Characters: Fran and Haruka Prompt: Haruka gets exposed to Fran's pheremones. God help them both.
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2025 9:07 pm
ＨＡＲＵＫＡ ☁ ＫＯＮＯＫＡＺＥ ＤＵＫＥ ＯＦ ＷＩＮＤＵＲＩＡ
The ever-growing number of luxuries that his stay Utopia had granted him never ceased to amaze Haruka. From bacon, to learning new combat styles, and to bacon, the storm had truly been favorable. Though not entirely. The shadow of Nalani Kaehuwahine and the terror she seems to bring with her every action haunted him. But as she acted as a "duchess" of Stilicidium, there was only so much he could actively do for the time being. The school assured him that such outburst would be handled, but Haruka was beginning to doubt the efficacy of Utopia's ability to deter such violence. As such, he put his training above any sort of academics. If he were to stand a chance against that sea monster, he would have to hone himself.
Unfortunately, he could only push himself so far. The human body had its limits, and Haruka was at a point where he required rest. The duke felt great shame in such requirements, despite knowing it was a natural process. Weapons were not meant to tire. And yet he did so regardless; one of the many reasons he was a failure. Seeking to hasten the soothing of his aching body, Haruka made his way to the school's hot springs one early morning.
The duke would make sure not to stay long, only seeking to spend as much time as strictly necessary. He wasn't even sure if it was right of him to be there in the first place. Father and Uncle had used such methods to ease their weary bodies, and did Haruka himself once upon a time. But that was when he was still considered a proper son. Here, however, he could use such resources without anyone to stop him. Just as well, he was beginning to feel...conflicted about his bloodline. The failures of Jinto Konokaze were meant to die with him, and yet his uncle's specter had found a way to haunt both him and his newfound cousin.
As the duke began to get towels together for his dip, he stopped for a moment. One final hesitation. If it came down to it, would he be able to kill her? It would certainly end this madness once and for all. But the second I even think about it, I begin to waver. Is this....fear? A proper Konokaze is not meant to experience fear. Another failure of my cursed form. Her intimidation tactics certainly worked; he had spent some minutes at the springs and had not yet entered. Finally he began to take his jacket off, though his thoughts were still lost to the storm that plagued his mind...
Location: Hot Springs Company: No One Outfit:x OOC:
She’d never seen or heard of hot springs before, but their description of them felt similar to the bath houses that were scattered around Arioso, though more extravagant in what they had to offer. Up until the past year, Francesca only lived a life outside of the aristocracy though flirted with it through her profession in the theater. That all changed when she forced her way into her title and stepped to the inside, into the world many of her patrons occupied. She didn’t like what she saw. Many of them lived comfortably and obliviously while everyone else was fightiing a war and picking up the pieces after Arioso’s destruction, even still.
Thinking about it brought on a heavy sigh. Had the direction she took been as much of a betrayal as it felt it was? It didn’t look good if one didn’t know her intentions. Okay, part of it was self-serving. She wanted her coward of a father to face her and acknowledge she existed after denying and ignoring her her whole life. But in that she saw an opportunity to work on doing good for Musique from the inside out. Her delulu half-sister didn’t fit the model of a ruler who would care for her people and for that reason Fran was willing to go head to head with her for the spot. Marcello was a different story. It would take time for all of this work to bear fruit, so she was willing to wait. ‘Gods willing, I can eventually retire to my own little corner of the kingdom and go back to theater work after all this…’
With the small towel in hand and prepped for the plunge, Francesca entered the main area that housed the springs, feeling the steamy warmth from the water hitting her face and exposed body. The water was supposed to be better than what the servants brought for her baths and with how she’d been detonating pheromones as often as Anika had tantrums lately, there was a far-fetched hope it would help reduce that frequency and output. The past few times had not been without their silver linings. She met some interesting people because of it.
