[Closed] I'm so scared about the future

[unlucky7]

Who: Caster and Ginia
When: December 24th
Where: Caster's temple
What: Caster and Ginia talk about the ablution.
Warnings: Discussion about Ayumu's ablution, discussion on suicide/suicidal ideation, torture.

Comments

[futhark]

[ The sauna was a suggestion because he had to dissuade her from it once, due to the health reasons. But hot springs sound even better. Especially since it's snowing- ]

You think I'd prefer solitary sauna over your company in the springs?

[ You don't have to ask him twice, he'll even start slowly moving in the right direction, keeping his arm around her- and oh, who care about walking. Blink, and they're at the door to the changing section. ]

[unlucky7]

[The sauna is great, but the hot springs trumps it most days. How spoiled they are by the gifts granted through the Heavens. Doubly spoiled as Caster teleports them to the changing room. Ginia pulls out a wicker basket full of hair ties, clips, and pins set aside for their sake (and any other long-haired guests that wish to use their hot spring.)]

Let me help you with your hair.

[Helping Caster tie and pin his hair up is the least she can do for him, but it's also a little self-serving; she'll never tire of running her fingers through his silky hair. She pulls his hair into a long tail with a brass hairclip, fingers sectioning out his hair and starting to weave them into a long braid.]

[futhark]

[ Caster makes a face as if he is thinking about reply- whether to give permissions or not. Like there is any doubt about his answer. ]

Only if I can help you with yours.

[ A fair trade, no? The fondness for hair is mutual, Caster loves to run and play with the curled strands. Finding new ways to mess it up or set them up- A different kind of hair that he was used to- Emer had her long but straight. Perfect for experimenting with braids.

There is no lie, he keeps his hair long because he enjoys when his lover plays with them. The braid is, however, a surprise, forces him to stay in place for longer. ]

Hmm, you're feeling creative, I feel.

[ If that could make Ginia feel better, he would allow braids everyday. ]

[unlucky7]

[If they were headed elsewhere instead of a shower and a soak in the hot baths, Ginia would consider trying something a little more creative and stylish. There are the hair rings she bought him, the offer to braid his hair, a chance to experiment later. Right now she does nothing more braid, fingers moving fast as she plaits over and over. His hair is truly beautiful, fine and silky, a blue the envy of sapphires.

The image of his arms bound behind his back by his hair flashes into Ginia's mind. It's not an unpleasant thought. With all the jokes they've made about tying each other up, probably not an unwelcome suggestion. Her cheeks warm at the idea and her fingers quicken, tying off the end with a hair tie. She lifts the braid and wraps it around his head like a crown, tucking the end in at the side and pinning it in place.

Her fingers linger on his back and neck, sliding across as she moves around to look from the front, making a few adjustments before she's satisfied. On another occasion, it could use something ornamental, a metal woven in and out or some decorative beads or rings. It's still nice in its simplicity and Ginia admires him, a tiny breath escaping. Caster is devastatingly handsome and she'll never tire looking at him.]

Your turn.

[futhark]

[ The gentle touch, the reverence he can suspect- feel in it- almost breaks his heart. Instead of the transient creature, being a grounding person in someone else life feels almost wrong. He can't just disappear on her, and he can't let her down- he's needed here and this sort of responsibility given to someone who is literally just a memory sounds like a cruel joke. ]

[ So he has to turn that cruelty around, turn it into a happy ending for at least one person. He turns around staring at her intently- those curls pose a challenge but he thinks he got that figured out. He puts his hands on her cheeks, gives her a toothy grin and kisses a corner of her mouth- then he moves the hands, pulling back her hair and making a dividing two sections by her ears. ]

Hey, give me a helping hand. [ He's got only two hands oops. Fortunately, it's not hard to gesture and indicate that he wants her to hold one of the side sections until he finds a clip and sets that one aside. He nudges finger under her chin to turn her head to a side so he can start working on the first braid. ]

[ Ginia is incredibly pretty, and he has a fondness for her profile. Especially when she looks at him with a corner of her eye. Happy ending, yes. What would that be in this world? Do shinki move on one day to a proper after-life? Or is simply serving several lifetimes to a god they want to work for that kind of happiness. ]

[ And the first braid is done, he ties it at the end. ] Now look in the opposite direction, please,

[ Their closeness natural, pleasant and relaxing. They could fight, sleep or just work their hair like this and it would feel like all is right in the world. But it isn't. Ginia's heart carries deep wounds, and he's no healer, no druid to know how to mend it. ]

[unlucky7]

[Ginia's mouth lifts at the kiss, his fingers on her cheeks. She would kiss him back, but the moment is fleeting, fingers sliding into her curly mane, holding the ends until he can clip it and resume working.

It's moments like this she treasures, carving the moment into her mind and heart. There is no permanence here, not when the new gods are taken from their own time and world. There's unfinished business for many of them and disappearing is perhaps a form of mercy and kindness. But what about someone like Cu, who is exactly who he is, but also his legend long over? His legends will always live on, told again and again through countless generations, but he is dead.

What happens if he leaves?

But why dwell on possibilities when he's here now, tangible and close. She could stop him with a kiss if she wanted, tangle her hands into his hair and ruin all his hard work, breathe him in again and again.

There are a lot of things she could do. Ginia remains still, turning her head as he indicates so he can braid her hair. The peace of the moment is what she wants most. The quiet room, always a warm and humid from the pool of water nearby, the gentle lap of water as it burbles up from deep within the earth. Even if in a few more days Ginia finds herself back in the wash room with Caster, his hands weaving through her hair, it won't be the same. Each moment is special, cherished.

Things hurt, maybe they'll hurt again once they leave the room, when she lays in bed and the dark of the night threatens to swallow her whole. Right now, everything feels okay.]

[futhark]

[ The second braid he finishes much quicker. Since he figured out the correct technique with the first one. But there is still a lot of hair - mane indeed - to have safely put up. Once again with a hand gently nudging her chin, he makes her face him again.

Ahh, it's hard to not just kiss her- But it might get out of hand, they might find it difficult to stop. No, they have to get to those springs first. What happens next, time will tell.

He leans closer, brushes his lips against her forehead and slides his fingers into the rest of her mane, collecting and sectioning it for the final, third braid. When all three are down, he pins them just above the nape of her neck. With a bit more flourish it could have been a very elegant hairstyle fit for ceremonies and what not. ]

And, done. [ There is something symbolic about submerging body in water. And there is a reason why each temple has a sacred spring with purifying water. ] Shall we?

[unlucky7]

[As the two with the longest hair in the temple, they should take advantage of that and braid each other's hair more. Ginia touches the pinned braids, her smile warm and content. Her hands rest on Caster's chest as she kisses the corner of his mouth, keeping the kiss restrained.

Ginia pulls away to undress, folding up her clothes and dropping them into a basket. Her shower is fast, a cool water utilitarian scrub and rinse in favor of getting into the pool as quickly as possible. The water feels hotter, almost stinging as she slips into the water, submerging up to her shoulders as she stretches out. Whether the water has healing properties or not, it feels nice on her still sore shoulder.]

Now that we have a hot spring, we should think about what to wish for next if the temple moves again.