JP - Cold Shower and a Hot Bath

“I could use a shower.” Bronte admitted. He could smell his own armpits without lifting his arm.

And if Bronte could smell them Riven sure as hell could. Going to the shower room, he sniffed the air and his ears twitched. “I swear to God, Alex!!!!” He yelled.

Alex exited the shower with Susi in tow the two of them wearing only towels “What just showering after a hard workout.”

Bronte blinked awkwardly. He did not need to use his powers to know that they did more than just shower in there.

“Bullshit,” Riven grumbled and gestured for Bronte to go inside. “I’ll guard the door so no one else comes in…” He watched the couple sneak away.

Alex waved good bye as he went with Susi to find some new clothes that weren’t shredded.

Bronte turned on the water and waited for the water to get hot.

And waited.

And waited.

The water never even got warm…

Riven stood outside the shower room, reading a small book he had with him.

Bronte took a miserable cold shower. He was in a very bad mood when he came out.

Riven looked at Bronte. “I smell yer in a bad mood. What’s wrong?” He asked with genuine concern.

“No hot water in the shower.” Bronte said stiffly.

Riven’s gaze went in the direction Susi and Alex had gone. “I’m sure I know why…” He grumbled.

Bronte sighed, feeling irritable.

“I’ll make sure there’s hot water for ya next time,” Riven promised.

“I guess.” Bronte said despondently. After Coral he really wanted a hot shower.

Riven thought for a moment. “What about a hot bath? It’s not a shower, but at least the water will be hot…”

“How can there be hot bathwater but not hot shower water?” Bronte asked, confused.

“I’m gonna have a pyro heat up the bath water for ya.” Riven blinked as if it were obvious, but didn’t say so. He wanted Bronte to be comfortable. The guy had been through a lot already and needed a break. “We’ll find Bella, okay?”

“Oh. Okay.” Bronte perked up only slightly. “Thank you.”

Riven nodded and took Bronte to the bath area where he gestured to one of the tubs. “Just fill it with water. I’ll go get a pyro.” He explained and left.

Bronte began filling a tub with cold water from the tap. He hoped they could get the water really hot.

Riven would return with a pyro, who would sit next to the tub and press their hands to it. “Just tell him how hot you want the water.” The wolf said.

“How hot can you get it?” Bronte asked the pyro, putting a hand in the water.

“Scalding…past boiling.” The pyro said. “But I warn you it’d hurt you more than help you, so let's just stick with hot water, okay?”

Bronte almost wished for scalding water. “I guess as hot as you can get it without me needing skin grafts, please.”

The pyro nodded and heated up the water for him. “There you go, enjoy your bath.” Getting up, he left the room with Riven.

“Thanks.” Bronte said. After they left Bronte shed his clothes and got in hot water. He got soap and a washcloth and began scrubbing himself raw.

Later, Riven would return and knock on the door. “You done in there yet, Bronte? It’s been a while.”

The water was getting cold but Bronte was still scrubbing himself, still not feeling clean. His skin was red. “I-I’ll be done in a minute.”

"You've been in there for over an hour, Bronte." Riven called. "You sure you're okay?" That brother instinct within the wolf man was itching at him and he was worried that Bronte might end up hurting himself.

“Yeah… I’m getting out now.” Bronte stepped out of the tub. His skin was red in places, so raw the towel stung as he dried himself off. He pulled on his clothes quickly.

Riven waited patiently.

Bronte’s skin was still quite red when he came out. “Thanks, you didn’t have to wait.”