Oil and Smoke

Morgan

Snakes are biting at my heels
The worries that refuse to let us go

It was nice to be greeted with a smile; Morgan knew she could be intimidating and it wasn't unusual to see people tense up when she entered. Hotaru had been different though, from what she remembered of their meeting on the mountains.

Listening to the explanation of the Spa's services, Morgan realised she was, perhaps even more so than she had thought, a newcomer to this kind of thing. Mud was an inconvenience to walk through, not something she thought you took baths in, and was volcanic ash a good thing? While her confusion was probably visible on her face, Morgan didn't say anything; Hotaru was the expert, after all.

A massage was more in line with what she had expected, and - Morgan rolled her shoulders with a sigh - probably needed. Never having been shy about her body or being touched, it didn't occur to her that that might be an issue. "I was hoping you could help with my shoulders. They're very painful when I wake up and often stiff." She wore heavy cloaks and swung about a hammer daily; it probably wasn't surprising that as she was getting older, Morgan's back was beginning to complain. "So a massage for my shoulders and back. I'm...afraid I don't know the point of things like hot stones, but if you think it would help..."

I've been kicking them away
Been hoping not to let them take control