Question Exchange

The sound of muffled water and scrubbing filled Gunrage.

Jimin looked at Derrick and Voidborn in disbelief.

“Surely you guys have a solution for your showers?” she asked, biting her lips at the thought of needing to plead with Rei for water.

“I don’t need to shower.”

“Same here,” Derrick said, shrugging as he shook his head. “I do have wet wipes, but those are reserved for later in the trip. I do not have enough for daily use.”

“Wet wipes aren’t enough…” Jimin pouted. “They won’t do much for my hair either. Do I really have to say please…”

“Ahhh~”

A satisfied moan drifted out from the shower room.

Jimin’s head snapped towards Rei’s silhouette, her hands running across the curves of her body in slow, teasing slides. The enchanting sounds of water cascaded down her body and dripped onto the shower’s floor in tantalising steady, heavy taps. Steam slipped out from the narrow slits of the shower door, filling Gunrage with the alluring temptation of warmth and comfort.

“Warm water feels so good~”

Jimin slowly turned back toward the two men, face flushing red.

Voidborn looked at her. A whirlpool was swirling inside her.

Green. Pink. Red.

Envy. Embarrassment. Anger.

Voidborn frowned. He was puzzled. He could understand why Jimin was envious, but he had no clue about the embarrassment or anger.

“Are you two going to keep staring shamelessly?” Jimin hissed.

“Ahem,” Derrick coughed, his cheeks turning crimson. He turned and walked towards the weapons storage room. “I’ll be working on some stuff there. Just call me if you need anything.”

As Derrick closed the door with a soft click, Jimin turned to face Voidborn.

“I’m not staring shamelessly,” Voidborn clarified, his face still carrying the same blank expression.

“You better not have any weird ideas,” she mumbled, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. “Now shoo if you’re not going to shower.”

Voidborn nodded and walked off, leaving Jimin and Rei to their literary warfare.

He stood at the entrance of Gunrage, looking out into the dark from the open front gate.

Pulling out a roll of military-grade rope string, he formed a loop from the loose end. With a swift, practiced motion, he wrapped the working end around the standing line, threaded it through a smaller loop, then yanked it tight.

A noose.

He let it fall to the ground beside him and turned his head slightly as the sounds of Jimin and Rei’s negotiation drifted out from deeper inside Gunrage.

“Rei-ya… Are you really gonna leave me like this?”

“I didn’t say no though? You just need to use the magic word! It’s like a spell~”

Whines and failed negotiation attempts floated through the air as Voidborn continued tying more nooses.

“I’ll give you ten gold shells.”

“No.”

“Twenty!”

“Is a shower in the forest worth that little to you? I already offered you a cheaper price, but you’re not taking it.”

“Come on… I don’t wanna beg… How about this, I’ll give you the heart hairpin I have. You said that you wanted it, right?”

“I want the pink one. The one with the pretty ribbon on it.”

“I can’t give you that… Dad gave it to me!”

“Oh please, you have so many other hairpins.”

“...Is there really nothing else I can give other than that?”

“You can always say please?”

“Ugh. Fine. But if you want that, you have to handle my showers for the rest of the trip. That one is special. It can style your hair automatically.”

“Deal.”

Voidborn continued forming loops in silence.

“Whatcha doing?”

Rei emerged from the shower room, padding her hair dry with a towel draped around her neck.

“Traps.”

“Hmm? Aren't there already traps outside?”

“I know. Just to be sure.”

Voidborn finished the final loop, emptying the roll of rope.

“Alright, you do you. I’m heading to sleep. You sure you don’t want a shower?”

“Please?”

“Oh, you don't need to. Only Jimin.”