Fran winced as she first stepped into the spring. She expected it to be hot, but not this hot. She’d get used to it, she told herself, and started to ease in with a little whining. When she was waist deep, she was startled by the feeling of something hard hitting the top of her head. Warm colored threads of fine, almost smoke-like dust fluttered off and away from her upper body like it was trying to get away from her, and the Musique Queen-To-Be froze in place with a foul expression over her features. ”Dammit!” she cursed in annoyance. Why couldn’t that have waited until she was more submerged?! She looked at the water to see a large acorn floating on the surface, then looked up to the branches of a flowering tree that extended over her side of it. What she saw made had her inhale deeply and flash a death glare.
A squirrel stood on the branch staring, giving no shits about what it might or might not of done. Fran rolled her lips in and let out an angry grunt.
But looking around, there appeared to not be anyone for her pheromones to touch, so she believed herself to be safe. Francesca finally sat down, water up to her chest. It had to be the school causing her to be so on edge. At this rate, she was going to have a heart attack before she turned 25.
OOC: If I need to change anything or backtrack anythijng for this post or any of my future posts, please let me know!
ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: Utopia - Hot Springs ★ᴍʏ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ: No one ★ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴꜱ: Anika, Marcello, Luka and Michael (not by name) ᴀʟʟ ᴅʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ:nothin' at all★ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ: "Our king sucks, where even is our queen? OMG this water is HOT!"
Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2025 6:26 am
ＨＡＲＵＫＡ ☁ ＫＯＮＯＫＡＺＥ ＤＵＫＥ ＯＦ ＷＩＮＤＵＲＩＡ
Having retreated to a changing room before dipping into the hot spring proper, Haruka finished up switching out his clothes. In the hopes of minimizing his time to being shirtless to when he was in the hot spring, kept on a sweater to help combat the cooling weather. The duke of the wind also opted to try the swimwear of other nations, as a simple fundoshi might be considered too risque in other cultures. Not that I can say I've ever been a particular fan myself... Just as well, it too would have been a problem if a particularly cold wind were to manifest. Neatly folding his other clothes and getting a few towels together, he was just about ready to set forth into the spring proper when he heard a voice from close by.
”Dammit!”
So someone was already there; Haruka would account for that and arrive earlier next time. Would it be impolite of me to intrude upon them? Then again, they might be in trouble by the sound of it...I should check to make sure. He took slow, cautious steps at first, not entirely sure if he should risk detection yet depending on what might be going on. After all, it could be as simple a problem as a scrapped knee or as dangerous as a giant tentacle monster at this point. That being said, there was a lack of any struggling or thrashing noises. Perhaps this issue lay closer to the former.
But as he entered the spring, Haruka felt a change within him. A newfound sense of urgency surged within him. Whether it was from his inability to be there to protect Prince Oliver, his lack of efficacy in helping Lady Farrah escape Lady Adelaide's endless loops, or something else entirely, Haruka felt a burning need to ensure this person's safety. His walking picked up into a sprint. "Are you alright?" he called out. While he could see their visage, the steam blurred out the finer details. Running up to them, Haruka recognized this person to be a fellow student of his. A classmate whose day he was interrupting for seemingly no reason, as she seemed relatively unharmed. Had he barged in for nothing? Utterly embarrassed, his face went red. "Ah-" Immediately did he drop down and bow to her, placing his towels and other clothes to the side.
"My sincerest apologies for the sudden intrusion, ma'am! I...I just wanted to make sure that you were alright."
Haruka felt...careless. Foolish. He had only intended to ensure this woman's safety, but the only thing he'd actually done was to rudely interrupt her peace and quiet. "If there is anything I can do to make up for my blunder, let it be known and I shall make it so. If not, I of course will leave immediately. Many apologies again, ma'am." It felt as though he could apologize a hundred more times and it still would not be enough. Haruka continued to keep his head down as he was undeserving to gaze upon her visage. After all, of what use was a weapon to a noblewoman of such elegant tones? Still, should she wish it, he would serve her as best as he could. It was what felt right for him to do at the moment.
