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So... up the stairs they go, mostly side by side. Mark lags by a step or two.
There is a persistent silence.
"I... didn't think you'd react the way you did," he says finally. "I mean, I thought you might—that there might be something there, but not that you'd actually."
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unmarred
first-and-final
"Because it does. I wasn't sure you didn't know it, actually. It seemed reasonably cross-cultural. But I'd be happy to explain."
Maybe after a quick kiss.
All right, maybe after two kisses.
Maybe after a quick kiss.
All right, maybe after two kisses.
first-and-final
"Yeah, yeah."
Bathward they go, then. Stalas operates its controls while he talks.
"The story goes, Lord So-and-so of House Somebody - you hear it with a few different actual historical figures, or with made-up names, or with no names at all - was a rich fellow with a taste for luxury, and his favourite thing in the world was a long hot bath. One day he goes to visit the house of his good friend Lord Somebody-Else for a few days, to wine and dine and talk about taxes on imported goods and what-have-you. Lord Somebody-Else, being a generous and thoughtful sort, has his servants draw a bath... but when Lord So-and-so steps into the bathing chamber, he notices that there are no towels. Puzzled, he looks for a servant to correct this oversight, but there are none to be found nearby. So he stands next to the bath with the door closed and his armour on, and sure enough, an assassin bursts in half an hour later. Various versions disagree on what happened next, but it's generally agreed the incident put an end to that friendship. And now a 'bath without towels' is a byword for any situation with a strong odour of trap."
Bathward they go, then. Stalas operates its controls while he talks.
"The story goes, Lord So-and-so of House Somebody - you hear it with a few different actual historical figures, or with made-up names, or with no names at all - was a rich fellow with a taste for luxury, and his favourite thing in the world was a long hot bath. One day he goes to visit the house of his good friend Lord Somebody-Else for a few days, to wine and dine and talk about taxes on imported goods and what-have-you. Lord Somebody-Else, being a generous and thoughtful sort, has his servants draw a bath... but when Lord So-and-so steps into the bathing chamber, he notices that there are no towels. Puzzled, he looks for a servant to correct this oversight, but there are none to be found nearby. So he stands next to the bath with the door closed and his armour on, and sure enough, an assassin bursts in half an hour later. Various versions disagree on what happened next, but it's generally agreed the incident put an end to that friendship. And now a 'bath without towels' is a byword for any situation with a strong odour of trap."
first-and-final
Stalas gives Mark a look, and reaches into the half-full bath to splash water at him.
first-and-final
The floor is considerably bepuddled by the time the bath fills enough for them to actually get in it. But in between giggly kisses and exceptionally silly play-fighting, they do manage to accomplish their ostensible purpose of getting clean.
"Enough of this foolishness," Stalas declares, and he gives Mark a quick kiss and climbs out. The promised towels are not only present, they are also cuddly and soft.
"Enough of this foolishness," Stalas declares, and he gives Mark a quick kiss and climbs out. The promised towels are not only present, they are also cuddly and soft.
first-and-final
Stalas regards this spectacle. He shakes his head. He grins.
He steps around a puddle and wraps up Mark and Mark's terrycloth paramour in a hug.
He steps around a puddle and wraps up Mark and Mark's terrycloth paramour in a hug.
unmarred
"No, it's fine," says Mark, although his wide-eyed breathless tension suggests otherwise. "You can. You can hug me. If you want."
unmarred
"You don't know, do you," he murmurs, shivering. "You don't know what you were going to say... maybe you weren't. Maybe I was imagining things."
first-and-final
"What's got into you...? What was I..."
Stalas thinks back to how he felt in that moment, before concern interrupted.
"...oh."
He is quiet for a moment.
Stalas thinks back to how he felt in that moment, before concern interrupted.
"...oh."
He is quiet for a moment.
unmarred
He collapses, bursting into tears. If he didn't have Stalas to lean on, Stalas to hold him up, he'd sink straight to the floor.
first-and-final
But Stalas is there, and Stalas holds him. His willingness to let Mark cry helplessly into his chest has not diminished at all.
"You know," he ventures after a minute, "normally I would think it was a bad sign that you found it this upsetting..."
"You know," he ventures after a minute, "normally I would think it was a bad sign that you found it this upsetting..."
unmarred
Mark giggle-sniffles and shakes his head. "Nooo," he mumbles into Stalas's chest. "I like it."
first-and-final
"That's better. Sort of," says Stalas. "Do you and your towel want to come sit on the bed with me again?"