in which hiro goes on a field trip to kouka

[dawnblushed]

Comments

[dawnblushed]

...but, anyway. I think you'll like the others a lot.

[She smiles.]

I'd like to meet your friends someday, too. Would you mind telling me about them? ...um, maybe once we're out of the rain, though.

[zerotohiro]

[He turns to face the bushes, raising an eyebrow even higher before he just...ignores it...

...kind of. Hak, why.]

If they're your friends, I probably will. [Not guarantees, but he'll try.] I'll tell you anything you want. After we get out of here. [A grin follows.] Where are we staying tonight?

[dawnblushed]

[Hak, why. Yona will teach him a lesson later.]

There's an inn we stayed at last night. I think we still have enough money for another night there.

[little does he know they're going to get hauled off to a nice resort by Lili as thanks for getting her the heck out of there]

After that, we might end up camping again. Don't worry! It's nicer than it sounds.

[zerotohiro]

...camping. Like outside. Even if it's still raining? Are you sure?

[dawnblushed]

It's not so bad. Camping in the mountains was worse - it was freezing up there!

[and this is why most people she meets no longer assume she's a princess]

[zerotohiro]

Okay, nature and I aren't exactly best friends so...the only reason I'm agreeing is because I trust you. But that's it.

[dawnblushed]

It'll be fine! If it gets cold, we can cuddle up together to keep warm.

[she's the worst and i'm so sorry.]

[zerotohiro]

[INTERNAL RAPTOR SHRIEKING.]

Uh! Yeah! Absolutely! If you think that the others will...be...fine with that?

[dawnblushed]

Why wouldn't they be?

[sorry hiro, she's less princessy but she's still stupid.]

[zerotohiro]

[Please kill him.]

Be...cause? [Maybe not.] Never mind. If you think they'll be fine then they'll be fine. Let's just get going and find a place out of the rain.

[dawnblushed]

[They are indeed fine with it, and "a place out of the rain" turns out to be a tent that night, since they have less money than Yona thought they did. Luckily (?), the girl they'd saved the day before finds them and insists upon putting them up with better accommodations as thanks.

"Better accommodations" still means shared rooms (Lili thinks Hiro is harmless, so he's allowed to stay; the dragons and Hak are booted off to their own room, though), but their inn does have a nice hot spring, and so Yona goes to find Hiro, wherever he is on the inn's grounds. She's clutching some towels and robes and looks excited.]

Hiro! Lili and I are going to the springs. You should come join us!

[zerotohiro]

[Hiro's less worried about shared rooms since it's what they'd done in the castle. They'd stayed together and he thinks Lili is a little funny and bossy but he's used to that. He follows along dutifully, grateful to get out of the tent because hell no. He's not cut out for camping and he thinks maybe this will be a harder mission than anticipated.

On the other hand, while he's exploring the grounds Yona approaches him and he's...startled, to say the least.]

Springs? [He knows exactly what she means. Of course he does, but he's hoping if he plays dumb maybe...it'll be something else. He can dream, right?]

[dawnblushed]

Yes! Lili says they're some of the best in the Water Tribe, so we have to try them.

[Lili is, perhaps, having a bit too much fun introducing these country bumpkins to high culture, but Yona's content to go along with it. It's been a long time since she could really kick back and relax, honestly.]

I don't think she'll take no for an answer, but I didn't really want to say no anyway so it's probably fine.

[zerotohiro]

Springs are just like hot tubs, right? [And he suddenly snaps his fingers.] You know, I totally forgot to pack my swim trunks. Maybe next time?

[He's trying So Hard.]

[dawnblushed]

It's more like a bath. You don't need anything for it, and we've got plenty of towels. It'll be fine!

[sorry hiro.]

[zerotohiro]

And you and Lili are just...okay with this. Even though I'm me. [aka "even though I'm a boy."]

[dawnblushed]

We're okay with it because you're you. I know you won't do anything strange, and Lili believes me.

[she's very aware that you're a boy, hiro!! ...she's also aware that you're also not a huge pervert. so it's fine.]

[zerotohiro]

[He's too disney to be a pervert so there's that. He seems to be weighing his options, huffing to himself and throwing up his hands.]

Fine. Fine...how far away are we going?

[dawnblushed]

Great!

[She shoves a robe and a towel at him, then reaches for his hand to pull him along because what is personal space.]

It's here on the inn's property, around the back.

[zerotohiro]

[INTERNAL RAPTOR SHRIEKING. He lets Yona drag him along though, fumbling to hold the towel and the robe anyway.]

Where're Hak and the other guys?

[dawnblushed]

They went to go investigate the Nadai at a brothel Jae-ha found. They told me I couldn't come, can you believe it?

[well, obviously yona]

But! I've decided it's my job to make sure Lili stays safe, so I'm keeping her company until they come back so she doesn't sneak away and try to do something. That's what she was up to the other night when we found you, you know. She was doing the same thing we were.

[zerotohiro]

Uh. You know what a brothel is, right? I can totally believe it. [But...sure. He gets that. Protect the princesses. He figures Yona can do a good job protecting Lili but who tf is going to protect Yona then? Guess that's his job.]

So Lili's on our side but she's not made for doing the field work, so instead we're staying here. Is that it?

[dawnblushed]

I know, but that doesn't mean I have to do anything there! I could have just gone along to investigate.

[She would totally blow their cover, though, so that's exactly why they left her behind.]

Mhm, it's pretty much exactly like that. As long as we keep her here and occupied, we're keeping her safe, and that will make everyone else's jobs easier because they don't have to worry about her wandering into a tough situation.

[zerotohiro]

[When she explains it like that it sounds a lot better, but he's still a little wary. Nevertheless, he'll follow along to the springs.]

If we have to keep Lili occupied then I guess we can waste a lot of time in the springs and keep her busy. Or let her try to "civilize" us or whatever rich people do.

[dawnblushed]

It's fun to teach people about things they don't know, don't you think? I can see why Lili would have fun trying to "civilize" us.

[Little does Lili know, Yona's very familiar with fancy hot springs, but that's a secret, sooooo.

Off they go to the springs! Yona, for her part, looks ecstatic to be able to relax a bit for once, and she gets settled in the water very easily. You can take the girl out of the castle but you can't take the castle out of the girl.]

Ahhh... this is bliss.

[Lili looks proud.

"Well, of course! The Water Tribe is known for its beautiful scenery and springs, you know. This is just one of..."

She launches into a long lecture which is really just kind of bragging.

Yona tries to catch Hiro's eye and smiles knowingly. They are keeping her distracted...]