[Though Wolfwood doesn't fully grasp yet that something is Off, he can sense it. There's a sort of change in the air, both just in general and in Vash's behavior that's hard to miss, but for the time being he isn't going to call him on it. He just sits forward a little bit more as Vash sighs, the water sloshing between them.]
Uh...yeah. Sure.
[Though the water isn't icy, it's not at all the nice comfy warm it was when they ran it, and the water itself is...gross. Thanks to him, mostly. So, after some deliberation, he leans forward and pulls out the plug so the water can begin draining before he pushes himself up using the edge of the tub, reaching back a hand to help Vash stand with him before moving to pull the shower curtain closed.]
[The hand is gratefully accepted, at least. And once he's on his feet, Vash finds himself leaning bodily into Wolfwood's frame. Even if the words to express his discomfort failed him, even if he couldn't verbally reassure his partner, he wanted to at least establish that level of comfort. It wasn't Wolfwood's fault he got in his own head for too long.
He lingers for a few seconds, before reaching behind them both to pull at the faucet once more. It doesn't take long to get the shower running, even if the water itself comes out cold at first. It just gives him reason to shrink closer to Wolfwood, seeking out his warmth if nothing else.]
S-sorry.
[He isn't wholly conscious of having spoken until the words are out in the open. It's hard to say if he's apologizing for earlier, or the cold water. Maybe it's a mix of both.]
[The way he apologizes isn't missed, though Wolfwood highly doubts it's because the water's cold. That he pretty easily shrugs off- they've been sitting in lukewarm water as it is for a while anyway- simply waiting as the water slowly heats back up to tolerable around them. In the meantime, he allows Vash to get close to him, huddling against him from behind like a child trying to hide.
It's only when he doesn't need to fiddle with the faucet any longer that he moves to turn to actually face Vash, carefully adjusting their position so he can pull him into his arms. He brings a hand up, loosely cradling the back of Vash's head, and brings it down to rest on his shoulder.]
[A faint noise is made into the embrace, almost like relief. And it's true, that Vash's shoulders actively loosen the second they both make contact. It's what was missing earlier, with their previous position, mutual contact and assurance. He couldn't explain why the lack of it felt so wrong, only that this was right.
Perhaps it's the reminder of that time before, when it had felt cold and fleeting. He shrugs that thought away before it can stick too heavily in his mind, though.]
I was having a good time. [His voice almost sounds like he's pouting, as if he's annoyed with himself for... whatever he felt. Why wouldn't he be, when it had ruined an otherwise perfect evening.] Didn't mean to make it so much trouble.
[Wolfwood mutters, starting to get a better idea of what might have happened, now. As it stands, he personally doesn't feel like anything's been "ruined" at all. How could it possibly be, when they've already had such a good time together up until now? The whole plan was to have a shower together afterwards, the whole...getting frisky in the bathtub was Wolfwood's idea, come to think of it.]
It ain't trouble, Vash. It's okay to take a breather if you're not feeling something.
[He cards his fingers gently through the short hair of his undercut, sighing as the water finally reaches actually warm now that it's had some time to run for a bit.]
...here. Let's get cleaned up for now. Then we can talk more.
[It's relieving to hear Wolfwood say as much. His response to the rejection, callous of a word though it might be, had been at the forefront of Vash's mind. He doesn't want to see Nick brought down by virtue of him being finicky. Besides, it isn't like he hasn't loved every other second of their evening together. There's just something about this.
The sigh Vash offers up is bone deep and weary, but he doesn't argue. In fact, he gives a small bob of the head, before glancing up at Wolfwood through his lashes.]
Promise you aren't upset? It really wasn't you -
[The hot water is already doing wonders, rinsing away the sour feelings clinging to his skin. So, too, is Wolfwood's embrace. His voice. Where that grit had only just been getting a rise out of him, it's now the perfect salve for his aches.]
[Though they do need to actually try to do some cleaning here, Wolfwood isn't going to rush it. If standing under the hot water is what Vash needs the most right now, then that's what they'll do. He'll let the Independent to lean his weight into him, though the way he sighs like that isn't too terribly promising.
