Cleaning up.

“I think I might be a bit weary, is all. It has been unseasonably warm, lately,” Lily attempted to explain, still seeking an explanation for her strange lapses in consciousness. John wasn’t willing to give her the truth, yet, lest she saw him to be as much of a monster as he still sometimes saw himself.

“It’s certainly warmer than anywhere I’ve stayed before,” He agreed, “But I was lead to believe that Elmhame was always a warm country?”

Lily peeled herself away from John’s grip and the couch, and he let her go. The absence of her energy was immediately noted, and even though he hadn’t been using it, he felt much weaker without her touch. “Warm compared to the snowy north, perhaps,” She said, disappearing into the kitchen, “But this has been an especially warm season. Are you uncomfortable, John?”

Now that she mentioned it, John was a bit warm. His clothing, mostly furs and poorly fitting clothes scavenged from corpses, did a decent enough job of getting him to Elmhame, but now that he was here, a costume change might be in order. “I’m a bit warm,” He admits, “But I’ll manage. We humans are good at adapting.”

Lily reappeared with two tall glasses, filled with an orangish-brown liquid and plenty of ice. “I’m glad to hear it, but by all means, feel free to undress,” She said, handing him one of the glasses, “You’ve come a long way, but I want you to feel at home.”

John gulped nervously at her nebulous invitation to “Undress,” but nodded anyway, shedding his heavier cloak and jacket, but leaving everything else on. Lily, herself, was wearing only a fairly thin dress, without any of the socks, stockings, or scarves he usually saw women wear in accompaniment to such an outfit. Even the cut was more revealing, barely reaching below her knees, and swooping down up top to reveal a bit of cleavage. John doubted that she would stop him if he undressed further, but he was starting to feel better with even just a couple layers removed.

The drink was a sweet tea of some sort, and John quite enjoyed the fruity, spicy flavors that ran beneath. “Thank you, again, Lily. Your generosity is very appreciated.”

Lily smiled, “And your company is very appreciated. I apologize if I seem a bit overbearing or unfocused,” She said, blushing prettily, “It has been a long while since I’ve spent this much time with anyone.”

John smiled back, and sipped at his drink again. “You have nothing to apologize for, Lily. You’ve been wonderful. If there’s any way I can pay you back before I leave, please let me know.”

A look of concern crossed Lily’s face, and she set aside her now-empty glass. “Are you leaving so soon? I,” She paused, blushed, and continued, “I thought that, if you didn’t have anywhere to go, you might like to stay for a few days?”

John gave the question some thought. He didn’t really have a very clear plan on where to go from here. His entire effort these past few months had been on escaping to Elmhame, not on what to do once he arrived. Having a roof over his head for a few days while he got his bearings was an opportunity he couldn’t afford to ignore. “Are you sure, Lily? I, uh, I wouldn’t want to overstay my welcome.”

Lily shook her head cheerfully, sending yet more auburn locks of hair out of place, “It would be my pleasure. Stay with me tonight, at least. It’s too late in the day to travel, and you deserve a good night’s rest after such a journey.” Tilting her head, she gave a wry smile, “And probably a bath, as well.”

John finally had his own turn to blush. He hadn’t considered how filthy he must look, after months of traveling and only a few quick chances to bathe in cold streams and rivers. “Ah, that would be very appreciated. On both counts. Do you have a bath, here, or is there-”

“Below!” Lily interrupted, popping up from the couch energetically, “The fairies helped me build a bath in my basement. Come on! You can wash up while I fix supper, then we can both get a good night’s sleep.”

Surprised at the sudden burst of excited energy, John allowed Lily to guide him to the corner of the living room, where a trapdoor in the floor led down a flight of well-lit stairs. He wasn’t expecting such a modest cottage to have a basement, much less the large, warm room he found himself in. A large pool sat in the middle of the room, easily large enough for two or three people to bathe simultaneously. Steam rose in soft whorls from the water, and it definitely looked inviting.

“See!” Lily said, pointing proudly, “It’s always quite warm, and there are soaps and perfumes across the way, along with a towel. The water cycles in from an underground spring and out into a river, so it’s always clean, too.” She sighed happily, clearly thinking about the warm, relaxing embrace of the water.

“I’m impressed,” John admitted, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a luxurious bath.”

“Hmmm,” Lily sighed, again, “Another good reason to consider staying here, right?”

John chuckled. “I think you’re right. Thank you, yet again, Lily.”

Lily nodded. “You’re welcome! Take a bath, and I’ll put together some supper, then come get you when it’s ready. Enjoy!”

John thanked her again as she climbed back up the stairs, then began to strip out of the rest of his clothes. The pile of assorted rags and furs behind him, he slipped carefully into Lily’s prized bath, and finding that it was, in fact, quite warm and inviting. His muscles relaxed themselves and he closed his eyes, luxuriating in sensations he’d all but given up on. He did actually want to make some headway on cleaning himself up, though, so he splashed over to the other side of the pool, applied some of Lily’s sweet-smelling soaps to his hand, and began to scrub at his skin vigorously. Weeks of caked on dirt and grime came free from his skin, briefly clouding the otherwise pristine water, before an unseen current pulled the offending impurities away. Cleaning his hair, in particular, felt like a complete renewal of character. He made multiple passes with different soaps, and the warm, wonderful waters of the bath whisked away clumps of dirt and hair, leaving John feeling like a completely new person. He dunked his head beneath the surface of the water, then pulled himself out of it and up to his full height, stretching and letting the water fall from his lean frame in cool rivulets.

John let out a long, deep breath and opened his eyes, looking down at himself. His months on the run had left him thin, but strong. The definition of his ribs was visible, but so was the musculature of his abs. His powers, which he still only loosely understood, had erased all traces of his wounds and scars, even the ones he’d born since childhood. The result wasn’t unpleasant to look at, and John suspected that without the dirt and grease, he probably qualified as an attractive man. Of course, he knew he couldn’t compare to a true beauty like Lily, but as far as humans go, he figured, you could do worse.

Satisfied with his moment of vanity, John sat back down and relaxed once more. The warm water eased away tension and pain he’d been unconsciously carrying in his shoulders and back, and willed his weary body towards sleep. He allowed his eyes to drift close, but otherwise kept sleep at bay, for the moment. Simply relaxing in the warm water was refreshing enough, and there would be time for sleep later. He assumed that Lily’s offer to sleep here tonight mostly meant that he would be allowed to unroll his crude sleeping bundle on her floor, or maybe on her couch. Sleeping indoors, without fear of wild animals, was another luxury he hadn’t been afforded in recent months.

He really was extremely grateful for Lily’s generosity. He would have to find a way to pay her back, he realized. Maybe tomorrow, after a good night’s rest, he could ask if she had any projects she needed help with. Or perhaps he could put his fairly practiced hunting skills to work, and fill her larder with fresh meat. Of course, he didn’t know much about the game on this side of the border, but he suspected he could track down an elk or wolf somewhere in these woods. Anything that bleeds, really. Lily could keep the meat, John just needed the blood.

His eyes snapped open at that thought. Where had that come from? He shook his head. Clearly, he was drifting too closely to dreamland. To keep himself occupied, he decided to give himself one last quick scrub, then head upstairs where Lily would likely be finishing up her dinner prep.