Beach. Everyone has been working so hard lately so why not take a break and enjoy the beach? You can make sand castles, play in the water, and there are even umbrellas for those who'd rather just relax in the shade. There's a nice row of water melons ready to be smashed later in the day and when the sun goes down, that's when the sparklers come out.
Suffering. It's the hottest time of the year and the citadel doesn't have central air conditioning. The few air conditions that were installed have given up on life after being used so much and now, we really have to make do with what we can while the Konnosuke try to fix it. There's a limited number of fans, plenty of ice cream to go around, and the citadel should be built to circulate air, right? ... Right?!
Spooks. In Japan, summer is a time for horror. Gather around the camp fire and hear some spooky ghost stories or maybe head out into the woods just outside the citadel for a good ol' fashioned test of courage. It's all good, harmless fun! Of course, with so many spirits gathered in one place, what's to say a stray or curious outsider spirit won't join the mix...
Rain. Summer is also known for sudden and torrential downpours of rain. The clouds always seem to grown and darken suddenly and the next thing you know, it's raining sheets and the ground is shaking from thunder. Once it starts, it never seems to stop. Maybe you were caught out in the rain or maybe this is day 7 stuck inside.
Other! It's summer and there are tons of things to do. Go to the general store and stock up on ice cream, wake up in the middle of the night uncomfortable with heat, or run around screaming because cicadas are dying and flying at your face.
"I don't know if my opinion on the matter is important to you, buuuut I would certainly say you bring a lot to the table that many swords can't in the looks department and the strength department. Strength is also incredibly important to ones looks, I think. Whether it's their physical strength or the strength of their resolve."
Yep, this was in fact Izuminokami taking attractiveness incredibly seriously. But if he were to ask him to go into his thoughts further, he might get an hour lecture on how his old master had everything in attractiveness.
[He chuckles, but his expression is full of understanding.]
Everyone has different ways of contributing to Honmaru, some objectively more constructive than others.
At least Tsurumaru-dono excels at lightening the atmosphere. [At least that. Because a sword comes to mind who only seems to excel at making situations in which he'll be misunderstood. Tonbokiri winces faintly, thinking of it.]
Of course, Tonbokiri will listen to your opinion, Izuminokami! He tilts his head thoughtfully, trying to take in the sword's points. So... he's uniquely handsome, and his strength is a strong point?
"Thank you. I hadn't particularly thought of even mental strength being important to how handsome one is."
And you know what, Tonbokiri will ask further about it. He's got nowhere to be other than this bath, listening to the young sword speak with full enthusiasm about his former master.
Just, wrap it up once their fingers start to look like raisins, okay Izuminokami?
"Of course it is. Someone with intelligence and the ability to lead so many people is an incredibly handsome ability. It's not something everyone can do."
Please dunk him under the water Tonbokiri, he won't stop at this rate...
[The fingers finally slip out, only to be replaced but something bigger and thicker, but Mikazuki is of course gentle as he slowly guides himself inside, distracting Ichigo with a kiss and moving as slow as he can.
And then he puts his arms around Ichigo so he can sit back and bring him up to straddle him instead. Come on now, he isn't going to do all of the work, he's old. Help him out.]
Like this, you can move on your own and make yourself feel good too.
[And Mikazuki can reach deeper inside, thank you gravity.]
[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<:small>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]
I'm going to make it feel even better now.
<small>[The fingers finally slip out, only to be replaced but something bigger and thicker, but Mikazuki is of course gentle as he slowly guides himself inside, distracting Ichigo with a kiss and moving as slow as he can.
And then he puts his arms around Ichigo so he can sit back and bring him up to straddle him instead. Come on now, he isn't going to do all of the work, he's old. Help him out.]</small>
Like this, you can move on your own and make yourself feel good too.
<small>[And Mikazuki can reach deeper inside, thank you gravity.]<:small>
[Ichigo opens his eyes for a brief moment when he feels Mikazuki’s fingers slide out then his breath catches when he feels Mikazuki enter him. He closes his eyes again, reaching out to grip lightly at Mikazuki’s arm, as he concentrates on the kiss to ignore the slight discomfort he feels as he waits for his body to adjust.
Then a soft gasp escapes him when suddenly finds himself on top, accompanied by a little groan and a shudder when Mikazuki slips even deeper inside him. He presses his palms against his lover’s chest to steady himself.
Oh, so he’s supposed to do most of the work then...? He hesitates for second, that feeling of uncertainty coming over him again. No, he can do this. He just has to move... that’s simple enough to do.]
O-Okay...
[He starts to rock experimentally and a little awkwardly, but he soon finds his rhythm and ends up moaning softly with each thrust.]
[Ichigo is truly too good for this mess of a sword... Though he does both A) immediately leap for this change in topic and B) seem genuinely interested and curious.]
Hm? Yeah, I have. The whole thing's pretty cute! [ALSO EXPENSIVE.] Whatcha need help with?
[EVEN HIS CASUAL CLOTHING ("casual clothing" no that would be his damn grandpa thermals) IS ELEGANT AND REFINED... He pulls the yukata out carefully, admiring the pattern and shimmer in the gold threads. It, like the rest of the room and Mikazuki himself, is stupidly impressive.
