death is the mother of beauty. and what is beauty? terror.
Hotaru has to bite inside her cheek not to laugh at the darting, fearful glance towards her business that doesn’t escape her notice. Admittedly the man’s reticence has already sealed his fate - somehow, someway, no matter how long it takes her to wear him down or trick him inside, Tal is going to end up inside that spa. Even if she doesn’t manage to get him down on the table for a massage, the mud bath is quite the hazard to trip into, and Tal has delightfully vulnerable ankles.
For now, at least, he is safe. Maybe being close to the spa without going inside will lower his defenses like some hilarious version of exposure therapy. “I’m quite handy with it, but see now we’re at odds. You have a close range weapon, and I have a long one.” Because already her mind is determining ways to turn this into shared training instead of solo. Snapping her fingers as an idea comes to her, the Valkyrie holsters her weapon and hustles to the side of her spa where the stacked firewood is. There lies her own axe (and the splitting maul which she ignores for now). Returning, she hefts it with a smile. “Care for some target practice? We can use them both for long range training.” Training that will be more fair with the same weapon in both their hands.
For now, at least, he is safe. Maybe being close to the spa without going inside will lower his defenses like some hilarious version of exposure therapy. “I’m quite handy with it, but see now we’re at odds. You have a close range weapon, and I have a long one.” Because already her mind is determining ways to turn this into shared training instead of solo. Snapping her fingers as an idea comes to her, the Valkyrie holsters her weapon and hustles to the side of her spa where the stacked firewood is. There lies her own axe (and the splitting maul which she ignores for now). Returning, she hefts it with a smile. “Care for some target practice? We can use them both for long range training.” Training that will be more fair with the same weapon in both their hands.