Location: Hot Springs Company: No One -> Fran Wearing:Outfit 1 -> Outfit 2 OOC:
So far, the water was hot, but not in the way it felt when she first dipped her feet in. Now it was soothing, though Francesca was not convinced it was as invigorating as it was once described to her. Certainly no better than the bath houses so far. Her lips pursed and she didn’t throw the claim out entirely. There was still time. At least, until she felt too prunish to continue her soak. She found the whole room the hot springs was built around to be too quiet. It wasn’t uncomfortable, just not what she was used to. Usually there were plenty of other people there, along with plenty of things to overhear.
But had there been, and she went off around them… the horror and scandal that would follow.
She believed herself lucky that no one would fall victim on this day.
“Are you alright?” A man dressed in stripes and with hair so long and gorgeous it was unfair sprinted in urgently, only to stop suddenly. Francesca tilted her head and watched him. For as fast as he came in, his features turned as bright as a cherry tomato just as quickly. She briefly looked down at herself and thankfully found no malfunction of her swimsuit, so it couldn’t have been that. Looking at him again, she knew the face. The name too maybe if she heard it.
Brown eyes squinted. Was this classmate of hers around when she was struck and consequently ‘moned by her? She had a feeling, but not too sure yet.
She extended her arms out and wiggled her hands in Haruka’s direction. “I’m alright. I just… something small fell on my head and scared the bejesus out of me is all.” It was the truth. ‘Okay, maybe half the truth but ‘I powder bombed the place with you-know-what’ isn’t exactly comforting…’
“But I’m fine, not a scratch. Pinky promise.” The man was already fretting; the last thing she wanted to do was give him anymore reason to. She gave an easy grin to his insistence to rectify his blunder, not that she believed there was much of one to correct. He believed it though. “I don’t know that I’d call it a blunder if you were just checking on me. If you ask me I’d call that umm… pretty gentlemanly, so you have my thanks. Maybe next time something happens I’ll get to call you my hero.” Fran shot him a teasing wink.
After a look around the hot spring, she looked back up at him. A hand lowered but the other waved at him, inviting him into the spring. “But if you insist, why don’t you take a load off in here with me since you’re already here? There’s plenty of room.” With as flustered as he became over her and the supposed intrusion, maybe he needed the relaxation water and steam could offer too. “Unless you don’t want to. I’m quite harmless though. You can tell me about how long it took for your hair to grow that long.”
OOC: If I need to change anything or backtrack anything for this post or any of my future posts, please let me know!
ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: Utopia - Hot Springs ★ᴍʏ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ: Haruka ★ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴꜱ: none ᴀʟʟ ᴅʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ: somethin' after all! vintage-y one-piece★ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ: 'Goddesses above please don't let him be infected by my clumsiness too!'
Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2025 1:01 pm
ＨＡＲＵＫＡ ☁ ＫＯＮＯＫＡＺＥ ＤＵＫＥ ＯＦ ＷＩＮＤＵＲＩＡ
Haruka could hear the shifting of the waters. His classmate had moved. Looking up under the assumption that she might shoo him away instead of saying so aloud, he instead found her expressing…reassurance? “I’m alright. I just… something small fell on my head and scared the bejesus out of me is all.” As it turned out, his actions were even more exaggerated than he’d first assumed. How foolish of me. I could’ve easily asked from afar instead of disturbing her in such a way. And yet…she wishes to ease my worries? Truly she is too kind. She would go on to state that she’s completely unharmed, which further eased Haruka’s spirits. But what did he have to offer her in return?
Despite the tranquil tones of her angelic voice urging him to relax, his heartbeat quickened once again. How could he redeem himself in her eyes? How absolutely pathetic he must have seen. When she went to speak next, Haruka prepared himself for the other shoe dropping. Instead, she would go on to thank him. Too kind indeed. Staring at her wide-eyed, he was at a complete loss for words. This was simply so different from what he was used to. At the same time, though, had he truly earned such praise? No, he decided. Although she meant well, the woman before him was doing more for him than she needed to at this point.
”...Such niceties should be given to those deserving, ma’am.”
