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 Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 5:41 pm
The temptation to dive into one of the soft-looking hotel beds was very, very difficult to resist. The white, fluffy pillows, the ways the sheets were neatly tucked was so inviting. It wasn't that he was particularly tired, per se, but sometimes, shopping was intense. Especially when he knew next to nothing about what he was shopping for. He was glad that at least Melvin had come along and been his soapy-guru, for lack of a better term. He flicked on one of the bedside lamps and, instead of his body, dumped a various assortment of body wash samples onto the bed. The tiny bottles glittered colorfully. Stage one: get all the things. Staring at them, he spoke to the other hunter, thumbs hooking into the pockets of his khaki cargos. "So we've got the samples. So. uh. do I just -" He shrugged and finally looked at the other hunter, sweeping his hair out of his face. "Thank you for coming with me, by the way."
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Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 7:06 pm
The Semblance of Unity It's perfect. Thanks for starting.
They had both taken leave that morning before noon and headed out to a large mall known for a few choice salons. Most places sold large bottles, but Melvin knew how to get smaller bottles and while they did some personal shopping, made sure to stop off at beauty product stores and health stores until they had a good array of body wash products.
It was now down to testing, but it was also getting late. The bad thing about deus when you weren't a full hunter was that taking a shower to figure out your own smell was hard with a bunch of other men who could be smelling of anything were all around you. To run tests, you needed a controlled setting. They needed a shower.
The hotel had to be up to Melvin's standards and while he was a bit strapped for cash these days as he tended to Rin, he managed tos till save a little bit. The hotel was on his bill since he needed a nicer establishment. He was not about to let Horace shower in a bathroom that had pubes and used bandages.
Moving over, Melvin set his bags down and then started to organize the bottles on the bed. "No problem. Do you want to get ready? I can call room service and we can get dinner sent to us while you test a few of these out."
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Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 4:07 am
The hotel was so, so nice. With a smile, he had noted down the name - maybe he'd be able to take Jan here, sometime. For a moment, he simply watched Melvin organize the bottle. It was soothing to watch, like doing paperwork or laminating sheets out of his notebook. Melvin's hands were always fairly precise, he noted, moving things just so. He could watch them for a while, thohse gloved fingers. Horace blinked and looked up, realizing the other man had spoken to him. "Oh, sure." Testing was, of course, the next step. He pulled off his sweater by the neck and folded it neatly before setting it on one of the beds. The bright blue argyle was a bad contrast to the beige bedspread, he thought. "Food sounds good. Just order what you please, I ain't picky, Melvin." Horace's hands went to the button of his pants, undoing it deftly, and, pausing, he decided better of it. He could take those off in the bathroom. Humming thoughtfully, he leaned past Melvin to choose a few bottles from the fron of the lineup. There was no sense in ruining Melvin's orgnaization. Tucking them in his arm, he headed towards the bathroom. --------- He'd made the shower quick and, despite just being a test run, thorough enough to pinken his skin. Well, pinken it insomuch as his skin could pinken. With only a white towel hitched around his waist, he moved back into the room with Melvin. Turning, he neatly lined the bottles on the counter. "So I did my left arm with the, uh, Aussina, my right with the Mint Verbena, and my torso with the third." He shoved damp hair back and faced Melvin, leaning his hip against the wood. "The Aussina makes my skin feel funny. What do you think?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 9:22 am
Melvin waited before the door was shut, watching it a moment before he heard the water running. Turning, he picked up the phone and debated what would be good to eat. Well, it wasn't every day they even got to eat out, but he also had no idea what Horace might turn down his nose to. Last he knew, he didn't like hot things all that much, so instead he ordered 2 surf and turfs to get the whole blanket of protein. Something hearty after a long day. It probably would be the last money he had till his neck paycheck after helping Jan out shopping.
Food ordered, along with desert, he laid down on the fresh sheets and turned, listening to the sound of running water being disrupted by a soft, moving object and splashing down on porcelain tiles. For a while, he just closed his eyes and listened as if enjoying a favorite classical song, and felt himself slipping into a serene peace bordering into sleep before he heard the water stop and the fast drips of water fall before Horace stepped out.
Sitting back up, he watched the man come in, barely dried, holding a beach, white towel about his waist, exposing a slip of skin up to where the towel was tied. Hot dewdrops of water beaded down and fell off the tips of his hair before landing on shoulders and sternum and letting gravity help it turn and travel down muscular paths before hitting the cloth waistline.