Vash what did he say about talking...ah well.]
If I was, you'd know. [He murmurs, low, but not too low that he can't be heard over the rush of water.] ...you okay?
[Don't worry, Wolfwood. He isn't intentionally keeping anything to himself. Right now, he's trying to sort through the myriad emotions running through his head, hoping to at least pinpoint where it all started. It's growing harder to do so, seeing as how said feelings are currently being washed away.]
I'm getting there. [It's both honest and painfully earnest. Even as his brows lower into a furrow, he never takes his gaze away from Nick.] It's like I said. I think I just... didn't like how thoughtless it felt after everything.
It wasn't just you. [He wouldn't deny that Wolfwood played a major part in his decision to press onward, but that wasn't the whole truth, either.] I kinda hoped that I would get used to it. Like if I worked through it, it'd feel better?
[Obviously that hadn't panned out for them. Looking back, it had been a bad decision considering how burned out he felt now. But that was just how Vash operated. He'd make a bad decision in the heat of the moment, follow it through to the end, and then pick up the pieces afterward.]
I'll keep it in mind, though.
[For now, he reaches for the small bar of soap he keeps in the shower. He starts to lather both of his hands.]
[This kind of thing is something you learn through experience. Back years ago, when he had more free time to fuck around than he does now, Wolfwood had those experiences that were less than pleasant. And now Vash, who has had sex all of twice now in the last decade and some change, can't be expected to get it all right the first time.
Wolfwood wonders, maybe, if they might have gone a little too hard. He doesn't want to say as much, not while Vash is obviously still feeling raw and uncomfortable, so he decides to just let him do the talking while they're still washing up. That said...
Vash reaches for the soap, and Wolfwood inclines his head to one side before nodding.]
[Silently at first, those hands work together until he's satisfied with the bubbles coming off of them. They raise up, starting just below Wolfwood's jaw and gradually working the lather downward. As if sensing his thoughts, Vash lets out a thoughtful noise.]
Y'know. Nothin's ever made me feel half as good as that.
[His hands span the width of his shoulders, then shift to gingerly knead their way down an arm.]
And I've never been able to make someone feel as good as that, either. [A hum starts up in the back of his throat.] Definitely ranks up there on my list of better nights.
[Ugh. That feels...sinfully good. He can't help the way his eyes flutter closed as Vash lathers him up methodically, going from his neck to his shoulders and beyond. Even with the prosthetic being there in the mix, it doesn't detract from the feeling of being washed, far from it. It only enhances it, since the metal has been warmed up nicely by the heat. Don't mind him if he ends up leaning into the curve of your palms whenever you go back up to his head, Vash.]
Glad I could be of service, then. [He winks, smirking.] But...yeah. It was the same for me too.
[His voice lowers just a touch, not so low that he can't be heard over the water, but low enough so that it's like he's telling a secret.]
I'm gonna be hearing those sounds you were making in my dreams, I'm pretty sure.
[For now, Vash manages to work his lather down toward Wolfwood's Wolfwood's hips before it begins to run out. Still, given the mess Vash had made of him, he can't be blamed for lingering. His fingers seem to map out every ridge of muscle, trace over every scar, and fan through the thick hair that settles just above his belt line. It's all kept gentle — not trying to elicit a response, merely revere and appreciate. Despite his earlier mood, the affection is no less bountiful — in fact it seems to pool deeply within his chest and radiate outward.
Eventually, though, he does rise up for the time being. He takes Wolfwood's face into his hands and pulls him into a brief kiss. He can't help it, when he feels about ready to burst with his adoration.]
Don't push it, buddy. [He scolds when they part. There's no venom to his words, though they do trail into a yelp as Wolfwood does, indeed, push it. The shiver that follows is a bodily one. It seems to deeply affect him despite everything, especially given the way his sinuous length — mostly retracted now — seems to abruptly stand at at least partial attention.]
