Day 23: Shift 2, Female Showers

[fuyunohanabi.livejournal.com]

Rangiku followed the nurse almost eagerly. The chance to bathe wasn't something she would pass up.  Who knew when she'd have the chance again in this place? Ever since she'd become a shinigami, she'd taken the opportunity to bathe every day whenever she had the chance because it was something she'd never been able to do before.

She stripped off without the slightest trace of embarrassment. She was used to bathing with company in the public baths after all, and this was no different. She frowned as she approched the shower, looking around for the tub in slight confusion. This was only where she washed, right? There must be a big bathtub somewhere close by to soak in. Not just these shower things. A nice relaxing bath was just what she needed right now.

It took her a moment to figure out how the shower actually work, and a few more more moments underneath an icy spray before she managed to get the temperature to a reasonable level. 

Once that was done, she sighed, leaning against the wall and tilting her head back against the tiles. There was too much to think about, now that she had the time. People disappearing without warning. First Renji's friend and now Ichigo. The fact that Ichigo had been taken without a single one of them noticing didn't bode well. She'd heard enough of the reports and seen enough of the damage to know that the other shinigami wouldn't have been taken easily. WHo would be next?

With a heavy sigh, she turned, squirting some of the shampoo onto her hand and starting to work it through her hair. It wasn't the best distraction in the world, but it would do until someone else turned up and she could bother them.

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[twelveapathy.livejournal.com]

Having been without a shower ever since arriving, Larxene welcomed the opportunity to finally take one. Once there, she quickly undressed herself, partially because a Nobody couldn’t feel anything that might give them seconds about bathing with other women. That, and she also wanted to get rid of the smell of blood that had lingered after being “experimented” on.

Her bandages had also been removed, revealing the line of stitches between her breasts. Larxene stood underneath one of the many available shower heads, turned the knob, and waited as the warm water fell on her body, pressing her hair down.

For once, it was good not having to worry about her electricity for this.

After stretching for a bit, she took some soap out of the dispenser and began scrubbing herself. While doing so, her thoughts went to back to the breakfast fight between II and X. It was touching to see them getting along so well, and with the gambler sedated, perhaps she would finally have an opportunity to speak to the memory witch later during the day.

She could hardly wait.

[1imited-edition.livejournal.com]

Like taking meals, bathing was a maintenance task experienced by Rein only through the minds of her masters. What once her body's nature and brevity of existence had made unnecessary, it now demanded. In some ways, she thought, it felt like being your own parent: at once the wise and powerful watcher and the naive, helpless being it tended.

Ah, well. She might feel a slight annoyance at being forced to clean herself, but to most of the others it was perfectly normal. From that perspective, there was no need for indignation. It might not be exciting the way learning the details of a new spell or culture was, but personal experiences still served to contextualize old knowledge. There was always something to gain.

Of course, undressing brought with it a more serious worry in the bullet she'd been keeping in her pocket, but she'd anticipated this problem when the announcement had been made and moved it to her mouth in the cafeteria. She'd been mute to the nurses since she arrived so they shouldn't find her silence unusual, and she could probably talk without revealing it if she really needed to.

Indeed, all there really was to worry about was the actual matter of getting clean. Thigh-length hair was all well and good when it was floating about in the corona of your amassed magic giving you an air of power and grace, but it was going to be a lot of trouble to wash, Rein could tell. At least they'd been allotted a full shift.

Turning on the water, she set to work on it, an eye cracked for Raine. Some help would be nice...

[per-ardua.livejournal.com]

Raine, for her part, was not happy about the situation; having to strip in front of strangers bothered her. She'd changed in front of Colette, Sheena, and Presea often enough, but she knew them, and knew none of them cared. More than that, they knew what she was; if they saw her ears, they wouldn't realize anything new. Here... she didn't know how many people would have a problem with her being half-elven, but she didn't want to find out.

Well, Reinforce was here... although for all Raine knew, she was as racist as Zelos or more. She seemed kind, but over the years Raine had met more than her fair share of seemingly sweet, gentle bigots. She hesitated over whether to take the shower next to hers or not, but finally decided that she might as well not bother delaying the inevitable.

She nodded to her as she walked over, but said nothing, just turning on the water and deciding to try to make this quick. Wet hair was harder to keep over her ears than dry, and more than that, it would be very hard to hide them while she was washing her hair.

Although it looked as if Reinforce would be more than sufficently distracted washing her own...

