beat Up: You've been trampled in a fight. Your partner isn't about to let you wallow around in your own mud and blood.
Hair: Some find that there's nothing quite as soothing as getting their hair washed or brushed. Of course, those with more luxurious locks may find any hair care a burden, so the assistance is appreciated.
Make Up: They think you're beautiful already. See how they'll paint you up when they get the chance.
Unique: If you're not human, you probably have your own proceeders you have to do to keep all spiffied up. There are wings with stray feathers to pluck, horns on heads to polish, scales to shave down, all sorts of tasks! Introduce your ignorant (and most likely human) boyfriend or girlfriend to your world...and your pain.
Accommodations: Those with disabilities or prosthetics may also have their own routines, and anyone who wants to be with them should learn how to pitch in.
Sponge Bath: You don't have enough water to do this right or you just want to give them a nice rub and scrub with a gentle sponge or wash cloth.
Wound Care: In order for wounds to heal, proper care must be taken. Bandages have to be changed and cuts cleaned out. It's certainly easier when you don't have to do it all by yourself.
Together: You're both cleaning up, taking a bath, splish splash, in the same tub because there's no where else to go. This is the most likely smut option, even if, again, it starts off "platonic."
Clothing: Don't forget that clean clothes are an important part of personal hygiene. Always make sure your partner has a nice, fresh outfit, even if it's to your taste and not theirs.
I've Made a Terrible Mistake: Somehow, everything's now shit. This little experiment went haywire and you may be sporting anything from the worst hairdo of your life to a Columbian necktie.
FREE SPACE

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He gave only a small nod at the compromise. He imagined he could handle a lot of things from the waist down, but he couldn't turn his head very well. He definitely didn't trust his off hand to do anything close to the wounds themselves.

"So... how are we going to do this?"

The last thing that she wanted to do was make Ben feel as though he was incapable of a task as simple as bathing, so she wasn't about to take over completely. Offering her assistance has got to be the better option. He's an intelligent man, after all, he knew what he could and couldn't do.

She shrugged helplessly, looking from the bathtub and back to Ben. "Well, we won't need the full tub. I'm thinking washrag, sink, and some body wash. Maybe if you got on your knees I could wash your hair?"

At any other time, he probably would have smirked about the 'on your knees' comment.

"As long as this doesn't get wet." He gestured to his face and shoulder, mainly in reference to the hair washing. The body wash seemed like a good idea.

He began with slowly attempting to undress himself. Which, having to do with only one non-dominant hand for the very first time, was certainly a clumsy proposition.

He still could - who was Rey to judge? Besides, a comment like that just begged for something to be said in return.

"I know, sweetheart. I think that if we put a towel over your shoulders and I'm careful while I'm washing your hair, we'll be fine. And then I'll do as much as you need me - I know you can't reach everything."

She watches, only going to offer more assistance should he need it. He wouldn't want to be treated like an invalid, and she'd never treat him as such. "You know I'm happy to help, Ben."

He managed to get the pants down, though he did have to sit down on the towel-covered stool to get them all the way off. The shirt... Well, the nurses had to help dress him, so when Rey offered, he looked up at her with a mix of sad puppy dog eyes and a reluctant sigh.

"...This part... I don't think I can do."

No, he very well couldn't undo his own sling, and the shirt (even as loose, thin and stretchy as it was) would have to be eased off. Any movement of that joint and he would regret it instantly.

That was to be expected - with fresh stitches and sutures, bending over wasn't really an option. But he managed admirably ... until he got to his shirt. Still, she waited until faced with Ben's puppy dog eyes - even if they weren't in this situation, that look would coax her into doing most things, and he knew it.

"Well, that's why I'm here", she answered, slow and careful as she worked at undoing the sling, just as the nurses had shown her. Once off, she could help with his shirt, as well.

"Alright, handsome, get that good arm up and I'll do the rest."

Turning his head wasn't really that much of an option at the moment. Nor were really big facial expressions. But those expressive eyes said it all.

He held his right arm as still as possible. Even with the painkillers, he knew that moving that shoulder would still hurt. (Not moving it still hurt too, just not anywhere near as much.) He readied himself for a little pain, though, and lifted his left arm up.