[There's something to be said about simply exploring someone's body like this. There's a lot for Vash to explore, after all. This time tonight marks the first that either of them has seen the other completely nude, and Wolfwood would be lying if he said he's gotten a proper eyeful of everything Vash has to offer. In contrast, Wolfwood has scars, blemishes, and imperfections that even he can't see from most angles. Yet, the way Vash touches him...you'd think they were all perfect. It's enough to make him feel sheepish, being studied so carefully.
It doesn't help when he decides to kiss him like that, which prompts Wolfwood to return the favor, a smirk on his lips even long after they part from one another. Vash's lips are sweet, even when they're giving him a warning. His plan had been to chase him down for another kiss before he could say anything else, but, well...
That smirk turns from easygoing to downright devilish, when he sees something shift out of the corner of his eye.]
[In the end, it's less that Wolfwood is perfect and more that Vash appreciates him in spite of (or perhaps because of) those imperfections. They are, after all, all parts of the man he loves. And what else can Vash do but love every single inch of the man he's virtually pledged his entire life to?
He knows when that gaze shifts, though, can practically feel the heat of it raking down his body. He shies back solely out of shyness, rather than apprehension. A faint whimper grows at the back of his throat, while a very self-conscious heat rises on his cheeks and spreads down the span of his neck.]
You can't talk to me like that. You'll get me all worked up again! [The chiding note in his voice has diminished greatly, as if the fight he puts up is solely to say that he did resist, even if he clearly doesn't want to.]
[He means that, honest! In fact, he'll prove it to Vash by reaching for the soap that he'd placed down earlier, lathering up his own hands with it. It doesn't take long to get a good amount of suds going, to which he'll carefully place both soapy hands along either side of Vash's neck.]
Here. Lemme clean you up, before anythin' else happens.
[Having Wolfwood's hands roving all over his body sure as hell is NOT going to help Vash's current predicament but hey, at least he'll no longer be sticky?
He'll also tilt his head a little bit, trying to look into Vash's eyes.]
[That whine only grows louder, though for an entirely different reason. Though he doesn't protest the touch outright, he does hit Wolfwood with a very pointed pout, offering up:]
You distracted me before I could finish you off.
[Phrasing, bud.
Innuendos aside, Vash allows himself to lean heavily into that touch. Those rough hands do wonders in sending little thrills across the Independent's skin. Despite the warmth of the water, gooseflesh rise up wherever those fingers go, followed by that whole body leaning into him. It's unlike a very enthusiastic cat taking a pet — he practically topples over with the force of his lean.]
Hey, I ain't gonna be offended if you still wanna "finish me off".
[The innuendo is not lost on him, whether Vash realizes it or not, sorry!
But for ONCE, Wolfwood isn't actively trying to make poor Vash's affliction worse. Instead, he's treating him carefully, gentle as he accepts his weight as he leans into him. He's able to easily stay on his feet despite the slippery tile floor suggesting otherwise, his fingers moving from his neck down to his shoulders as he makes his way down his right side first. He's aware that his prosthetic is waterproof, but that doesn't change the fact he isn't sure he should be getting it all soapy. ...then again, Vash himself just soaped it up, so maybe he's worried for nothing. Hm.
And despite all of Vash's own flaws, from the scars to the parts of him that are no longer even organic, metal bits haphazardly slapped on to keep him stitched together in a pinch, Wolfwood traces each with his fingertips reverently, so close now that they're almost touching, chest-to-chest. He brings one hand up underneath Vash's pec (the one with the nipple), washing over it while giving it a more than deliberate squeeze, okay that one was on purpose sue him-]
Oh, Lord. What did a sinner like me do to deserve being graced with such a beautiful specimen as this?
[He growls those words, deep in the air between them.]
[If Vash takes issue with his prosthetic being soaped up, he doesn't vocalize it. He's too busy scowling down at Wolfwood for his little quips. Yes, it was the Independent's fault for lining up the clear shot, but the least he could ask for is a little bit of resistance. Just what is he supposed to do — start laughing.
The only thing that saves him from just that is the way those hands move across his skin. His eyes close for just a second, allowing himself to well and truly enjoy the gentle caresses without doubting if his battered, broken body was worthy of the attention. Like this, he can pretend he's normal. Put together. Worth touching.