[1imited-edition.livejournal.com]

"Hey." Rein greeted Raine simply but with warmth in her voice. They'd just eaten together but as always she was unusually friendly with the girl. Perhaps she was just filling the place of her missing master by picking the person she was most often with to show the loyalty she had always lived by, or perhaps she just wanted some help with her hair...

Of course, when she needed something from another she usually had no compunctions about just asking. If she were forthright about her needs and others judged them against their own fairly there was no need to refrain from making them known. A few seconds after Raine had arrived Rein turned fully to her and asked. "Would you mind helping with my hair?"

Better to ask now and secure Raine's future aid. The thought of asking to get it cut never crossed her mind- for one thing she considered the nurses nonentities, but more importantly, this was her appearance. She might have adapted to her new conditions to a degree, but millenia of stasis had their effects.

[per-ardua.livejournal.com]

Having raised Genis, at least, helping someone shower or bathe was nothing new--although she'd also never let his hair get very long. "Ah--of course not. Let me just take care of mine first."

Raine tried to be fast about actually getting her hair wet, but speed didn't prevent the tips of her ears from showing through; without a nearby mirror, she didn't notice, just quickly worked shampoo into her hair and then left it for the moment to keep her ears as concealed as possible.

It's funny, really, how I can ignore my body being bared to the entire room, but I work so hard to cover my ears. A tight, mirthless smile came to her lips very briefly as she combed her fingers through her hair, keeping her head down as she did so. Turning to Reinforce when she was as close to satisfied as she was going to be, she asked, "What do you need?"

[1imited-edition.livejournal.com]

"If you could shampoo the lower half it'd be helpful." The volume was great enough that Rein thought it best to leave it as spread as it'd stay, or it'd be hard to work through....

She went quiet for a minute before speaking up again. "Are you human, Raine?" Raine's ears didn't escape her notice, but as usual she was slow to respond. It was not the most tactful way to phrase the question and probably surprising to hear out of the blue, but in the eyes of Rein who had accepted that many realities converged here and was herself far from human it was a fair one.

[per-ardua.livejournal.com]

Raine winced a little at the question. If I just knew what races they have on her world, and how they're treated by most... she admitted quietly, "No." Not entirely. "I'm an elf." Only half true, but the safest answer--most likely. It was entirely possible that elves were the ones hated and feared where Reinforce came from, but--claiming to be a full-blooded anything seemed a better idea than saying she was half of something. In her experience, at least, prejudice was most often aimed at those who didn't quite fit into the usual categories.

She was standing behind Rein as she tried to help with the woman's hair, and hoped that Rein wouldn't try very hard to look back at her; with all she'd been through already here, it was harder than usual to hide her feelings, and the last thing she needed was to give away that she wasn't being entirely truthful. It wasn't anything against Rein that she didn't feel ready to trust her... but because of that, Raine really didn't want to explain why she was holding back.

[1imited-edition.livejournal.com]

Rein was indeed a formidable analyst and could detect the stress in Raine's voice, but that did not tell her that the girl was lying, only that the subject was an uncomfortable one.

It might get her into trouble, but she felt the best response was to show that she was simply curious. "There was a person talking about elves on the bulletin board earlier... are you immortal?" At first she'd thought it was just her, then her and the vampires... but now gods and elves had appeared too. She wondered how small a minority they truly were.

[per-ardua.livejournal.com]

"Not quite," Raine replied, still softly; Rein could hear her over the water, but likely no one else--unless anyone nearby had enhanced hearing. "Though we are very long-lived; an elf's lifespan is usually about a thousand years." Half-elves' as well; elven blood was strong. Raine was grateful for that--few could tell a half-elf by looking, and most she knew of that could were those like them.

"I'm afraid I missed that post--what did they say? I am curious about what elves on other worlds are like." That was at least a complete truth, although her reasons for wanting to know went beyond her usual curiosity and desire to learn.

[somekinda-lady.livejournal.com]

It took more than a little convincing from her nurse to get Tifa to strip down. It wasn't as though she was ashamed of her body, merely modest, and it was a little weird to be naked in front of a bunch of women she'd never met.

But hey, she was a big girl. Finding a nice little spot away from everyone else, she turned the water on as hot as she could stand it, bracing herself with on hand on the tile and her eyes on the floor.

Against her will, she felt tears start to fall, and she was thankful that the shower could hide it. How could Cloud have died in such a horrible way? How could they have made Vincent do such a thing?

It wasn't fair. None of it.