Melvin simply tried to keep his eyes up half the time and tried not to let them wander, but moments like these reminded him of how little time he got to spend with Rin.
He considered what parts of the map of his body were covered with which, mapping them each as a separately cleaned continent. "It probably is the exfoliating cleaners that are meant to make you feel fresh. I believe it might be something to do with the aloe and mint extract. If it makes you feel funny, then I'm guess that is not up your alleyway, but for you to get a full picture, you should try each one over your main body. Consider how it smells and if you enjoy it. Does it feel like you are being cleaned, that it is enjoyable, and even if it makes you feel…" Melvin tried not to think of all the thoughts tied into the word. "…funny."
He swallowed.
"Body washes are made to clean, but it should also make the shower more enjoyable to you and relax you in a way. A way to distress and feel just as cleaned mentally as you are physically. Understand."
Picking up three more bottles from the lineup, he stood up and, making sure not to walk too quickly to Horace, slowly offered him the three other bottles, glancing down only once as he got close to offer the bottles. This close, he could smell a mingling of shampoo dancing together, mint, aloe, various mineral oils, and a type of milkish variant used in heavier, creamier body washes.
He quickly looked up. "Take the three other bottles and make three piles. A 'Don't Like' pile, a 'Like' pile, and a 'Maybe' pile. Here are these three. I already ordered food."
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Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2015 10:19 am
He listened intently to what Melvin was saying. After all, Melvin was the expert. "I dunno if I'd ever be clean mentally." He grinned and resisted the urge to waggle his eyebrows at the other man. Horace ran a hand down his tingling arm, grimacing as the water tried to drip off the tips of his fingers. Hitching the towel up, he wiped his hand off and accepted the next three bottles from Melvin. It didn't make sense to Horace to just try one all over. "Won't it take too long to just use one all over my body, and then again, and then again? I mean, you've got to take a shower too, eventually. I can't be the only clean guy here." Humming thoughtfully, he turned to stack the bottles before heading back into the shower. Aussina - no, mint verbena - maybe, the third one was alright though: kind of manly smelling. If he did all three at once, then he could blaze through things more quickly. Horace liked showers, but he didn't like like them, so the thought of staying in the water long enough to get wrinkly was not appealing. Horace grabbed the bottles in one hand and headed towards the bathroom again. The slap of a towel being flung onto the towel bar was surprisingly loud. Abruptly, Horace's head popped out of the doorway. "Thanks for ordering food and everything, Melvin. I'm sorry - this part must be pretty boring for you." ----------- Horace wasahed efficiently, but his strategy of using all three soaps was simply not working. His nose was all confused. He could tell how each one felt on his skin, but scent was important as well. He twisted the knob off and hastily dried himself before heading out again. "Melvin," he said forlornly. "I killed my nose. I know which ones I like the feel of, but - and this is a weird questions, so I understand if you say no - but how does it smell?" He shot Melvin a plaintive look. "In the interest of saving time, I did each arm and my torso with... differeent ones." Horace at least had the grace to look a little sheepish.
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Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2015 3:52 pm
For once, Melvin had forgotten that he would be taking a shower at some point, but the current entertainment of letting Horace take multiple showers ranked higher up to fill another sort of need than that of being clean. Sitting on the bed, het waved a hand, dismissing the concern. "Take your time. The shower isn't going anywhere, but I suppose that after a while that too much time in the shower could wear down on you and dinner will arrive." He gave a hum of thought, trying to think of another efficient way to conduct their tests.
Horace left and Melvin listened closely, hearing the thud of a towel and considered telling Horace that there were more towels he could use between each turn in order to not get a chill around his…
Just when he was about to lay back, he sat up straight when Horace popped back into view. Staring back, he only forced a small smile. "Uh…no problem. It's….not that boring. Really." When Horace closed the door, be breathed out, feeling more amused than guilty. If Horace only knew.
Leaning back, he closed his eyes, trying not to breathe too loudly as he listened to Horace moving about in the shower and water dripping down and draining. The only downside was that closing your eyes lead to thinking. Think perchance to dream perchance to have creeping images invade a man who hadn't been with his girlfriend for weeks on end.