— and then he squawks as loud as he can, jaw practically unhinging in its offense, as Wolfwood honks his tit.]
Nick, you -
[The "anger" doesn't last, not when he's forced to reconcile that stricken glance, or reckon with the timbre of the voice that follows.]
You - can't go talkin' to me like that. You're gonna make me weak in the knees! Do you want me to fall over?
Haah? What's the problem? I'll catch you if you fall, baby.
[That's what he's here for! He says as he unabashedly rubs his thumb along the underside of that pec, careful not to touch the metal grate there too much because honestly he has no idea if it hurts Vash at all for it to be there.]
I'm your guardian angel. Ain't nothin' gonna happen to you while I'm around.
[He's going to die. He's going to pass out and perish right here and now. Between his words and the thumb stroking over his skin, Vash is practically helpless. He shudders hard enough to stumble, barely catching himself on Wolfwood himself.]
Gimme the soap. [His voice is low. Distracted.] Let me finish - [A sigh.] Clean your legs before you start sweeping me off my feet, okay?
[And sure enough, Wolfwood is right there to prevent him from busting his ass on the tile. Not that he can take all the credit for simply being here, of course.
At Vash's request, he'll pass the soap over to him, at least managing to do it without dropping and losing it down the drain or something.]
Yeah yeah, alright. No promises I'll make it, though.
[Vash's only response, at least at first, is a roll of the eyes and a sharp scoff. He thinks that maybe, maybe he shouldn't dignify this with a response. However, as he fully lathers his hands and kneels down between Wolfwood's legs, he does manage to grouse:]
If you can't handle just being touched, then I definitely overestimated you.
[And just to punctuate the sentence, he reaches around and grabs a handful of Wolfwood's ass. He plays it off as casual as possible, dragging his soap covered hands down his thighs immediately after (especially if it means steadying poor Wolfwood). The grin on his lips says it was absolutely intentional, though.]
[Haha, oh Vash. Have you ever wanted to hear Wolfwood yelp before? Because that's just what happens when he suddenly feels Vash copping a feel, an "accidental" one his ASS-
He manages to not, like, fall the fuck over by putting his hands on Vash's shoulders, brows knitting together as he brings one hand up to (lightly) bonk the top of Vash's head, right in the middle of those stupid blonde locks.]
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Uh...yeah. Sure.
[Though the water isn't icy, it's not at all the nice comfy warm it was when they ran it, and the water itself is...gross. Thanks to him, mostly. So, after some deliberation, he leans forward and pulls out the plug so the water can begin draining before he pushes himself up using the edge of the tub, reaching back a hand to help Vash stand with him before moving to pull the shower curtain closed.]
We can shower. It'll be faster.
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He lingers for a few seconds, before reaching behind them both to pull at the faucet once more. It doesn't take long to get the shower running, even if the water itself comes out cold at first. It just gives him reason to shrink closer to Wolfwood, seeking out his warmth if nothing else.]
S-sorry.
[He isn't wholly conscious of having spoken until the words are out in the open. It's hard to say if he's apologizing for earlier, or the cold water. Maybe it's a mix of both.]
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It's only when he doesn't need to fiddle with the faucet any longer that he moves to turn to actually face Vash, carefully adjusting their position so he can pull him into his arms. He brings a hand up, loosely cradling the back of Vash's head, and brings it down to rest on his shoulder.]
Hey. It's fine. You're fine.
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Perhaps it's the reminder of that time before, when it had felt cold and fleeting. He shrugs that thought away before it can stick too heavily in his mind, though.]
I was having a good time. [His voice almost sounds like he's pouting, as if he's annoyed with himself for... whatever he felt. Why wouldn't he be, when it had ruined an otherwise perfect evening.] Didn't mean to make it so much trouble.
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[Wolfwood mutters, starting to get a better idea of what might have happened, now. As it stands, he personally doesn't feel like anything's been "ruined" at all. How could it possibly be, when they've already had such a good time together up until now? The whole plan was to have a shower together afterwards, the whole...getting frisky in the bathtub was Wolfwood's idea, come to think of it.]
