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Thank you.

[She says it, and means it, and feels that warmth in her chest expand, spreading all the way down to her toes.]

I'll keep an eye out for a good place, then. So, wherever we go next can be your pick, for fairness.

I don't really care where we go.

[It takes him a moment or two to realize that what he's just said can be interpreted really badly, and he nearly stabs himself again trying to re-word it.]

I mean, anywhere's fine with good company, right? I'll tell you if I see somewhere I want to go, but if you find somewhere first, just let me know.

[He gives the cloak in his lap a scrutinizing look, then holds it out for Hakuno to inspect.]

Here, I need your eyes again. I can't tell if this looks neat anymore or if I'm just ruining the seam.

Okay. I'll keep that in mind.

[It's stunning, how easily he can call her 'good company' these days.

She moves back over, leaning down to inspect the cloak. She's seen it day in and day out for weeks upon months, so she hadn't really noticed the damages piling up. There's a stark contrast now, and after a bit of thoughtful examination, she nods.]

It looks good to me right now. Put it on?

[Robin nods, pulling it over his shoulders and standing in one fluid movement. He pulls it shut for a moment or two, trying to gauge whether or not the hem is even. It looks good enough to him, at least.]

I haven't decided how I want to synthesize it, but it would suck if I gave it defensive properties and then tried to go at it with a needle and scissors, right?

[Or briefly disappeared "whenever it took damage," which is what he's aiming for.]

Good thinking.

[Hakuno crouches for a better look at the hem now, but ultimately gives him another thumbs up when she rises again. It's always a good idea to err on the side of caution when enchantments are involved.]

So, are you done now, or are your fingers still in danger for a little while longer?

There are a few more alterations I wanted to make, but I don't know if I'll be able to concentrate now, so it's fine.

[He wants to add a few more pockets to the inside. If Hakuno happens to get another glance at the desk, he's got a few leatherworking tools out for the bracers she got him, too, though he doesn't seem to have done anything yet.

He holds out his hands, briefly wondering if he should've taken the bandages off first.]

...Maybe in exchange for the lessons, you could teach me a little about magic. I don't know that I'd be good at it, but it has to be better than always relying on you.

Mm.

[She's not entirely sure that she likes the way he phrased that, but goodness knows she's not about to discourage him from taking care of himself.]

Good idea. I'm always happy to help, but Kings have a penchant for attracting trouble. As glad as I am about becoming more reliable, if I get taken out of commission again then I would prefer it if that didn't drag you down too. I started learning from a King basically the second day I arrived, so I can definitely cobble together something for beginners. Plus, we do happen to be in a school where resources for that sort of thing are easy enough to get. If there are specific spells you want to focus on, that's fine too.

[She carefully takes his hands in hers, calling up the necessary mana and erasing the small, throbbing stab marks in no time at all.]

There. Does anywhere else need to be looked over?

[He's not sure he likes the way he phrased that either, but it's too late now. It was intended as more along the lines of "I don't want to burden you," but now that it's hung in the air for a moment, he realizes it didn't sound like that at all.]

Trying for another chance to ogle my chest, I see.

[His response is an immediate deadpan, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smirk. She brings up a good point about being in a magic school, though; he'd considered taking a course, but Hakuno already knows what he'd be looking to do with magic. Quick heals for torn muscles in the arm, an antidote spell just in case, fire to ignite his arrows...

It sort of makes him look like an idiot for going to her instead of learning from a professional regardless, and he'd never admit his reasons without being asked about it. So a bad joke it is.]

Don't flatter yourself. If anything, your arms are way more of a charm point than your chest.

[That... came out a lot more honest than she intended. She can feel the knife-thin line of teaser and teasing target trembling beneath her feet.]

But I guess I'll take that as an 'I'm fine' for now.

Is that so? What would you do if I said one of my shoulders hurts, then...?

[They don't, obviously, but he's not the kind of person who gives up an opening like that.

He just got back a certain sleeveless outfit for Cherima, too, so maybe he'll surprise her with that, if only so he can give her hell for it.]

Is it the bone or the muscle? I know spells and a few massage techniques.

[Mostly for rehabilitation purposes, but relaxation too. She hasn't worked up the nerve to ask people to let her practice on them just yet, however. Teasing aside, she's not an overly forward young lady, when the states aren't toweringly high.]

[That's a boring response - at least, it is until those last few words. This is getting dangerously close to actually flirting with her.]

...Let's say it's the muscle.

[What the hell is he even doing.]

Again, there are spells for that sort of thing, but they're a little pointless considering that a bit of time, ice, heat or hands-on attention will get you the same result.

[Hakuno, no.]

But, I would actually have to ask you to take your shirt off to do it the old fashion way. And either sit or lie down, since you're taller than me.

[Hakuno, no.]

[He can still drop this. He can say something like, "That's neat," and leave it at that. But this has somehow turned into a game of chicken, even if he's not sure he isn't just playing against himself, so...]

You know, the last time I've ever really been relaxed was centuries ago, so you've got your work cut out for you.

[He takes the cloak off and carefully folds it, then pulls off his shirt and drops it on the floor.]

I'll sit. I'm more difficult to smother that way.

[Even if she gets him to relax she'll never be able to get him to chill, though.]

[Saver take the fucking wheel.