However, the woman before him would only double down in response. Not only would she ask for Haruka to stay with her after such a woeful first impression, but she wished to know of his hair as well. ”I…I do not know if I can offer much commentary.” That his hair had grown out as long as it had not been deliberate at first. After the war, the pressure to keep his hair at a reasonable length had waned. He had been sheathed; the choice to become a decorative weapon had seemingly been given to him. Or thought of as irrelevant either way. Either way, almost absentmindedly, he allowed his hair to grow further than ever before. Haruka held no particular pride in it, taking care of his hair simply became part of his routine.
The woman’s thick, lush curls, on the other hand, were another beast entirely. Although the water had matted some of it down, it was clear from the start that his classmate had been blessed by the gods with otherwordly… Hm. Haruka didn’t quite have the right word for how it looked to him. How she looked to him. Without realizing it, he had allowed himself to stare blankly at her for some moments. ”Ah-” Swiftly, he bowed his head back down. ”Apologies for taking so long to respond, ma’am!” he exclaimed hurriedly, cheeks flushed. This feeling…Haruka did not quite understand it, but it was not the sort of embarrassment he was used to feeling towards himself. Something else he lacked words to describe.
So lost was Haruka in these strange emotions that he was unsure of what he should do in a situation like this. Would it really be so simple as to heed her request? Surely she’d be better off with him gone. However, it felt just as wrong to rebuke her kind offer. No, that wasn’t quite right. Haruka wished to speak to her more. To make amends. To know her better and vice-versa. There was an arresting quality to her that he simply could not separate himself from. As such, he wished not to separate from her.
”If it is truly alright with you, then…” he began, slowly coming to stand up. "I would like that, I think.” Ever carefully did he step into the water, keeping himself a respectable distance away from her while keeping his hair out of the water by laying it out on the floor behind him. ”As for my hair, I must admit that I do not do much. I use camellia oil regularly, both on my scalp and for shine. I also have a preference for bristle brushes, as they are said to promote growth.” Such practices had been for many years now, long before he grew his hair to its current length. Despite his status as a lesser Konokaze, he was expected to keep up his appearance amongst his kin.
”If I may ask, what practices do you follow? Your hair is quite luxurious.”
Normally, Haruka would not speak so brazenly. But it was true; more than just her hair, her very air was that of true bliss. While he was still unsure if he could truly be of any worth to someone so astounding, he nonetheless wished to try.
Location: Hot Springs Company: Fran Wearing:Outfit OOC:
Francesca blinked as she took in the sight of the man and his startled expression. Had he never been winked at or flirted with before? There didn’t seem to be any reason why anyone wouldn’t want to tease him that she could see. Maybe he was the kind of guy that was shier than a mouse. Just when she thought that maybe he didn’t enjoy that kind of conversation, he provided a different though equally confusing reason. She hadn’t exactly sung his praises but she didn’t feel what she said was too out of place either. “And rushing in here to check on little ol’ me when you didn’t have to doesn’t make you deserving of at least a little of that, hmm?” She flashed him a little grin, but if he insisted she’d hold off on another for a different time.
With how he put it she really wanted to know his haircare secrets now. If this man did next to nothing to achieve that glorious shine she was gonna… just puff her cheeks out, blame his family’s good genes and have feelings about it. Fran loved her hair almost as much as she loved the rest of her prize-winning assets, but managing it didn’t come without its difficulties at times.
She took to watching him looking at her and tilted her head. Whatever it was about her he saw, he was sure fixated on it. That or he’d become so lost in his own mind he forgot where he parked his eyes. His excited return to reality had Fran pull her head back with a little bubble of laughter. So he was staring at her! She couldn’t bring herself to be mad; most times she could simply return the favor with an appreciative gaze of her own. In his case however there was something innocent about his reaction and how he flushed during it. The worry that her classmate was hit by her earlier explosive episode was moving further from her mind. Fran made a wave of her hands. “It happens to the best of us. Any longer and I would have started blushing too.”
