thenearshore | Making friends with makeovers

Entry tags:

Making friends with makeovers

Who: Forrest and Yona
What: Yona comes over for a fancy makeover
Where: Lakshmi's temple
When: July 7th, afternoon
Warnings: Cutie alert

[When Yona told Forrest it had been a while since she'd had the chance to indulge herself, he'd honestly wanted to offer her a relaxing makeover at his temple right away. Unfortunately, at the time he still had a lot of work to do preparing for the party and Tanabata a few days after, but now that he's finished working and everything turned out spectacularly at the festival, he's got some free time on his hands. Not one to forget his promises, he sends Yona a message in the morning asking if she's free in the afternoon. That gives him a few hours to get everything prepared - his hair care products, various colors of nail polish, and of course making sure the garden looks nice in case she wants to relax in the pools. All that's left is to wait for his guest to arrive.]

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[ Yona's never had anything like this before, so she's not entirely sure how to prepare ahead of time, but after a few questions to Forrest over the phone, her concerns ease a little and she shows up a little after lunch, shyly excited for whatever the other god had planned. ]

[ She pauses at the entrance, eyes a little wide as she takes in the rich splendor of the temple ahead of her. ]

Forrest? Are you here?

[Forrest answers the call in fairly short order - he's been expecting her, so it doesn't take him long to get there.]

Yona, hello! I'm glad you could come.

[ She breaks into a smile when she spots him, offering him a polite bow in greeting. ]

I am as well. Thank you so much for the invitation. You're sure I'm not interrupting anything?

I'm sure. I've been looking forward to this too.

[It is something he genuinely enjoys, after all.]

Please, come inside. I've got everything ready.

[ She steps inside, glancing around with wide eyes as she does so. ]

Your temple is amazing, Forrest. I've never seen anything like it!

[Forrest laughs, smiling over at Yona as he leads her toward the main audience chamber.]

Lakshmi is a goddess of wealth and beauty, so I suppose the temple reflects that rather well.

[Considering it's literally made of gold and all. He's used to this sort of reaction from his guests.]

Here we are.

[Opening the door to the room he generally uses for this sort of thing now, he gestures for Yona to enter. It's a well decorated room with a fancy chair near the back and plenty of sitting pillows situated around the floor. The faint scent of lotus blossoms pervades the air, drifting in from the garden out back.]

I think it does. I'm almost afraid to touch anything. [ She confesses this with a laugh as she follows him inside, taking in everything they pass. The scent of lotus is familiar and calming, something she takes in with a fond smile, even though it's been a long time since she's gotten to smell that. It's one of her favorite things about finding her own temple is now the location it is, even if the rest of the reasons are more complicated.

She steps into the room he indicates and glances around. ] Ohh, this is lovely too. How... would you like to start?

I felt the same way when I first arrived, to tell you the truth. But lately it's started to feel a bit more like home.

[That has more to do with the warmth of being surrounded by friends than anything else, though. He enjoys having company over and meeting new people, and there's a happy smile on his face as he leads Yona through the temple's halls.]

It's up to you, really. If you'd like to soak in the pools in the garden first, it's right through those doors at the back. Otherwise, I can do your hair, paint your nails, a foot massage... whatever you'd like.

[ She thinks it over for a moment before glancing down at her hands. Recalling what Hak had said at Awa has her frowning at them slightly. The nails are worn down and rough, her fingers calloused and showing the marks from her training and from being out in the wilderness for as long as she has.

They really didn't look like they'd ever belonged to a princess at all. Not that she minded that - the work she did with her hands since leaving the castle was too important to regret. But Hak's comments about them still niggled in the back of her thoughts. ]

Maybe... my nails?

[Forrest isn't in the business of making judgements, so he doesn't mind at all. Quite to the contrary, really - he loves helping people to look and feel their best so that they can truly shine. So when Yona comes to her decision, he smiles and nods, retrieving a small bowl of sweet smelling water he brought in from the gardens and setting it next to Yona.]

Here. This is water from the healing pools in the garden. It's infused with amrita, a sort of holy water sacred to the Hindu pantheon. Soaking your fingers should help to soften your skin and nails before I get to work.

[ She settles comfortably among the pillows and watches what he prepares with interest, listening to the instructions before complying. The water is warm as she lets her hands soak in the bowl, casting him a bemused smile. ]

You really do have everything here. The pools of water in your temple help in healing?

[Forrest smiles back with a nod.]

That's right. They can help to heal blight as well, so if that ever becomes a problem, please don't hesitate to pay a visit.

[He does laugh a little too, though.]

Though they're also a nice place to simply soak for a while and relax.

That does sound lovely.

[ Although the mention of Blight has her eyes widening slightly. ]

Does it get used for that a lot? Is it easy to get Blighted?

Yes, sometimes I just sit at the water's edge and soak my feet while I work on sewing projects. It's very calming.

[His happy smile does fade a bit as she brings up blight again, though.]

Well... not if you're careful, no. But I've seen it happen before. Coming into contact with ayakashi can spread blight, as well as when a shinki harbors deep feelings of guilt and doesn't unburden them to their god.

[ That.... has Yona going still in surprise a moment, her eyes widening. ]

Guilt?

That's right.

[He nods, his expression turning more serious.]

