The sun begins to set as steam is easily noticed on the second floor balcony of the Hinata Inn. Marino is sitting inside the wash bucket as she stretches and relaxes. Negi's unconcious body lies back against her chest.
Negi's eyes slowly open, and he yawns for a second - then snaps his mouth shut in panic. /What's that against my back... Oh no, not again!/ The events leading up to his fainting slam into his brain like a freight train. 'I suppose it'd be too much to ask to be gentle about this?'
Marino watches Negi wake up from behind. She smiles and puts her arms around Negi hugging him, "You're finally awake. I was wondering when you would."
Negi panics for a moment before giving up. /I doubt I'll get any further with this one than Kaede.../ 'Yes, I'm awake. Sorry about that, this place is doing something strange to my reactions. I don't think I've ever had an actual nosebleed from looking at a girl before...'
Marino ruffles Negi's hair, "Now.. since your awake I can start the actual cleaning process."
Negi sighs and mumbles a little bit. 'I really don't like baths very much...'
Marino reaches over and grabs shampoo, "What was that? I didn't hear you." She squeezes some shampoo onto Negi's hair.
Negi says 'Nothing.'
Marino smells the shampoo from Negi's hair, she pushes her chest against Negi's back. "Wow the herbals they used for the shampoo smells great!" She begins to lather the shampoo into Negi's hair.
Negi just shuts his eyes and tries not to think about his... surroundings too much.
Marino says 'Negi, can you turn around so I can shampoo the front of your head without getting it in your eyes?'
Negi braces himself for the worst, eyes still shut, as he turns himself around awkwardly in the barrel.
Marino moves Negi's bangs back as she starts to lather his hair from the front. "You know... when you grow up. You're going to be so handsome."
Negi tries not to move. 'So I've been told.' 'Oh, you have no idea. We can show you, if you like...' 'Chamo, pipe down.'
Marino looks at Chamo and then throws a bucket at him, "I TOLD YOU TO STAY TURNED AROUND."
Negi winces slightly at the sound of yet another impact. /Some things never change.../
Marino moves in close right at Negi's face waiting for him to open his eyes.
Negi resolutely refuses to open his eyes, a true English gentleman. He keeps silently telling himself that, rather fervently.
Marino giggles as she hugs Negi's face into her bare chest, "You're so cute."
Negi splutters and holds his breath. /Marshmallow hell... again... this is becoming entirely too commonplace./
Marino pulls Negi's head out and smiles, "Oh yeah, keep holding your breath ok? I'm going to pour water to rinse out the shampoo."
Negi does so.
Marino pours water over his head, a bit of shampoo gets into his eyes.
Negi awkwardly attempts to move his hands to his eyes and rub them without putting them anywhere they shouldn't be. He almost succeeds, too.
Marino feels Negi's hands touch her breasts lightly and she blushes. "Sorry about that."
Negi apologizes profusely as he rubs the shampoo out of his eyes.
Marino washes Negi's face, shoulder, and chest with soap still blushing and getting redder.
Negi doesn't see Marino's blushing. He finishes getting the shampoo out his his eyes and very carefully lowers his hands to his sides.
Marino washes the soap away and brushes the hair aside from his face, she smiles at him.
Marino says 'Hey Negi.. What would happen if we kissed again after we made a pactio?'
Negi says 'Nothing magical in nature.'
Marino smiles, "Excellent." She moves in and kisses Negi on the lips.
Negi gets blindsided yet again. /What am I gonna do with this...?!/ 'She's a real keeper, Negi!' Chamo cackles as Negi attempts to breathe.
Marino still kissing Negi, she looks out at the corner of her eye. She picks up another bucket and throws it at Chamo.
Negi tries to pull away, though rather halfheartedly.
Marino lets Negi pull away as she opens her eyes and turns around almost immediately as if a reaction, "I'm sorry, I didn't know what came over me..."
Negi turns himself around too. 'It's alright. It's becoming almost routine by now.'
Marino jumps out of the bucket, "Well I'm clean." She wraps a towel around her body. "Are you coming out too?"
Marino turns around with a towel spread open motioning to Negi to come over to her.
Negi nods and opens his eyes. 'Yes, I'm coming.' He pulls himself out of the barrel and allows himself to be toweled.
Marino wraps Negi's body with the towel as she grabs another one off of the rack and puts it on Negi's head, "Don't want you to get a cold now."
Negi dries his hair with the second towel, rubbing it in all directions. '...Yeah.'
Marino smiles at Negi as she dries her own hair with a towel, "So what now?"
Negi shrugs. 'I don't know. But I would suggest we clear out of this building as soon as possible.'
Marino nods, "There is a nearby village to the east of here. We can go there."
Negi nods to Marino. 'That sounds like a plan. Let's go as soon as we're dry.'
Marino smiles at Negi, "Negi.. would you ever consider dating an older girl?"
Negi sighs and braces himself. 'Yes. I already have considered it, rather seriously. I have several waiting for me to answer that question as it stands, back home.'
Her smile slowly fades into a frown as she turns away, "I.. I see..." Marino shakes her head and turns back to you, "Well anyways, we should go downstairs and get some dinner."
Marino says 'I've talked to the residents and they agreed to let us stay here for a night.'
Negi says 'Are they really gonna serve us dinner here after what happened with that swordswoman?'
Marino says 'This.. all happened after you fell unconcious.'
Negi says 'I see.'
Marino says 'So yeah, we can stay here for tonight as your clothes dry.'
Marino mutters to herself, "You better appriciate it.. One night here costed me all the money I sto-.. gained."
Negi nods to himself and attempts to soften the blow a bit, offering Marino his hand. 'Well then, my guardian, shall we go have dinner?'
Marino shocked by Negi's gentleman politeness, she starts to blush and smile. She takes his hand and giggles, "Lead the way, my master."
Marino freezes in place, "But first things first..."
Negi does so, all the way to the hallway, where he stops and turns a little red. 'Come to think of it, which way is the dining room?'
Marino points out that they are still bath towels, "Lets find robes to wear first, ok?"
Negi stops cold. 'Oh, right.'
Marino giggles as she grabs two robes from the rack next to the barrel and throws one at Negi
Negi catches the robe, throws it on over the towel, and then lets the towel drop after closing the robe and tying it securely. 'Right then, let's go.'
Marino says 'Sorry if it's a bit girly.. The youngest resident had the only size I could find that would fit you.'
Marino wears the robe over her towel and jiggles the towel off from within.
Marino looks at Negi and giggles at the bunny patterned robe he wears.
Negi has had to wear worse. Not to mention less.
Marino walks up to Negi and ruffles his hair. She takes his hand again and smiles, "Lets go~"
Negi follows Marino down to the dining hall.