“And you can call me Francesca instead of Ma’am. Fran works too. Do you have a name I can call you by, my good man?” She’d been called far worse but if they were going to spend some time chatting it up in this giant natural hot tub it made sense to at least have a name to match with a face. Fran watched as he took the plunge and joined her. Watching as he took the time to lay his long hair safely away from the water had her reaching for one side of her own to pull together. Had she missed some important rule about this place, or was he being extra careful? As he started to dish out the deets on his routine, she weaved her hair together into a braid.
It was as he foretold, the lucky son of a L’Oreal hair model. Camellia oil and a brush! Fran’s cheeks puffed subtly for a few seconds as she didn’t want to appear too envious of his simple routine. “And that’s it? No secret steps in there?” She asked with a hint of teasing in her voice. “How long did it take to grow that long?”
With one side secured into a thick braid, she gathered the other side and repeated the process. Next time, if she came back, she’d wear her hair up. The complement that followed his question had Fran beaming. She felt the same about her hair too and did her part to make sure it stayed that way. With the climb she made from the general populace to her current standing she found herself with access to more products but her overall routine had not changed much. “I use a bristle brush and oil too for the same reasons, but I also use a clay wash and a pomade to help with styling and to control the frizz. Then I wear a scarf or a bonnet at night to protect my hair from getting tangled or ruining the curls while I’m asleep.” She maintained it between washes, and recalled another was coming up soon. It could have been that night even depending on if the hot springs did anything to that mop of hers.
With the rest of her hair braided and up from the water’s surface, she rested her hands under the water and on either side of where she sat. So far their little chat was pleasing and though he seemed to object to her earlier remark about him being a gentleman, Fran believed him to still be one. It was part of why she paused and considered what she was about to offer. That, and she knew nothing of his feelings when it came to others touching his hair. “Would you like me to braid yours too? Then you won’t be stuck to one place.”
ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: Utopia - Hot Springs ★ᴍʏ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ: Haruka ★ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴꜱ: none ᴀʟʟ ᴅʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ: somethin' after all! vintage-y one-piece★ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:sweatdrop 'Whew, we're in the clear. No pheromones today!'
Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2025 3:47 pm
ＨＡＲＵＫＡ ☁ ＫＯＮＯＫＡＺＥ ＤＵＫＥ ＯＦ ＷＩＮＤＵＲＩＡ
For some reason, the warmth of the hot spring was affecting his cheeks especially. Or at least, that was the most that Haruka could surmise as he felt continuously flushed as his conversation with the woman he now knew to be Lady Francesca went on. There was still a lingering sense of embarrassment, yes, but normally that would not cause him to feel such heat in his face. Nor would he be so unable to steady his heartbeat. And yet here he was, acutely aware of the fluttering in his chest. How odd.
Nonetheless, he would continue to be entranced by the captivating voice that came from such a magnetic visage. Though Haruka could not quite understand this either, there was even something about the way that Lady Francesca drew breath that drew his gaze towards her. Never in his life had he felt so drawn for someone; did this mean…there was a part of him that lacked fealty to the crown? Or was the intensity simply a combination of his prior panic combined with just how engaging his classmate was. Yes, that was the more reasonable explanation. His loyalty to his country had been branded onto his very soul. It was absolute. Whatever sense of devotion he was currently experiencing was similar, but not the same.
Just as well, Lady Francesca was a force of which Haruka found himself both bewildered and bewitched by. His ever-gracious peer was attentive, inquisitive, lively, and, dare he say it, rather charming. That thought sent even greater heat to settle onto his face, and Haruka would sink his head further into the water out of embarrassment from how much redder his face must’ve surely gotten. So distracted was he that it took a long moment for him to register that he’d been asked about his hair growth. Haruka would hurriedly dart his head back up to respond. ”N-no, there are no other steps to my routine. As for how long it took to get to this length…I’d say some months now, roughly. Although, prior to this, it was already at shoulder length,” responded the duke, his words only barely coming out as quickly as his thoughts raced.
The brunette before him would go on to speak of her own hair routine, which sounded quite robust in comparison to his own. But the results spoke for themselves; the sheer volume of Lady Francesca’s hair was a spectacle in and of itself. From the way she described her process, it also seemed like she performed all of this on her own. Truly was she a dedicated noblewoman.