[ifandmaybe.livejournal.com]

Inara was quite accustomed to bathing in the company of other women by now, and as a Companion, the idea hardly bothered her. The act was not remotely sexual at all, no bonding of soul, no kindred spirits sharing a remarkable gift... Women could relate to one another in body and soul, but the connection wasn't often the same. Inara herself had entertained female guests, but those had always been of the most exceptional quality, compatibility and spirit reaching out to her despite her own preferences. In a place like Landels, however, she found it near impossible to establish such a connection.

If she were being entirely honest, after spending so much time around Mal, she'd found it hard to establish such a connection.

That said, it certainly wasn't a connection to such a degree that was felt when she stepped into the showers. Instantly, Inara's attention was drawn to another, young woman standing alone crying. Her instincts took over, and she immediately made her way over to where she stood. Careful not to embrace or touch in case she was of a skittish nature, the Companion approached carefully, everything in her demeanor switching to a gentle air, hopefully not intrusive.

"You needn't be ashamed," Inara spoke up softly. She didn't wish to draw attention to the other woman. "I've felt like doing the same often enough since I was brought here."

[somekinda-lady.livejournal.com]

Tifa's lifted her head slightly at the sound of the soft voice, fighting down the sheer embarassement of being caught in such a vulnerable pose. Removing her hand from the wall, Tifa stood upright.

"I..." she almost felt like saying sorry. "It's just...this is only my second day here." It sounded absurd, even to her own ears. Just one day and already she was cracking up. A short, humorless laugh escaped her.

[just-shiny.livejournal.com]

Just like last time, Kaylee really didn't mind going into a communal shower. She was as comfortable in her own skin as she was in her grimy coveralls, and she was perfectly happy as long as she got to bathe. The mechanic was rather annoyed that things with the Captain and Javert had been cut off so early, but that was how things were around here. She could always catch them later.

Coming into the shower, Kaylee noticed her roommate, Tifa, being comforted by Inara. Why was Tifa crying? She walked over to the pair and put her hand on her roommate's shoulder.

"You okay?"

[ifandmaybe.livejournal.com]

Inara lifted her head to smile at Kaylee as she approached. Her younger friend had a way with people that was all her own, and she was quite sure they'd at least have the woman in question smiling before long if Kaylee had anything to say about it.

"You don't need to explain yourself," she assured the dark-haired woman gently. Rather than try to force her to speak about her problems, the attempt was to calm her, give her reassurance. If she wished to let it out, it would probably good for her, but Inara was aware that she was little more than a stranger and wouldn't try to force something so delicate. Sometimes a little assurance was all someone needed, sometimes it wasn't so simple. Regardless. "This place is... Well, I'm sure you're aware of its nature. I would think you're entitled, really. Everyone here understands, and we're all here right along with you."

[somekinda-lady.livejournal.com]

Tifa hated being caught in such a vulnerable postion, but it was her own fault. Forcing a small smile and fighting off the red in her cheeks, she wiped away her tears.

"I'm fine," she assured Kaylee. "Don't worry about it."

Tifa realized it would be rude not to introduce herself to the woman who had reached out to her. "I'm Tifa, by the way." And then, she gave a warm, geniune smile. "Thank you."

[just-shiny.livejournal.com]

"No one likes it here, Tifa," Kaylee added to what Inara was saying, nodding. "Some folks just show it different. You don't have to be embarrassed." She took her roommate's hand and clasped it tightly for reassurance. "I ain't going to take 'I'm fine' as an answer until I see a..." The mechanic's face broke into a wide grin. "There's the smile!" She knew better than almost anyone the power that a little cheerfulness could bring to a situation, even if it was a little forced, at first.

"Tifa, this is my friend from back home, Inara Serra. Inara, Tifa's my roommate!"

[rope-victim.livejournal.com]

Miku had been ushered to the showers by a nurse who was still terribly chipper despite the fighting in the cafeteria. The woman also kept reminding Miku that cleanliness was next to godliness and it was important for her to shower. After all, she didn't want to be a "Stinky Sally".

Miku undressed with her back to everyone else, and shyly hid her assets (or rather, lack thereof) as she stood next to a tall, yellow-orange haired woman, stepping back from the spray as she turned it on for a few moments, only to be hit by the shock of cold-turning warm with an undignified squeak. "Kyaa, cold!"

Miku kept her head down, in embarrassment, the water drumming on her head and soaking into her hair. First fighting (and she hoped that the two men she'd left behind hadn't gotten into too much trouble, Braig and Rould, Xigbar and Luxord...), and worry, and now cold showers. This was shaping up to be an unhappy day, despite her earlier optimism.