It ain't trouble, Vash. It's okay to take a breather if you're not feeling something.
[He cards his fingers gently through the short hair of his undercut, sighing as the water finally reaches actually warm now that it's had some time to run for a bit.]
...here. Let's get cleaned up for now. Then we can talk more.
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The sigh Vash offers up is bone deep and weary, but he doesn't argue. In fact, he gives a small bob of the head, before glancing up at Wolfwood through his lashes.]
Promise you aren't upset? It really wasn't you -
[The hot water is already doing wonders, rinsing away the sour feelings clinging to his skin. So, too, is Wolfwood's embrace. His voice. Where that grit had only just been getting a rise out of him, it's now the perfect salve for his aches.]
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Vash what did he say about talking...ah well.]
If I was, you'd know. [He murmurs, low, but not too low that he can't be heard over the rush of water.] ...you okay?
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I'm getting there. [It's both honest and painfully earnest. Even as his brows lower into a furrow, he never takes his gaze away from Nick.] It's like I said. I think I just... didn't like how thoughtless it felt after everything.
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Wolfwood breathes a sigh through his nose, bringing his hand up now so he can brush his thumb along the side of his cheek.]
I mean...it makes sense. I don't think I've ever known you to do anything you didn't put 110% of yourself into.
[He leans in, just close enough to rest their foreheads together.]
Next time though...you should tell me. Don't keep going for my sake.
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[Obviously that hadn't panned out for them. Looking back, it had been a bad decision considering how burned out he felt now. But that was just how Vash operated. He'd make a bad decision in the heat of the moment, follow it through to the end, and then pick up the pieces afterward.]
I'll keep it in mind, though.
[For now, he reaches for the small bar of soap he keeps in the shower. He starts to lather both of his hands.]
May I?
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Wolfwood wonders, maybe, if they might have gone a little too hard. He doesn't want to say as much, not while Vash is obviously still feeling raw and uncomfortable, so he decides to just let him do the talking while they're still washing up. That said...
Vash reaches for the soap, and Wolfwood inclines his head to one side before nodding.]
Please.
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Y'know. Nothin's ever made me feel half as good as that.
[His hands span the width of his shoulders, then shift to gingerly knead their way down an arm.]
And I've never been able to make someone feel as good as that, either. [A hum starts up in the back of his throat.] Definitely ranks up there on my list of better nights.
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[Ugh. That feels...sinfully good. He can't help the way his eyes flutter closed as Vash lathers him up methodically, going from his neck to his shoulders and beyond. Even with the prosthetic being there in the mix, it doesn't detract from the feeling of being washed, far from it. It only enhances it, since the metal has been warmed up nicely by the heat. Don't mind him if he ends up leaning into the curve of your palms whenever you go back up to his head, Vash.]
Glad I could be of service, then. [He winks, smirking.] But...yeah. It was the same for me too.
[His voice lowers just a touch, not so low that he can't be heard over the water, but low enough so that it's like he's telling a secret.]
I'm gonna be hearing those sounds you were making in my dreams, I'm pretty sure.
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Eventually, though, he does rise up for the time being. He takes Wolfwood's face into his hands and pulls him into a brief kiss. He can't help it, when he feels about ready to burst with his adoration.]
Don't push it, buddy. [He scolds when they part. There's no venom to his words, though they do trail into a yelp as Wolfwood does, indeed, push it. The shiver that follows is a bodily one. It seems to deeply affect him despite everything, especially given the way his sinuous length — mostly retracted now — seems to abruptly stand at at least partial attention.]
Nick!
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It doesn't help when he decides to kiss him like that, which prompts Wolfwood to return the favor, a smirk on his lips even long after they part from one another. Vash's lips are sweet, even when they're giving him a warning. His plan had been to chase him down for another kiss before he could say anything else, but, well...
That smirk turns from easygoing to downright devilish, when he sees something shift out of the corner of his eye.]
Mmm you called...?
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He knows when that gaze shifts, though, can practically feel the heat of it raking down his body. He shies back solely out of shyness, rather than apprehension. A faint whimper grows at the back of his throat, while a very self-conscious heat rises on his cheeks and spreads down the span of his neck.]