When the offer to have his hair braided, Haruka looked away nervously. ”I…well…I feel like I’ve asked so much from you already…” His hands came up to cross over his chest in unease. This was so unlike him. All of this. And yet…there was a part of him that wished to remain. From where had that aspect of him been summoned? Had such innate yearning for others been inherent to him or born anew from this one person alone? And if the latter, what had drawn him to her so? Perplexed, Haruka just sat with those feelings for a few moments. At least, until he realized he’d never answered her when she asked for his name.
”I-It’s—”
In whipping his head back towards here, locks of Haruka’s hair nearly threatened to be submerged in the water. But by the soft push of a gentle breeze conjured discreetly by the duke himself, such a fate was avoided. Looking down again, his face even redder than before, he tried responding again. ”My name is Haruka, ma’a- ahem. Lady Francesca, I mean. Apologies.” Such struggle speaking wasn’t exactly new to him, but the acuteness of it in the moment was frustrating. But Haruka knew not to be too harsh on himself; he was attempting to interact as a person while here, which was beyond his normal specification. Taking in a deep breath, he would slowly bring his gaze back up to Lady Francesca.
”If braiding my hair would you please you, then…please, by all means.”
Location: Hot Springs Company: Fran Wearing:Outfit OOC:
The man with whom she was passing time with in the hot spring had been nothing but considerate and proper since he’d burst onto the scene, and in doing that it was to come to her aid. He’d spoken with a kind of care and gentleness, and Francesca could easily imagine those qualities translating into other mannerisms of his. She’d met several men at Utopia and they, including Haruka, challenged her expectations that a majority of them would be similar to her father – stuffy and licentious. While she found the look of Haruka’s flushed face halfway beneath the water adorable in a way, she dared not say it aloud for fear of embarrassing him. It was a little worrying and she wondered if it was just him being bashful, or if she’d done something to offend him. Or… Fran blinked. ‘Is he spoken for?’ Oh Goddesses, how had she not considered that?
She shifted her head back as his own came up from the water hurriedly with answers to her questions. The fact his hair had gone from shoulder-length to the length it was over just a few months of being at Utopia was quite impressive! To her proposal, he sounded unsure. It seemed that the longer they conversed, the more heightened his expressions became. Otherwise she’d quite liked their exchanges. Fran however wasn’t convinced it was quite the same for him. He’d narrowly managed to keep his hair from hitting the water but the combination of his reddened features and mention of his name drew her attention away from thinking further on it. “Haruka.” She grinned to the feel and sound of it, then turned her gaze back onto his. “It has a nice ring to it.”
Haruka’s answer was response enough for her, especially since his dark and silky locks had nearly met the water just moments ago. She made her way over to his side of the hot spring, taking a seat beside him closest to where it was resting. It was hair braiding, and if she happened to be right in her earlier suspicion… well, she just hoped for all three of their sakes she wasn’t. “Have you been here before?” She asked. There were similar setups in Musique, but never had she been in hot water from such a natural source. “In the hot springs, I mean. This is my first time today.”
As his hair was gently pulled from the hair tie that secured it, the light hum of a song drifted out of her. Her ‘plan of attack’ was to begin braiding just below his crown, but just as she had gathered her starting sections she paused. The place they were in was supposed to be a serene experience, but she could not help feeling that one of them might not have been able to be fully embraced by it, namely the man in front of her. “You seem a little troubled, Sir Haruka. Is everything okay?” She asked, then started to cross one section of hair over the other, keeping the tension light. Making it tighter felt like it’d be counterproductive to the end goal of this place. “I hope I’m not the cause of any discomfort. I was told people came here to relax, and you have been too kind to keep me company but if I’m getting in the way of that for you do let me know.”
The way that Lady Francesca complimented his name made even greater heat swell within Haruka’s cheeks. It had been quite a long time since it had been spoken so sweetly. At this point, he was almost certain that they might melt right off his face. But the oddest thing of all was how little he would’ve minded. Not if it was her causing him such torment. Even that would be bliss from Lady Francesca.