She was radically less prepared for that than she thought she was going to be, even after making the suggestion in the first place. In her defense, despite seeing him more or less in this state of dishabille way back during their dungeon escapade, she is a very recent member of the 'adults' club, and that fluid stripping motion evokes very recent memories. Or rather, it places Robin very close to those memories, and that just needs to... stop, right now, immediately.

By some miracle, other than a faint touch of color, her expression stays even.]

Right, then, excuse me...

[She sits behind him, one leg tucked beneath her for leverage. After taking a silent, bracing breath, she pokes him between his shoulder blades.]

Which side?

[She might be able to feel Robin's muscles tensing when she touches his back, and she should definitely be able to see it. It's uncomfortable to trust someone enough to let them get this close to his back, and his whole body reacts unwillingly when it realizes what's going on.

The last time she got this close to him from behind, he lost his temper, but this time he invited her to do it, so the literal least he can do is let her do what she offered to.]

Left, I guess?

[He's getting more and more obvious about the fact that his shoulder's actually in perfect condition. Not that he was really trying in the first place.]

Left it is, then.

[It will only embarrass both of them if she calls him on this particular bluff, and she's not about to snub a chance to be under his guard and reassert how little she wants to hurt him. She keeps her motions slow and gentle, settling her hands on the muscles—tense as can be, naturally—of his left shoulder.]

Technically I should be using oils, but I figure there's only so far we can stretch your trust in one go, and slathering viscous, scented substances onto your bare skin might be pushing it.

[She's sort of joking, mostly to distract herself from the definition a life by the bow afforded his arms and shoulders. It doesn't really work, so she centers herself with another deep breath and then begins to slowly, firmly knead her fingers into the knots and tension.]

[The way Hakuno meticulously phrased that sentence would be enough to make better men blush.]

Yeah, I'm not thrilled with the idea of smelling like flowers.

[Or whatever it is they scent oils with. He doesn't really know.

Once Hakuno gets started, Robin isn't really sure what to think of the whole thing. The only times he's ever really been touched were for violence or sex, so a situation where neither of those is involved is...for lack of a better word, it's almost anticlimactic. The pressure is almost, but not quite, unpleasant on the knots in his shoulder, almost like the burn after a good stretch or the twinge of fatigue following a day of target practice.]

But you know, a lot of plant oils are poisonous. If you only broke them out occasionally, you could probably avoid suspicion for a while.

[robin]

...strangely, it's more and more endearing how prepared you always are to be my accomplice for murder.

[Perhaps not the most... functional way to put it, but it's true. She knows Robin, and their relationship, such as it is, has been fraught with death, poison, wounds, threats, arguments, and just as many gradual, warm increases of affection and trust. Giving her advice on how not to get caught while killing somebody over time is his own way of reaching out.

Not normal, by any standard, but neither of them are anything approaching 'normal' either.

So Hakuno just makes a noise of amusement and slides one of her hands up, shifting it to deliver pressure with the heel of her hand.]

Oh, that actually reminds me. I want to avoid repeats, so how about writing up a plant wishlist some time?

...This isn't an admission of guilt or anything, okay? This is just an unrelated statement. I really don't think it's a good idea to go chasing any black markets that might or might not exist.

[That's comforting.]

But I want to get better at antidotes and medicines, so I'll do a little more research into those...I don't like buying plants if I can harvest them instead, so it might be a short list unless you're up for a field trip.

[He certainly doesn't trust anyone but him to harvest plants, because he knows best what he's looking for.]

I figure they might come in handy to fix yourself up if you run out of - ah.

[Hakuno's hand makes its way over an especially tight spot, his shoulder twitching out of reflex. It's painful for a moment or two, but once it lets up as the muscle loosens itself, it's really nice.

If he weren't already pushing his luck, he'd ask her to do the right side too.]

I know, I know, no more shady bar transactions. You made me promise.

[When he got his very nice lock picks.]

I meant more along the lines of field trips, yes. Normal plants are easy to find potted, and I've gotten you seeds, but I figured something a little more... immediately useful might end up more appreciated, in the end.

[She makes a note of that spot and switches back to her fingertips, rubbing small, steady circles until all the tension melts away.]

Gosh, how much aching do you put up with normally?

It's not usually that bad, just sort of there.

[He's so used to it he doesn't really notice most of the time.]

I make sure I take care of my mental health, but...

[This is dangerously close to a real conversation, so he sort of trails off. He does the bare minimum to take care of himself, to make sure he's functional enough to fight when he's needed, but any more than that gets ignored in favor of pushing himself as far as he can go. He can't rely on the inherent strength that Heroic Spirits have anymore, after all.]

...Well, I guess you know.

Yeah.

[Hakuno will fully endorse the emotional exposure of just about anybody other than herself. Most of the time, anyways.]

Yeah, I guess I do.

[Her hands gradually slow to a stop.]

Do I need to ask about the right shoulder?

...You can just do what you want. If you want to feel me up a little more, that's fine by me.

[Shit. That was definitely flirting. She just got a literal tattoo because some other man wanted her to, and he's flirting with her anyway. That's low, even for him.]

[To be fair, that's an entirely different commitment to her. She likes Vietnam too much to ever allow herself to seriously view Gilgamesh romantically. But, naturally, for Robin to know that, they would have to actually talk about feelings.

And that's just crazy talk, is what that is.]

You make it sound like an imposition.

[She's teasing him back rather than replying head on, opting to just start working on the other side.]

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