More sensual than expected.

The sound of the water spilling into the tub echoed from the bathroom as I walked towards it. It was only a few steps, and inside I noted Charlotte, leaning over the tub and running her hand through the pouring tap's stream.

"How hot do ya lahk it?" She looked up at me brightly as I closed the door behind myself after taking one last look back at the main cabin and the other two women.

"I'm seeing steam, so already better than I usually got in Iraq." I smiled at the curtain of steam.

"Oh, now they-uh is ah storah you haven't told yet." Charlotte pointed out. "Where's... ah... is this yours?" She held up a small safety razor in blue plastic that lay near the sink. She scrabbled through a small black toiletry bag that lay nearby, pulling a small can from it as well.

"Yeah, thanks. Uh... Iraq? Uh, it sucked. It was really hot, really boring, and all I was allowed to do was sit on my computer. You know those assholes charged a hundred bucks a month for internet access? Dial up?" I grumbled angrily.

"Dial up for a hundred bucks a month? What was the company name, Iraq Online? IOL?" Charlotte swished the razor through the running water before rapidly tapping it against the side of the tub, dislodging the build up of stubble. It easily cleared as she ran the razor through a second time. "You hayuhv just enough tahm to git your clothes off. Wahnt a bubble bath?"

"I don't think we need to worry about censoring me from the waist down, so... no, no bubbles needed." I laughed beginning to peel the clothes from my body.

"Don't rush it dahlin, I lahk... most of tha view." Charlotte smiled right back at me, letting her hand drift through the filling tub as she steadied herself against the edge. She placed the razor and can beside the side of the tub. "So... ya just changed the subject when I asked foah details. Usually means theyuh's a reason. Wanna tell me or is it one of those deep dahk things that will foreveah scah me?""

I dropped my shorts to the floor, leaving myself naked. Charlotte appraised me once again, her eyes dropping directly to my crotch. She quite obviously took her time, letting her gaze roam over me. It was almost intimidating but the bright sparkle in her eyes as she did so suggested that she was enjoying herself a bit.

"Uh..." I wasn't sure how to continue. Not talking about the war was standard. Nobody wanted to hear about it. People were happy to simply look my way, nod politely and just move on with their day. "I just... it's boring. Honestly, I don't remember a lot of it, just endless days of watches, fire missions, patrols... You know, boring stuff. "

"So... you were in combat." Charlotte noted, her hand patting the surface of the water. The tub was almost full.

"I didn't say..."

"Yeah, ya just did. Get in." Charlotte pointed out.

The water was warm, not hot. How long had it been since I'd taken a bath, an actual Bath? I had gotten into the habit of quick showers. Five minutes. Soap up, get in, get out. Hell, the time I'd spent with Helen in here had been the closest I'd been to actually relaxing in the shower in forever. Habit.

I stretched my arms out along the tub, and Charlotte patted my hand as I did so.

"Where's... hang on yoah head needs a towel." Charlotte immediately grabbed one of the soiled cloths from the floor, and folded it repeatedly until a clean section was visible beneath the makeshift pillow. "Lift..." She placed the item between the base of my skull and the hard lip of the tub. "Theyah we go.... so... shave first or scrub first?"

"Shave." I suggested, closing my eyes and just enjoying the feel of water, heat, and relaxation.

The soft sound of a spritz was heard, and I felt Charlotte's hand running over my face lightly, leaving a thin layer of suds across my face.

"There is an advantage of couace to shavin' you..." Charlotte brought the safety razor to the base of my neck, and held the metal blade against my skin carefully. "You cain't move much and are showin' me you totally trust me."

Her hand began to move along my neck, scraping the suds and stubble from me with each languid motion.

"I haven't done this in forevah..." She looked at me calmly, and I admired the soft blue of her eyes, and the darkened ring around the iris stood out prominently. "Somethin' just nice about the personal touch. Ah help people all the time, but ah never see them. Never really feel like ahm doin' anythang."

She swished the razor through the water of the tub before returning to work, this time sliding the plastic along the line of my chin.

"Just nice to have somebody Ah can help with something. That's why Ah am liking this." Charlotte explained quietly and earnestly. "Reason Ah am... the way Ah am, Brent. Ah lahk makin' people happy, and... Ah see you do too."

Her hand cupped my chin carefully, twisting my head a little to the right as she maneuvered the razor along my cheek.

"Just some people... they see a person like me..." Charlotte's voice became quieter, losing the accent and becoming more wistful. "They see a toy when they see a person like me. They don't see a woman, just a toy... And Kaila... I think she sees you as a toy. A toy she can just put down whenever she doesn't want to play with it."

I didn't say anything as she had the razor right next to my jaw and I didn't want to jog her elbow by chance. I tried to signal the need for clarification with a grunt and a pair of raised eyebrows.