It wasn't the Surf and Turf he just ordered that would fix that hunger.
Melvin sighed out when the water finally ended and listened for the sound of bare feet hitting the soft bath rug before he sat up. Horace's report was less useful than the previous one and Melvin wondered if he was going about this right. It would be such a shame if Horace had to take another day to conduct another line of testing.
Entertaining that thought, he perked up and stared wide-eyed as Horace offered his body for nasal inspection. "Smell?" He said slowly, voice soft, not wanting Horace to hear what he had proposed too clearly and take it back. He just wanted to make sure he had heard right.
Looking at the man, his eyes slowly allowed themselves the liberty to follow a few droplets down the man's neck, chest, looping around under a n****e, down to his belly button.
Arm. Arm…t-torso.
"Um, I can check…for you." He added and slowly rose up from the bed. Standing before the other, he felt suddenly over dressed, but tried to not pay it much mind. Reaching out, he lightly touched his fingertips around Horace's right wrist and lifted it up, glancing up at the man as he took a breath and then closed his eyes, taking another inhaul.
"Shea butter….mineral oil…" He tilted his head just so. "….a little heavy." It was a deep smell, but not something he felt suited Horace that much.
Opening his eyes, he released and took the other wrist, shuddering as a drop of water touched his finger and dripped off. His skin was soft and still warm from the water.
He took a deep breath as his heart raced before he lifted the arm up and smelled the back of Horace's hand. "Citrus. Vanilla. A bit of aloe." He hummed as if trying to debate something. "I don’t think this is you." He released the hand and then, swallowing, looked down.
Lips dry, he knelt down and rose one hand just to touch the terry cloth on the man's hip to keep himself steady. Eye to eye with Horace's navel, he took a breath. "Floral. Hints of Apple. Possible Lavender." He thought and then looked up from where he was knelt.
"I…don't think these suit you. "
Melvin rose, feeling a bit weak-kneed and flushed. He blamed standing up too quickly to feeling dizzy, and moved over to the bottles still left. One by one, he started uncapping the bottles and smelling each one. He set some in one pile and others in another, drastically cutting the group into a third. "I don't think you'll need to take as many showers as we thought. I should have considered a smell that matched up to you."
He looked at one bottle and put it aside as another possibility. Something warm. Maybe hints of cocoa. Vanilla. Something spiced.
All the things that felt – warm. He hoped Horace agreed to those smells. "He offered 4 of the group to him. "I think these might be the best matches for you, but it is ultimately down to your choice. Tell me if they upset you. "
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 9:19 am
He smiled encouragingly as Melvin smelled first one arm and then the other. Really, he'd been surprised (hopeful, but surprised) when Melvin had acquiesced to his request of nasal assisstance. He had expected the other hunter to simply lean forward and sniff his neck or something. As Melvin dropped his his knees he tensed, almost choking on air. The slight press of fingers against his towel had him flushing. Wasn't this... too much? Too close? Too much like the beginning of some cheesy porno? Horace looked down at Melvin's fluffy hair and held very, very still. If it were light blond hair, he could reach down and tangle his fingers in it, see Jan's pale, pale blue eyes looking up at him and... Finally, the other man looked up and moved away. As his back turned, Horace sucked in a deep breath, shoving one hand through his wet hair. That position had been a little more than ridiculous. Melvin was talking, but Horace hadn't really been listening. Something about scents. As long as Melvin didn't decide to smell him like that again. He nodded at whatever Melvin was saying, aceepting the bottles. Bottles in hand, Horace fled to the shower. -------- After a very long, long time, he emerged, skin bright not from excessive scrubbing, but from the near-scalding temperature he'd turned it to. A really hot, really long shower had seemed like a good idea at the time. Especially after one of the soaps had made his skin tingle unpleasantly. But he'd tried them all dutifully and then wrapped a fresh towel around his waist. Triumphant (sort of), he returned to the bedroom, bottles cradled in his arms. They were sorted neatly, one into maybe, two into no. The last one he held aloft. "I think I found one I like. What do you think?" Horace raised his brows and spread his arms, doing a little twirl before grabbing his towel as it tried to slip. "Uh, anyway, I feel all clean and soft and stuff." He chuckled a bit. "Do you wanna grab a shower?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 7:18 pm
Melvin watched as Horace took the bottles without a word and left. Waiting, he wondered if he had said something wrong, but then the water started. Stepping backwards, the backs of his legs hit the bed end and he sat down with a loud sigh before he turned and laid on his side, closing his eyes and listening to the water once more.