If he followed his doctor's directions to the letter, and she was sure that he would, soon, he'd begin to heal, and the quicker he healed, the quicker he'd regain much of his movement back. For the moment, she had to trust that he knew what he was capable of. Still, she kept an eye on his expression, and his eyes, not wanting to see any undue pain there as she helped him undress.

She lifted his shirt up and off as quickly and painlessly as possible, although she knew that some pain was to be expected. And once it was off and folded neatly and set on the counter, she could really look at the wound, which was still an angry red. She could wash along the outside of it, but not atop the long line of it directly.

"Doing okay?", she asked, checking on Ben before she did anything else. "Hair first?"

He caught a glimpse of it in the mirror and winced. Where they put him back together was definitely a sight for sore eyes, with an emphasis on the sore part.

"Yeah. I'm okay." He answered. He was a little more sure of the second question. "And yeah. That sounds good."

Hair was probably going to be the hardest thing to clean, given the injuries. So that seemed as good of a place as any to start.

"I put myself in your capable and beautiful hands."

With time, the scars would fade, maybe not completely, but they would. Right now, they're a little red, a little angry, a lot tender, but he could trust that Rey would do her best to keep from making his pain any worse.

"I promise I'll make this as quick and as easy as possible - alright ... towel around your shoulders, and then have a seat on the edge of the bathtub. This'll be over before you know it."

Water on and warming, shampoo bottle at the ready, it was gonna be now, or never.

He was careful to keep his injured shoulder still, taking things slow so that he wouldn't instinctively reach for the towel with his dominant hand. Even thinking about moving it right now seemed to hurt, and that included anticipatory shivering.

"Not too cold, please." he asked as he sat down on the edge of the tub, holding the towel closed with his left hand.

She knew how much of a struggle it was to mindfully think every movement through, well before making it. And sure, Ben made some missteps from time to time, but it didn't take more than a split second's worth of pain to realize what was a Bad Idea. And she knew that even if he only made minimal movement now, it would still hurt. So she was quick and careful to remove his shirt, and quick and careful to remove his bandages, too. After he was clean and dry, she'd patch him up again like new.

"Of course", she answered, pecking a soft kiss to his cheek. "I know how you like it."

Good thing they had a special plastic cup to wash Matt's hair, which Rey was going to use to wash Ben's, as well. It'd be easier than trying to use the showerhead, in any case, which wouldn't reach where he was sitting.

Ben never dreamed the cup would be used on him, but it certainly came in handy. He tried to lean his head back a little, to make it easier on Rey, but stretching out his neck hurt.

What didn't hurt was the feeling of warm water over his head and his wife's delicate fingers against his scalp. It took him back to when they started dating, when she first started running he fingers through it, playing with it and tugging it gently. He liked it enough to grow it out, and to keep it that way, even when Matt reached that 'grab and pull' stage.

"That feels nice..." He whispered, smiling a little.

"Careful, don't strain yourself", Rey murmured, pausing her ministrations until she was sure that he was fine, only continuing when he visibly relaxed again. She was careful, and thorough, making sure to wash, rinse, and repeat everywhere - and Ben had a lot of hair to contend with.

But Rey liked it like this - long-ish, thick, always fun to play with mindlessly ... and ... with a little more intent, too. It was one of those habits that she never saw herself growing out of, and glad for that.

"Yeah? Told you it wouldn't be so bad. How do you feel now? Not quite so itchy?"

Until he started dating Rey, Ben never knew how much he liked someone playing with his hair. It looked good at this length too, and he certainly had no intention of depriving his wife of those luscious locks. (Which were so much better clean!)

"Amazing..." He smiled, offering a little wink. "Maybe I should let you wash my hair more often."

The ordeal started with him feeling self-conscious, but it could be romantic if he let it. Shift the focus from his own injuries and what he could/couldn't do to Rey's gentle touch and everything pleasurable that came with it.

Until she started dating Ben, she didn't know how much she could grow to love playing with someone's hair. But it's turned out to be one of Rey's favorite things to do - intentionally, like now, unconsciously, like when they're on the couch reading or watching a movie. And yes, he looked fantastic with his hair a little on the long-ish side.