You can't talk to me like that. You'll get me all worked up again! [The chiding note in his voice has diminished greatly, as if the fight he puts up is solely to say that he did resist, even if he clearly doesn't want to.]
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[He means that, honest! In fact, he'll prove it to Vash by reaching for the soap that he'd placed down earlier, lathering up his own hands with it. It doesn't take long to get a good amount of suds going, to which he'll carefully place both soapy hands along either side of Vash's neck.]
Here. Lemme clean you up, before anythin' else happens.
[Having Wolfwood's hands roving all over his body sure as hell is NOT going to help Vash's current predicament but hey, at least he'll no longer be sticky?
He'll also tilt his head a little bit, trying to look into Vash's eyes.]
...s'that okay?
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You distracted me before I could finish you off.
[Phrasing, bud.
Innuendos aside, Vash allows himself to lean heavily into that touch. Those rough hands do wonders in sending little thrills across the Independent's skin. Despite the warmth of the water, gooseflesh rise up wherever those fingers go, followed by that whole body leaning into him. It's unlike a very enthusiastic cat taking a pet — he practically topples over with the force of his lean.]
Feels good.
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[The innuendo is not lost on him, whether Vash realizes it or not, sorry!
But for ONCE, Wolfwood isn't actively trying to make poor Vash's affliction worse. Instead, he's treating him carefully, gentle as he accepts his weight as he leans into him. He's able to easily stay on his feet despite the slippery tile floor suggesting otherwise, his fingers moving from his neck down to his shoulders as he makes his way down his right side first. He's aware that his prosthetic is waterproof, but that doesn't change the fact he isn't sure he should be getting it all soapy. ...then again, Vash himself just soaped it up, so maybe he's worried for nothing. Hm.
And despite all of Vash's own flaws, from the scars to the parts of him that are no longer even organic, metal bits haphazardly slapped on to keep him stitched together in a pinch, Wolfwood traces each with his fingertips reverently, so close now that they're almost touching, chest-to-chest. He brings one hand up underneath Vash's pec (the one with the nipple), washing over it while giving it a more than deliberate squeeze, okay that one was on purpose sue him-]
Oh, Lord. What did a sinner like me do to deserve being graced with such a beautiful specimen as this?
[He growls those words, deep in the air between them.]
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The only thing that saves him from just that is the way those hands move across his skin. His eyes close for just a second, allowing himself to well and truly enjoy the gentle caresses without doubting if his battered, broken body was worthy of the attention. Like this, he can pretend he's normal. Put together. Worth touching.
— and then he squawks as loud as he can, jaw practically unhinging in its offense, as Wolfwood honks his tit.]
Nick, you -
[The "anger" doesn't last, not when he's forced to reconcile that stricken glance, or reckon with the timbre of the voice that follows.]
You - can't go talkin' to me like that. You're gonna make me weak in the knees! Do you want me to fall over?
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[That's what he's here for! He says as he unabashedly rubs his thumb along the underside of that pec, careful not to touch the metal grate there too much because honestly he has no idea if it hurts Vash at all for it to be there.]
I'm your guardian angel. Ain't nothin' gonna happen to you while I'm around.
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Gimme the soap. [His voice is low. Distracted.] Let me finish - [A sigh.] Clean your legs before you start sweeping me off my feet, okay?
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At Vash's request, he'll pass the soap over to him, at least managing to do it without dropping and losing it down the drain or something.]
Yeah yeah, alright. No promises I'll make it, though.
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If you can't handle just being touched, then I definitely overestimated you.
[And just to punctuate the sentence, he reaches around and grabs a handful of Wolfwood's ass. He plays it off as casual as possible, dragging his soap covered hands down his thighs immediately after (especially if it means steadying poor Wolfwood). The grin on his lips says it was absolutely intentional, though.]
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He manages to not, like, fall the fuck over by putting his hands on Vash's shoulders, brows knitting together as he brings one hand up to (lightly) bonk the top of Vash's head, right in the middle of those stupid blonde locks.]
Oi, watch those hands...!
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