A Snake's Hot Bath
...
Evening time settled on Phantomhive Manor, bringing a close to Snake's first day as a Phantomhive servant. It had gone smoothly enough, since most of the day consisted of listening to this and that about the property, as well as a servant's expected behavior and performance as he or she worked through their daily chores. He also received some lessons on helping out the other servants and, despite his shyness, decided they were all decent people.
After dinner when everything was washed up, Bard began heating water for the master's bath. The cook spoke aloud to himself as he did and caught the snake charmer staring with evident interest at the water pots.
"Ah, we'll get our turns after the master's gone to bed," Bard explained.
"With hot water? says Keats."
"Of course with hot water," he said. And as he saw those golden eyes widen in disbelief, Bard turned to him directly. "Did you think we washed ourselves with cold water?"
Snake didn't appear to have a response for that. He looked from the pots to the cook.
"As a matter of fact, I'd say that's exactly what he thought," Sebastian's voice came from the doorway.
Bard gave him a look an put his hands to his hips in disbelief. "Come off it."
"You may not realize how fortunate you are, Bardroy," the butler said smoothly. "Not everyone has the luxury of a sturdy roof over their head and a private washroom to enjoy a hot bath at the end of the day."
Bard looked between Sebastian and Snake with a quirked brow.
Sebastian spoke before the cook could inquire anything specific about where Snake came from. "Suffice it to say that some people find themselves traveling frequently enough that they can only manage a closed off area outside for washing, and without the means to heat water for everyone to wash in a timely fashion."
"You forget I used to bathe in rivers when stuck out on the front lines," Bard said matter-of-factly. The pots began boil and Bard went to lean out the kitchen's back doorway. "Oi, Finny! Come'n lug this water upstairs for the master's bath."
"Comin'!" They heard a distant shout.
Snake looked at 'Black' then back to the steaming water.
Sebastian smiled. "After I've seen the master to bed for the night, the servants take their baths before they also retire. I think you'll find it a nice change to bathe indoors, out of the cold."
Finny, who had arrived through the door at that moment, caught the latter half of that statement. "Who's bathin' in the cold?" he looked at Snake's somewhat embarrassed expression. "Are you takin' baths outside, Mr. Snake?"
The footman looked off to the side as the silver snake on his shoulders lifted its head. "Traveling with so many people means too little time for showers. It had to be done quickly with no time to heat water. Says Keats."
"You washed outside with cold water?!" Finny exclaimed.
Sebastian clapped his hands, "Come, come, Finny. Don't keep the master waiting."
"Oh! Right sir!" He took up two pails that Bard had poured the water into and headed for the inner door.
Bard turned to Snake again. "So how long's it been since you had a hot bath, then?"
Snake simply shook his head.
"You've never had a hot bath?!" Bard gawked.
"I told you there was no time for it. Says Keats. It was hard enough to find time to wash without others around. Says Emily." The latter showed herself on the other side of Snake's head.
"Well that's a shame an' a half... But I say you're in for a real treat then, my friend."
"Indeed," Sebastian agreed. "Bardroy, please show Mr. Snake to the servant's washroom at bath time and be sure he can find all that he needs."
"You got it," and he added to the snake charmer. "No more cold showers for you."
...
And so, after Ciel had gone to bed (and Mey-rin had left with Finny for the washrooms on the other side of the lower floor) Snake stood holding a folded towel and washcloth as he curiously watched Bard fill the bath for him.
"We add one pale of cold water to make it bearable," Bard was saying from own on one knee. "But it should be just right by the time you're ready to get in."
"I don't understand. Says Oscar."
Bard looked back over his shoulder. "What don't you understand?"
"You... sit in the water to wash?"
"Usually, yeah. Though I'll warn you that working here can get you pretty dirty by the end of the day. If you don't want your bath all murky, I'd suggest washing up first, then soaking in the tub afterward. But it's up to you." Bard pointed to a tray with a basin, soap, a scrub brush, a small bottle of shampoo and a hand towel. "If you'd like to scrub off before getting in, just fill that bowl with water."
He got from his knee to his feet. "Your night clothes are there when you're finished. I'll be down the hall in the next washroom. Any other questions?"
"How long do I have? Says Wilde."
"Well the average time is twenty to thirty minutes, but Sebastian said that since this is your first hot bath you can take as long as you like. I'd say you've got closer to an hour before the water gets cold. Alright?"