[fuyunohanabi.livejournal.com]

Rangiku peered through the curtain of wet hair when she heard footsteps approaching, blinking rapidly to keep the water and shampoo out of her eyes. She pushed her hair back out of her face when the other person squealed and smiled warmly at the young woman who came to stand next to her, finding her shyness rather endearing.

"These showers are hard to control, ne?" she said cheerfully, reaching for the bar of soap that was between them. "I was hoping for a proper bath with a nice big tub. I'm not fond of cold water either."

[rope-victim.livejournal.com]

Miku had turned her head to agree and found herself face-to-face with an over-sized chest, she quickly flicked her eyes up to the older woman's face. "N-ne, they are," she agreed, and flushed, turning her head back into the spray to start viciously shampoo her hair.

Did they actually make women like that? she thought, scandalized.

Miku closed one eye as suds ran down her face to adjust it to make it a little bit warmer - these showers weren't even close to the heat she had at home. "I hope this isn't as warm as they get..." she muttered, lifting her face to wash it clean of soap.

[fuyunohanabi.livejournal.com]

Rangiku chuckled softly at the girl's behaviour, finding it extremely cute. She wasn't entirely unused to the reaction either and it still amused her. She rubbed the soap between her hand, making it seem like some kind of obscene gesture just to tease a little, before setting the bar down and starting to rub the lather over her body, over her shoulders and across her breasts and stomach. "They get warmer the longer they're on, I think."

She turned to face the girl, the smile still playing about her lips. "Matsumoto Rangiku," she said without preamble, before stepping back beneath the spray. She sighed softly. "I'm bored. Talk to me."

[rope-victim.livejournal.com]

Miku nodded but pointedly kept her eyes off of Rangiku's chest soap.


"Hinasaki Miku, you are Japanese?" she asked, her face still a bit red, thou. Rangiku certainly didn't look it, but she could be a half or something. No one she knew had hair that color unless they dyed it. Miku finished washing the suds out of her hair and looked up at Rangiku.

[fuyunohanabi.livejournal.com]

Rangiku smiled brightly and nodded. "Yes, I'm Japanese. There are some friends of mine here too from Japan." It was nice to talk to someone from.. well... not home, but from Japan.

She couldn't help but notice the blush on Miku's face. She seemed very young (although Rangiku's ideas of age were a little skewed naturally). "Where are you from, Miku-chan?"

[rope-victim.livejournal.com]

"Outside the Tokyo area, it's a little place, and you will miss it if you blink," Miku said conversationally.

She switched to Japanese easily, knowing that if she spoke quietly enough, the nurses wouldn't try to correct her. "It's nice to have someone to speak a little Japanese to, ne? I haven't been able to, because the people I've met aren't."

But from her little message on the bulletin board, there were indeed other people like her, maybe she was lucky, running into Rangiku. "May I have the soap?"

[ontheabyss.livejournal.com]

Lyta couldn't believe her eyes.

A real shower. With running water. Not a vibe shower, an actual shower. It probably even had hot water. How many years had it been since she had a real shower? She couldn't remember. But she wasn't going to let this one go to waste. She stripped off her clothes, not caring one way or another that she was naked in a room with a bunch of other women. Honestly, if she weren't so thrilled about the shower, that in itself would be a perk.

As soon as the hot water hit her skin, Lyta closed her eyes and moaned loudly. This? This was heaven.

[gun-fire.livejournal.com]

Riza wasn't sure how she had slept through breakfast. She hadn't had a very strenuous night by any means--she barely got to the end of the hallway before she found herself in her room again--but her nurse informed her that breakfast was "long past, sleepy miss."

Her stomach was in protest, but it wasn't hunger that tormented it, rather the knowledge that she may have been expected by her superiors.

And she certainly wouldn't find them here.

She assured the nurse that she would be fine when she began to explain. Riza no longer lived in the dormitories, but she had plenty of experience casting off all notion of privacy, and she did so again without much hesitation. There weren't even very many women present. This, too, was very like her dormitory living.

Shedding the generic clothes of the institute, Riza took one of the many unoccupied showers, and though she had become accustomed to keeping her eyes to herself in such situations, she couldn't help but notice the woman she knew to be her roommate. They hadn't spoken yet, but something about her was . . . noticeable.

It only took Riza a few minutes to wash both hair and skin, and even that was a little longer than her dormitory routine. Her hair had been much shorter then, and this had been one of the reasons for it. Now, though, it fell past her shoulders, reminding her that she still needed to find something to pull it back with.