After a second of admiring it, he'll close the chest back up and trot back over to Mikazuki's side, carefully stepping around any discarded bits of Fancy Outfit and holding the fabric out.]
This is super pretty! And it feels way lighter, so that's good. You'd, like, definitely just end up keeling over because of a heatstroke or something otherwise.
(Despite the mun's wish for a dunking,) Tonbokiri listens to Izuminokami with interest. He can even see the point in a way--
"I see. It's true that Lord Ieyasu was visually rather plain for such a great leader... Attractiveness through his other traits does make sense."
Tell him more, Izuminokami-dono.
And as he talks, they wrinkle. So after some (admittedly considerable) time Tonbokiri politely brings the conversation to a close by suggesting they get out.
Well, I... would like to find a pair for myself and... Mikazuki... Would you be willing to come with me to see if there’s anything suitable for us since you’re more familiar with this?
[Well, just looking is fine too. He doesn’t have to get them right now.]
[At first, Mikazuki just lets him move as he wills, going to steal little kisses to his cheek, his neck, his chest, to encourage him.
Once Ichigo starts really getting into it though, he also starts rolling his hips up a little to meet him, give him a bit more friction and make sure to make things just this side of intense without overwhelming him too much.]
Hahahahaha, I just might. Somehow, I don't remember ever being this hot before I was summoned here.
[Then again, he didn't go through fires like some of their comrades.
For now, he focuses on removing the heavy blue silk outer layer. And the the white kimono under that and the hakama. And then the next layer under that. And then, finally, the leather harness and choker, to be left in just a fundoshi.]
Ah. I should probably wipe myself first before changing. I sweated a lot. There should be a basin of water over there, if you wouldn't mind...
He wanted to talk more about Vice Commander Hijikata, almost as if he felt like he hadn't even breached the surface of how amazing he was, but it really was getting to be pretty late and his fingers felt so weird after being in the water for so long.
"These human bodies of ours... I will always find something new to feel so confused by."
He chuckles understandingly as he climbs out of the hot water.
"I imagine there will be no full understanding of these bodies, no matter how long we may have them for. Ah, but as for your hands, you might find the oil I use in my hair will help them."
He's not forgotten that he's getting his hair braided again, and if he uses the oil before Izuminokami braids it, of course he'll get some on his hands.
[He lets out a soft shuddering cry and grips Mikazuki’s shoulders tightly, when Mikazuki begins to move in tandem with him. That-That feels.... absolutely amazing! He wants, no, he needs more...!
He whines in reply.]
You-You feel... s-so good inside me....
[Ichigo shifts his position slightly so that he can rock faster, harder. His cries grow louder when he manages to get Mikazuki to hit that spot inside him more directly.]
He hadn't noticed that before, but he realized if he actually thought a little on the matter, Tonbokiri's hair was a bit different in that regard. He wondered if he should use these oils too, but his hair was very important to him. What if he didn't like the oils, or if they didn't smell nice....
He frowned thoughtfully to himself as he goes through the process of drying himself off and everything. At the very least, he seemed less shy about his body since the two of them had spent so much time in the bath together.
Between two men, there is nothing to be abashed about! Tonbokiri goes about his usual routine of drying and getting dressed.
Once dressed, from a high shelf he pulls out a basket, in which he keeps some things for the bath. He takes out a comb and an unadorned white porcelain bottle. Sitting before the mirror, he starts combing out his hair, but makes a gesture towards the bottle in answer to Izuminokami's indirect question.
"It is good to use a little oil in your hair. It makes it smooth, shiny, and easy to comb. Muramasa and I use tsubaki oil, but there are many different kinds."
He's a little surprised that Izuminokami doesn't already use oil, for his hair was quite nice. (Must be a benefit of being so young? Does it work like that?)
He took a lot of care in his hair, but for the most part he was just lucky. His hair was naturally thick and somehow it didn't tangle unless he went a day without combing it which didn't happen often. Still, he was a little curious now. If Tonbokiri's hair always looked so nice because of this oil, how nice would his own look if he tried it...
He leaned in a little, giving the bottle a nervous glance.
"I suppose if it did, I would have found something else to use. But no, I don't think it smells bad. However it is just like with the actual flowers themselves- one will like the scent of some blooms over others."
He gives Tonbokiri a suspicious look, almost as if it were some kind of trap Tonbokiri was trying to lead him into. But even if it was, he does finally take the bottle from his hand and lean in to give a little sniff. It... wasn't what he was expecting. It was a strange smell that's for sure, but it wasn't terrible.
[More is going to be a little hard in this position, but Mikazuki lets Ichigo ride him for a little while longer before his arm tightens around the other tachi's waist, stopping him just long enough to push him back onto the bed flat on his back.
You want more, he is going to give you more, and he laces their fingers again as he starts to truly pound into Ichigo, looking to bring the two of them to their completion.
How long has it been? He never even dared dream that this could happen again and yet... here he is, looking at Ichigo's flushed face, hearing his soft moans and cries like so many years ago.]
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