"Hm", she murmured, her smile growing all the wider, clearly pleased by the thought. "Well, I can't guarantee being able to do it anytime soon, but at some point, maybe we'll be able to shower together. And then I'll be more than happy to wash your hair again. Anytime you'd like."

With all the soap carefully washed out of his hair, Rey could turn her attention to using the towel around his shoulders to dry his wet hair just enough so that it's damp, and fluffy, and decidedly not dripping on his uncovered cut. (Can you even call something that big a 'cut'?)

"Want me to get your back now, while I'm here?"

(It sounded better than 'wound.') Ben had been doing a very good job of keeping his shoulder still and his stitches dry.

"You can touch anything you want." he smiled flirtatiously. It was short-lived, but only because it made the side of his face hurt.

(That it did - and thank goodness for that. 'Wound' just tended to sound ... intensely unpleasant.) Actually, she was quite proud of him for taking care of himself exactly the way his doctor had told him to. It was probably very frustrating, not being able to do the things he'd done before, but he was grinning and bearing it better than she'd expected.

And he still managed to flirt, which was always a very good sign. She chuckled softly, carefully washing around the perimeter of the 'cut', slow, gentle swipes. "Mm, well, while I'd love to take you up on the offer, I don't think you're ready for what I have in mind for you just quite yet."

Second trimester. Some very intense hormonal urges were absolutely coming into play.

It was incredibly frustrating, moreso than all those times he found himself suddenly unemployed. There was so much he wanted to do, but couldn't - just as Rey unfortunately hinted at.

And that earned quite a dejected pout from the man on the edge of the tub.

But at least there were drugs to help manage the pain and physical therapy he could do to help himself recover as quickly as possible without jeopardizing anything. And Rey. Right now, he just really wanted Rey.

The doctor had said that Ben was going to have to go easy for a while, and Rey assumed that absolutely meant when it came to being intimate, too. But they wouldn't have to hold off forever, and as frustrating as it was, she knew they'd be able to hold out until they were given the go-ahead. Still, she'd have to be easy on him, and that was ... more than okay with her.

She so hated to see him so down, and she pressed a kiss to his cheek, murmuring against his warm skin - "There are a few things I can still do for you, but you have to promise to keep as still as possible. I don't want to risk hurting you any worse. Don't worry, I'd never leave you wanting."

Well. If she could help it, anyway. She damn well knew that he could take over the washing, now that his back was done, but she didn't want to have to put an end to this anytime soon. Now, she worked on his shoulders, careful in her ministrations, adamant upon making this as pleasant an experience as possible.

Oh, Ben knew what the doctor said. However, that didn't make it exceptionally easy for a man that had grown accustomed to working out on a daily basis, taking care of the home and enjoying intimate moments with his wife whenever he could (like when someone else was watching Matt and they were actually alone).

The kiss, though, made him smile a little. He was so grateful to her for that.

"I'll keep still." he insisted. "Just go slow."

It wasn't easy, but taking things slowly and allowing his body to heal properly was the most important thing. If he could do that, then sooner rather than later, they'd be able to fall back into familiar patterns and routines.

For the moment, these little moments would have to suffice. And, if the way that Rey's lips slowly curve into a smile is any indication, she could absolutely deal with that. And if the way her fingers slowly trailed down the center of his chest was any indication, she was eager to do so.

"Promise, I will."

Rey was always true to her promises, and the slow gentle strokes made it easy for Ben to enjoy them. He stayed still as the sponge caressed his body, relaxing under her fingertips.

Simple pleasures.

The last thing she'd ever want to do is to hurt Ben, even accidentally. So if that meant taking her time, using slow, deliberate strokes, so be it. Most of the time, after all, they couldn't really afford to do the same when Matt was home. Despite the circumstances, they'd best enjoy this time while they could.

And Rey had every intention of doing just that, and making sure that Ben did, too.

He did. Very much. They stretched it out, but eventually the bath was done.

Ben felt so relaxed, rejuvenated and refreshed. Every single part of him was clean enough to kiss, something that Rey did not let him easily forget.

"Careful. You'll get me dirty all over again." he whispered.

The Personal Hygiene Shipping Meme

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