Snake nodded. "Thank you, says Emily."
"Enjoy," Bard said as he left, closing the door behind him. Snake looked back at the closed door. Hot water and privacy? This was certainly more appealing than what he was used to. Normally he would have to wait until after everyone else in the circus was finished before he'd go to the showering area, and even then, he preferred to do it when the sky had gotten darker and it was harder for anyone to see him.
The many snakes who had accompanied him to see a "hot bath" for themselves slithered to the tub's edge. The taller ones rose up to look at the water while others moved close to the porcelain bottom.
"Look how big this is," Webster awed.
"He can fit his whole body in the water if he wants to," Keats said, as Snake brought his arms down to the floor for them to join the others.
The silver-haired man removed his clothes as he listened to his friends' excitement, thankful that the steam was already warming the air in the closed room.
"Ooh, down here," said Goethe as he curled up under the clawed tub's bottom. "It's really warm here." Wilde and Bronte joined him in mutual approval.
Snake dipped the basin into the tub before putting it back on the tray. Emily climbed up to the tub's edge and looked at the water.
"Be careful," Snake murmured to her. "It might be too hot."
"Are you going to wash first then?" she asked.
Snake tested the water with the back of his hand. "I think so. But mostly not to get it too dirty."
"The steam feels nice, doesn't it?" she said.
He nodded his agreement, dipping the wash cloth into the bowl. He stopped.
"Dan," he said, bringing a hand to his head, "You might like a spot on a soft towel for now." The tiniest snake poked its head up from behind his ear before moving onto his hand.
"Oh, thank you very much."
Setting the little one carefully onto the folded material, Snake squeezed water from the washcloth before bringing it to his arm. The heat felt amazing! What a vast improvement! He dipped the cloth and kept it a bit heavier with water before moving it across his skin again. By now, a few of the others had moved up to join Emily at the bath's edge.
"It's big enough to swim in," said Wordsworth.
"It might feel nicer than a river," said Emily.
"Especially in the autumn," Webster agreed.
Keats raised his head to look at Snake. "Can we share your bath too?"
He nodded with a small smile. "Of course."
Immediately, Emily and Keats lowered themselves down and glided smoothly across the surface. "Oooh!" they exclaimed at once. They came out again on the other side before going in again. Webster lowered himself down too, but being a bigger snake, preferred to just dunk himself and drape his long form across the shorter width of the tub with his middle submerged.
"Very nice," he commented.
Snake wiped the hot cloth over his face before bringing it to his legs. He didn't think the water in the basin would be enough to get adequately cleaned with, and he didn't intend to use soap in the water that his friends wanted to swim in. Considering his options, he decided he would have enough time to wait until they'd had some fun. "Do you want to swim too, Dan?" he asked.
"That tub's much too big for me. I think I'll stay here."
Snake thought a moment, then poured the water from the bowl into the nearby sink. Dipping it in the tub again, he filled it halfway before setting it back on the tray, where Dan instantly went toward it. "This however, would be just right! Thank you!" Snake left Dan to dip as he saw fit, and made his way to the tub.
"Excuse me, please," he said quietly, as Emily and Keats swam out of the way for him to enter. It was a tad too hot at first, but was quickly bearable as he lowered himself into the tub. He was surprised to find he could lean back and feel the water reach his neck. What a wonderful warmth! To think this would be the norm for him now? It was incredible.
"Are you two coming in?" Webster's voice came from over the edge of the tub.
"I'm comfortable under here," Wilde's voice answered.
"Me too," said Bronte.
"Race me!" said Keats, and he and Emily quickly swam the length of the tub to see who'd reach Snake first. He raised himself so that his shoulders appeared above the surface and the snakes each touched one before turning back again. "I win, I win!" Emily exclaimed.
Keats began swimming back over Webster's submerged middle, toward Snake again. "How spacious. Your feet are at the other end and you're still all under the water," Keats said.
Snake nodded. "I like hot baths much better than cold showers." He looked to the side as a little green head poked up over the edge of the tub.
"Oscar, come race with us!" Keats said.
Oscar, who was barely long enough to see over the rim, tried to look down at the water.
"Want help?" Snake asked. Oscar looked unusually forlorn.
"I don't know that I swim," he said, sounding left out. "I might sink down."
"No you won't," said Keats. "Come on in."