He barely has any bodily hair. It's very fair. He hadn't thought of it considering Horace's hairstyle seemed like he would have darker bodily hair.
Ya gonna make it? Chimed Saliva, who had been distance and quiet for the most part. The weapon usually reserved herself to some distant corner of his mind, under the sands of thought and memory, only rising when curious or stirred to make a motion.
It seemed she was stirred.
I think I can handle one person taking a shower.
Oh come on. I've curled around your thoughts long enough when you get your body twisted into knots over something. You get all giddy and squirm about when you see anyone like flossing or keeping a manicure.
We're not getting a manicure here. I'm just helping a friend.
I don't only share a mind with you here. I can FEEL the rest of you and I can say that right about now you're..
Melvin turned around on the bed, pressing his lips thin as he reached up for a pillow and threw it over his head. It was no match for what was ultimately INSIDE your head, but it got the point across.
It's not a bad thing. You said you went out with people all the time before the island.
I did, but it's not the same anymore.
I don't think you're that rusty.
I'm with Rin.
Saliva was quiet, stirring through his mind, before she settled again. Waiting, she then moved slightly again. Rin wa-….is kinda kinky. She probably wouldn't mind at all. I had a harem with plenty of creeple like that. Boils. Ghouls. Didn't bother me none.
what kind of man do you think I am? Here she gave her body to protect me and I'm just going to go about enjoying mine without her? Besides,…..I don't do
affairs. I couldn't think of even bringing up that idea to her when…when she can't even have her own body to enjoy.
Melvin….it's been months….you have-
Be. Quiet. He stressed, pressing the pillow more tightly about his head.
The stirring stopped and after a while, Melvin let his mind drift to the sound of running water.
When the water stopped, Melvin rose up and set the pillow back and watched as Horace returned, his body flushed red from the steam and sending with him the smell of the soaps he used in a puff of steam from the bathroom. With a twirl and flash of more leg than before, he stilled and waited for inspection.
Arms up, Melvin stepped close once more, ever more aware of his presence near the other man. It had been a very long shower and the man's skin was flushed. A shower upon a shower upon a shower mingled with an array of soaps.
"I'm glad you found something you enjoy." At least for now.
He leaned in, reaching out and touching Horace's upper arm before smelling his shoulder. Then, slowly, he released and moved his body to the other side, touching the other man's arm, about the odd tribal tattoo on his arm, and smelled his other shoulder, tilting his head slightly towards Horace's neck.
It was harder and harder to pick out the smells now, but they were getting close to what he felt matched.
Then, with Horace's arms up, he expected the last smell to be where the previous spot had been, and he knelt down once more. His knees hit the plush carpet before he leaned up, watching the hand that grabbed the towel to keep it from slipping, yet from here he could see the terrycloth still sagged.
He took a breath to prepare himself and then leaned in, nose barely missing Horace's stomach. A deep breath and he took in the layers of smell from the soaps he hand selected. "Much better."
Just as he went for another smell to truly define it to a stronger memory and pick apart the aroma profile, the door knocked. Leaning back, he wondered who that could even be when the knocking came again and the door knob opened. A young-faced, possibly new and fresh to the job considering they even attempted opening the door, slender attendant came walking in, back to them as he started pulling in a silver cart. "Room service." The young man said before he actually bothered to look behind him and saw the pair.
Horace in just a towel, Melvin dressed on his knees.
"Oh! Oh, I thought I knocked, I shouldn't have come barging – I was just…" He stepped back, moving around the cart as he looked wide-eyed at the pair of them as if he was seeing aliens and was wondering if this was the last time he'd see planet Earth again. "Ye-You can leave the cart outside your door when you're done." They managed, lingering as about to say something else, something rehearsed for all clientele about food service procedure, but giving a look at them once more, thought better of it.
"Good night." He managed, voice higher. In a moment they rushed out of the room.
Melvin stood up quickly, looking to where the door was closed by the young man before looking at the cart.
"…..I'll take a shower now." He said, and walked past Horace, face flush and ears pink as he moved past. "You can eat." He managed before shutting the door.
A bit of time after, the water started.
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