What a strange thought that was.
Even so, Haruka could not find himself having any reason to think otherwise. His mind was too flooded with the soothing bliss that her ever-entrancing voice brought him. But even that feeling could not keep his body from tensing as Lady Francesca approached him. The subtle shift in the air as her form came nearer was in itself enough to keep still, but once his eyes caught her form as it rose…he might as well have been Lady Nerys during the night of the explosion. Frozen solid.
By the time that Haruka had been aware of just how stiff he’d become, she had already been upon him for some moments. Each inhale brought in hints of her scent, which was…suffocatingly pleasant. It was almost reminiscent of mangoes, his favorite fruit. Surely that was just a trick of the mind. Nevertheless, as she lifted his hair, he only felt so much comfort from the reminiscent notes.
It was only when Lady Francesca took note of how he was acting that Haruka was able to snap himself out of it. ”Y-yes, I…this is simply a new experience for me.” His shoulders slowly relaxed. His eyes, however, were shot wide open as they peered down at the water. Haruka was mortified. Moreso even than when he intruded on her earlier. His hands dug into themselves as he almost allowed himself to grow tense once more.
No, that would only serve as a mockery to how carefully Lady Francesca has been handling me. I’ve surely disappointed her enough already.
Taking in deep breaths, Haruka allowed his form to slack once again. With her voice as his guide, he found his way back to a sense of calm. Well, as calm as he could be as his heart continued to race on. ”Please, take no offense to my tension. I…suppose relaxation is something quite foreign to me.” His fingers eased up in their grip. Some stiffness remained in his neck, though.
”If this is unsatisfactory, do not feel like you must continue. You have been far too kind already,” continued the duke. It might leave him with uneven hair, but that could easily be remedied. What was of most importance to him right now was that this gem of an individual not be sullied further by his failures.
Location: Hot Springs Company: Fran Wearing:Outfit OOC:
The hot water was admittedly comforting to be in and she could feel how much more loose her muscles felt, not to mention that the water didn’t feel as sharp with heat as it was when she first got in. Haruka had been pleasant to talk to so far and he carried himself with such courtesy. Her fingers paused mid-braid as she paid more attention to the man himself while he offered a response. “Ahhh!” She watched as Haruka’s neck lengthened from behind. Perhaps the water was having a similar effect on him. “The bath houses back at home were kind of like this. They’re not as peaceful though. You usually had to go early in the morning or late at night if you wanted to avoid the crowds.”
A gentle sigh of relief left her when she heard she’d not been the cause for his tension. Fran had started to wonder, with how statuesque he’d become when she moved closer. Unless she only imagined it. She crossed a couple more locks of hair, one over the other, now pondering what he’d followed with when it came to his relationship with relaxation. “Are you the kind of guy that has to be forced away from duties and work to relax, Haruka?” she giggled a little. “I hope I’m not being too intrusive, but if that’s the case you should do it more often or else you’ll fry your brain.”
“Is there anything you like to do for fun? Or want to try? Besides the hot springs of course– oh look, we’re all done.” She reached the bottom of his hair and fastened it, then draped the braid over Haruka’s shoulder to his front. Clearly he was open minded and willing if this was his first time in a hot spring. “Have you tried a massage? Since you’re here to relax your body and all. I bet one would do you good right here.” Fran drew out the last two words as she placed her index finger against the back of Haruka’s neck, then bounced it to his shoulder. “Here too. You carry a lot of stress in your shoulders, huh?”
“Unsatisfactory?” She repeated, then shook her head. “No, it’s not like that at all. I bet we want the same thing for one another. You know, to not let things get weird, right?” Oh, she hoped she wasn’t being so suffocating for him! Now done with his hair, Fran crossed one leg over the other with the intention to switch the subject. Get to know this Haruka a little better. “So Ha~ru~ka,” She started with a sing-songy voice and gazed at him with a curious grin. “Tell me a sweetheart like you has a girlfriend.”
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