Oscar didn't seem so sure. Snake brought his arm up, letting most of the water drip off before holding it down outside of the tub. Oscar tried to climb on but found it difficult against the wet skin. Snake gently closed his fingers around his neck to support him as Oscar got his body coiled around the limb. Once he had a good grip, Snake carefully hoisted his arm up and over the edge, lowering it so that only Oscar's lower half was under the water. Emily and Keats raced toward them again, wriggling to and fro before swimming back. Snake took a breath and, keeping Oscar in place, let his head fall under water. So very often he had to put great effort into fighting the cold, but this was as simple as it got, and he enjoyed every minute of it. He opened his eyes just enough to see the shadowy forms of the racing snakes making ripples all over the surface, and Webster's bigger middle moving a bit through the water; brushing against Snake's leg.
Snake came back up and ran a hand over his face. He glanced over to the tray to see Dan was swimming happily in his bowl.
Keats swam over and easily around Snake's neck. "Do you like it, Oscar?" he asked.
"It feels nice. And steamy too," The green snake remarked.
"Swim with us then," said Emily. Oscar looked uncertainly down at his submerged half.
"I don't know..."
"I'm watching," Snake whispered. "I won't let you stay sunk."
Oscar hesitated before giving a reluctant agreement. Snake brought his hand closer to the surface.
"Move just like this," Emily said. "It's easy."
"Like moving on the ground," Keats added. "Just don't stop."
Oscar slid from their friend's arm and immediately began to sway back and forth. Emily came to rest on Webster's back. "See? Not hard."
"You're right," Oscar said. "Look at me!" He wriggled to the edge of the tub then back toward Snake. "This is fun."
That small smile was back on Snake's lips. He let them all play and share the water for a good ten minutes more before announcing he still needed to use soap. He helped the smaller ones out onto the floor and they moved across his towel as he took up the glass bottle of shampoo. He left it lathered in his hair as he took up the soap bar and brush. It was trickier than doing it out of the tub, so he opted for standing on his knees to reach most of himself and then sat again to lift his legs from the water. When finished, he went under again and ran his hands vigorously through his hair to rinse it. Now the water was left murky and he was glad he had waited before doing it. Seeing that Dan was finished with his basin, Snake reached for it and rose to his feet before pouring the water over himself. Then he exited and gathered up his towel.
"Snake, your skin is all red!" Dan cried.
Snake looked at himself, having noticed the same thing. "It's just from the heat. I'm not hurt."
"I notice you are much more relaxed with walls and a door," said Bronte. "You're not so concerned with someone walking by and seeing you. I'm glad."
"I agree," said Snake as he dried himself. "Let's hope I never have to wash outside again."
"I agree!" Emily declared. "Hot baths indoors are the best!"
There was a knock at the door, which caused the snake charmer to jump a little.
"Are you doing alright in there, Mr. Snake?" Finny's voice called from the other side.
"Getting dressed now. Says Oscar." Snake answered.
"Okay."
He heard the younger man walking away and turned to the others.
"I wonder," Goethe spoke up. "Will we still have a heat lamp now that we have a bedroom?"
"We'll have a little fireplace now," Snake answered as he pulled on his clothes. "The rooms will be warm."
"I feel warm from that water," Webster said. "The cool floor almost feels nice. Almost."
Snake drained the bathwater, gathered up his materials (helping Dan back up to his usual spot in the process), then moved his damp towel over the floor to catch up the water trails his friends had left. Then he quickly moved a comb through his hair and rinsed the tub before leaving the bathroom.
The snakes scattered out around him, with Goethe and Oscar stopping by his feet. "Up, please?" Goethe asked. Snake bent down so they could climb his arms.
"Well now, how did that feel?" Bard asked as he approached. "Pretty good, right?"
"The water felt really nice, and the tub was big enough for us to swim in. Says Oscar."
Bard peeked into the bathroom. "Even cleaned it up afterward. Well done! I'll show you what to do with the soaps, then we can join up with the others for a hot drink before bed. I know they'll wanna know how your first hot bath was too."
...
AN: The idea for this came to me while cleaning my tub. I've been reading Book of Circus fanfics lately and I've had Snake(s) on the brain quite a bit. While washing the bathtub, I wondered what it would be like to have a bunch of snakes follow you everywhere, and what would they think of a hot bath? The thought of them playful swimming in the tub made me smile so I had to write it out. Hope you enjoyed ;)