A tub for two

[onlycareaboutshipping]

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!

Comments

[invigorates]

(ooc: hi, hello. just poppin in real quick to ask if you're cool with ocs (i also have an au journal where she doesn't look Weird if you prefer), and if you are I'm down to start something. if you're not, feel free to ignore this! Thanks! )

[muhrduhr]

[ i'm very cool with ocs!! come at me, pal. ]

[invigorates]

( sick. I'm gonna wing this pretty hard if there's anything you wanna change feel free. Also gonna prose because it's easier on mobile but I can switch brackets if you prefer. )


Lioriley liked Hawke and his rag-tag group of friends, but she could safely say that venturing out of Kirkwall with them never really seemed appealing. She was tiny, weak, and skilled more so in supporting with her magic or spouting off random historical facts about Thedas people only rarely cared to hear about. Nothing that made her a true asset on the battlefield.

She was, however, inclined to care for those that ventured out instead - injured or otherwise, and since they had become rather close these days, the young elven woman found herself frequently preparing for a certain chantry brother's return to the city.

She had already drawn a bath and kept it warm with flicks of flame from her fingertips alighting the stones underneath. With no timeframe for his return, and no idea how messy and bloody he may actually be, she could only fathom a guess as to when he might return. But whenever he did, Sebastian would be greeted by Lioriley sitting on the edge of the tub, her fingers on one hand idly dancing over the surface of the steaming water; her other hand holding a tome that looked older than dirt up to her face.

"Quite a day you must have had." she said as she closed the book, head lifting to inspect the outcome of whatever fierce battle he may have waged out in the caverns or fields.

[muhrduhr]

Sebastian believes in the Chantry more than he believes in anything else – and he's quite happy to find comfort in that certainty. However, galavanting about with Hawke has shown him just how much he's missed his more worldly days, and the thrill of Hawke's undertakings has only solidified that, someday soon, he'll be returning to Starkhaven to take his rightful place as his homeland's prince.

But today is not that day.

Today was spent technically hunting down ingredients on the Wounded Coast, but eventually devolved into routing the Tal-Vashoth encampment that took it very personally when Hawke and his band of misfits tried to traipse past. As per usual, the lot of them return to Kirkwall messy and wrung-out and covered in Maker-knows-what. The only real comfort comes when Sebastian discovers Lioriley waiting for him with the most glorious-looking bath he swears he's ever seen.

Warmth blooms immediately in Sebastian's exhausted smile, and he first draws his grandfather's bow from his back, setting it and his quiver by the door.

"And already it's a far sight better, now that I've found you here," he replies easily, approaching the tub to gently take her hand (the one without the dreadfully old book), sweeping it to his lips to drop a kiss at her knuckles.

"I hope I haven't kept you waiting long."

[invigorates]

His words, despite having heard them plenty of times before, still caused her cheeks to alight with a blush. To think simply seeing her would improve his mood was something she normally would think to argue, were he not so genuine. Lioriley offers no resistance though, instead smiling brightly and allowing him to shift her hand upward, fingers curling slightly to squeeze his.

"Not at all." A lie, but it was not Sebastian's fault that she had chosen to prepare his bath for him hours before his return. She had just wanted to assure that it would be ready when he came back. "I am glad you have returned to me safe and - " she paused, dark eyes scanning up and down the length of Sebastian's form, catching on the spattering of blood and dirt, "...unharmed?" He had not limped his way in, so far as she could tell, and despite the exhaustion in his eyes she had not seen him wince. All good signs, but she still wanted to be sure.

After dropping her book gently to the floor, Lioriley reached up with her now free hand to brush her fingertips against Sebastian's cheek, running them back through his hair as she picked a small leaf from the strands with a smile. "Let us get that armor off, hm? It must be quite the burden by now." And it would assure she could get a proper look over him.

[muhrduhr]

"Unharmed, but unforgivably filthy," he admits with a short chuckle, leaning instinctively into the fingers combing through his hair. He basks in the ease of her touch, the light and casual warmth that accompanies her affection.

Not for the first time, Sebastian finds himself convinced he's a very lucky man.

At the mention of abandoning his armor, he hums in instant agreement. "I will not fight you on that." He leans in to press a quick kiss to her forehead, then steps back enough to start undoing the straps on his pauldron.

[invigorates]

"Better filthy than bruised and battered." She murmurs quietly, ever grateful that he had returned at all. Not that she doubted him or any of the others, of course, but given all the dangers of the lands...she had good reason to worry.

Lioriley let her hand drop, watching him for a few seconds before pushing herself to her feet and striding over to assist. She was no expert, but she had helped both don and remove his armor enough to not be a hindrance. "After such an eventful venture, have you any interesting tales to tell?"