Shinki are supposed to serve as moral guides for their gods. That's why we can feel what our shinki feel. I'm sure you've noticed it by now with your own. Usually it's just a mild sensation that they call stinging, but if I've heard it can get worse over time if you leave it alone.

Edited 2017-05-03 23:03 (UTC)

[ that has her frowning slightly in thought as she glances down at her hands, even though her attention is fixed elsewhere for a moment. ]

How long before it gets worse? Do you know of anyone this has happened to?

Not personally, no. But I'm sure there are people out there who know more about it than I do if you'd like to learn more.

[Forrest shakes his head at that, a little dismayed that the conversation turned so serious. Yona is supposed to be relaxing, after all.]

...That should be a long enough soak. I'll start the manicure now. Is there any particular color you'd like for your nails?

Perhaps I should ask... [ She muses this aloud, her expression thoughtful. ] That is what this... BBS is used for, yes?

Oh! [ She flushes a little at the reminder, having forgotten for a moment before she lifts her hands out of the water. ] Ahh... Why don't you select one? I'm not sure I know enough about it to choose.

Yes, that's right. You can use it to talk to everyone at once.

[Forrest smiles, glad he's managed to turn the conversation back in a less severe direction for the time being.]

All right... I'll go with red, then, to match your hair.

[But first is the nail file to round off the rough edges.]

If you're happy with the results when I'm finished, I can do a pedicure too. I've always found them very relaxing, myself.

[ She blinks at that, but... she has no idea what that is. ]

Ahh... If you like?

[ Her tone comes out sounding as bewildered as she looks. ]

Oh... I'm sorry. It's basically what I'm doing now, except with your toenails.

[He sometimes forgets not everyone knows as much about this sort of thing as he does.]

[ Her eyes widen a little at that. ]

My toenails? Truly? But no one sees those!

[ Isn't that a little scandalous, Forrest? ]

Even if that's the case, having them neatly groomed and painted can help you feel beautiful and confident!

[And that's really what he's all about. Helping people feel good through fashion.]

Really? [ She sounds faintly dubious about that but ultimately decides that she might as well jump in with both feet, as it were. ] Alright. If you're certain! I'll be adventurous!

[Forrest can't help but giggle just a bit at her reaction.]

That's the spirit! I'm sure it'll help you relax, too.

[He's done filing her fingernails now, and starts in with the base coat of nail polish.]

How did you learn to do all this? [ She asks this as she watches him bend over her nails to work, her expression fascinated. ] Are these skills you learned in your own world?

Yes, I've always been interested in fashion and beauty treatments. My mother and I used to do each others' nails.

[He smiles fondly at the memory as he works.]

Your mother?

[ Yona asks this with hesitant curiosity because she's careful about treading on potentially painful topics for anyone. ]

Mm, that's right.

[He's still smiling, at least, so that's a good sign. And he's finishing up the base coat on her first hand, going now for the red polish.]

I learned how before then, though, from the family who raised me. I didn't live together with my real parents until later because I was born during a war.

I'm sorry. [ Her voice is soft as she listens to him explain. ]

My mother died when I was very young. I don't remember much about her, other than she was warm and her voice was kind, and she used to help me sleep, when I was frightened. [ This is a topic she doesn't normally discuss, but he sounds as if he would understand. ] Were you close, with the family who raised you?

It's all right. They did what was best for me. I know they must have had their share of difficulties as well.

[Forrest shakes his head to signal that it's nothing she really needs to worry about.]

The family that raised me was quite kind, and always nurtured my interests. It sounds like your mother was very kind and gentle as well. I'm sure she must have loved you very much.

[ That has her smile softening. ]

I'm glad you found yourself among such a caring family, then. You seem fond of them. And yes, I'd like to think so. Everyone always spoke well of her.

Well, not every family would encourage a boy who developed interests like mine. I'm thankful that they let me be my own person, and that my parents came to accept it as well.

[He laughs a little at that, knowing how things could have gone.]

I'm sorry you never got to know your mother, but it sounds like she left you a good example to live up to, at least.

[And he's just finishing up the last nail on the first hand.]

Ah, there! What do you think of the color?

[ She leans forward to peer at it, a smile on her lips. ]

It's very pretty! Does it stay like this for long?

[Forrest smiles too, clearly happy with her reaction.]

Well, that depends on how well you take care of it, but it should last at least a week or so.

Do I have to do anything special for it?

[ She's clueless when it comes to this sort of thing, after all. ]

Just make sure your nails stay hydrated and apply a new base coat every few days.

[He reaches over to hold up the clear bottle - the one he'd started with before applying the color.]

That's what this is. It helps the polish to stick, and also provides a bit of a barrier against wear and tear. You can take the rest of this bottle with you if you'd like.

[Since she'll probably have trouble finding a place to buy some on her own, considering she's just learning about it now.]

I'll start on your other hand now, and then I'll do your toes to match.

Are you certain? [ She looks surprised at the offer, but quickly smiles at him. ] Thank you for the gift, Forrest. And for all this work. It was truly kind of you.

Of course. I'll pick up a new bottle the next time I'm out shopping.

[And he's already busily working on her other hand.]

I'm glad you're enjoying it. I hope I was able to help you relax a little.

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Making friends with makeovers

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editing a bit since he wouldn't know all of this yey

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