[audio]

[yosukecantstop]

Not to ask a stupid question, but I've never had to- [Sigh. The teenage boy on the other end of the feed rustles some fabric and scratches his ribs audibly.]- it's just that usually if I'm sick, my Mom...

[He shakes his head, which you probably can't hear, but the slight embarrassment over the above admission probably seeps into his tone just a

Comments

voice;

[longaevus]

There's both a clinic and several hospital. If you can't make it someone can come to you.

What are your symptoms?

[boundbytreason]

[She stops before she even gets halfway across the room. Now, there are two ways to work with this: the motherly route or playing on his ego. Why not both? Slowly, she turns back around to face him, a gentle smile on her lips.]

Come, now. You're being silly. [She addresses his initial concern first:] An oatmeal bath will make your rash feel better. It's been bothering you for a while, hasn't it? Besides, you can't say that it's bad until you've tried it. And if you don't want to use a washcloth, then a towel will work just fine. But either way, I'm sure you don't have anything to be ashamed about.

[Taking a step closer, she reaches out to touch the side of his face with her hand.] Let me take care of you.

[Her smile gains an extra note of warmth, seeming like anything remotely close to a refusal would make her quite sad.]

[yosukecantstop]

[His heart kickstarts at her touch, and he leans into it a little without meaning to. Letting someone take care of him sounds so nice...if his eyes glaze over just a little, can he really be blamed?]

[Yosuke's voice comes out a little huskier than usual, if still a bit squeaky. He can get away with blaming that on the sore throat, right? He just nods, a bit too eagerly.]

I guess it won't hurt to try.

[boundbytreason]

[Ah, success. She withdraws her hand from him, sweetly adding:]

Then don't keep me waiting for long.

[With that, she turns and makes her way across the room to the bathroom once more -- before he can change his mind.]

[yosukecantstop]

[Except that he follows like a kind of underfoot puppy and hovers in the doorway curiously instead of going and getting ready like she instructed him to. See what happens when you're nice to him? See what happens when you play to his hormones ego? This happens.]

[boundbytreason]

[Oh, dear. Well, it's not something that she can't handle. Caster turns her head to look over at him, letting out a soft sigh.]

You need to get unchanged, boy. [Then, she gives him a coy smile, as she teases:] Or did you want me to undress you myself?

[yosukecantstop]

[His grip on the door frame slips at that, and he almost falls over. Holy crap. He swallows noisily and tries to shake his head at her, but it comes out as a nod instead.]

N-no, I can. Uh. Do it myself.

[boundbytreason]

[Seeing his actions practically contradict his answer made it difficult not to laugh, but she managed with simply a broader smile.]

Then hurry along.

[Looking away from him again, she lowers her purse onto the floor besides the bath and pulls its strap off her shoulder. Straightening, she then clutches at the front of her robe and proceeds to slip it off. The fabric ripples in currents of black and bluish-purple as it pulls away from her dark blue dress. If the boy hadn't moved by now, he would likely have a clear view of the low cut in the back, as she neatly folds and places the cloak inside her purse without facing him.

She simply didn't want to get her robe wet when the water started running.]

[yosukecantstop]

[He's still in the doorway, staring. And now he has a hand clapped over his mouth, partly in surprise. But mostly to stifle the urge to clear his sore throat. Woah, is she getting undressed too? He must have a fever. His eyes are about as wide as they can go.]

[boundbytreason]

[ Caster doesn't actually notice immediately. She pulls off her gloves next, slipping them into the purse as well. By the time that she finally turns back around, she's surprised to see him still standing there. ]

Oh? You're still here? [ A wry smile. ] At this rate, I'll be done before you do. Don't keep me waiting, boy.

[yosukecantstop]

Done...uh...m-making the bath, you mean?

[His voice squeaks. It kinda hurts. And he's just...staring. This is not how these kinds of dreams usually go. For starters, why would there be oatmeal? And a hideous rash? Gross!]

[boundbytreason]

That's right. What else could I mean?

[ Ironically, she was only, maybe, half aware of the effect that she was having on him. She might have been teasing him at first, but she wasn't now.

She moves to the side of the tub, letting one hand delicately curl over the rim as she leans forward to reach for the faucet with her other. She twists and warm water runs like a bubbling river.]

[yosukecantstop]

[Being a ridiculous teenager and all, it doesn't take much.]

Yeah. Obviously!

[He stares at the water for another second and then ducks around the corner. Nope, still not undressing, but at least he's pretending to be doing something instead of getting under her feet?]

[boundbytreason]

[ Well, while she's left to believe that he's undressing, she gets to work. She plugs in the drain, fishes out the tiny, paper bag of oatmeal that she prepared beforehand from her purse, and places it into the back of the tub. When the tub's filled adequately, she turns off the water, straightens, and turns her head back towards the doorway. ]

Are you ready?

[yosukecantstop]

..Yeah.

[He wanders back in, clinging to a towel like it's a security blanket, and not a stitch of clothing removed.]

Um, thanks. I'll-there's tea out there, above the sink and one to the right. Top shelf. If you're waiting you can have some. O-or you don't have to wait, either. If you need to get back to somewhere else.

[boundbytreason]

I don't, so I'll be all yours tonight.

[ Well, arguing with the boy clearly won't get anywhere. She straightens and takes a step closer to the doorway. ]

But are you sure that you don't want me to wash your back? You'll have to be gentle, and you'll also need to release some of the oatmeal as you're bathing. It'll be easier if I help you.