You had no idea a school trip could come with this much paper work. Outside the meeting room you could hear your friends leaving the hot springs, chatting away and enjoying the warm medicinal benefits or the steam. Inside was the quiet thrum of work with Hibari. It probably wouldn't be so bad, but your injured arm was taking a toll on you. Movements feelings stiff and uncoordinated as you hunched over the low coffee table signing and checking over print. The bruising had gone down remarkably but the whip/tonfa injured arm still felt inflexible and uncoordinated at the best of times. You figure Hibari must know this, since your last fight had been weeks ago.
By the time you've finished your paperwork the sun has already set and the hot spring hotel is illuminated against the dark wash of the countryside. You stretch, taking in a deep breath as you lean back and arch to flex your sore back. Your senpai appears pleased when you hand over your work. Something almost akin to a smile on his face.
Once he's read it over, Hibari stands up, motioning for you to follow. You can see his tonfas sticking out under his disciplinary jacket and your heart speeds up. Finally, a fight.
To your surprise, he leads you to a changing room. Hibari doesn't say anything or move from his usual cold stare as he passes you one of the two towels you've just noticed in his hand. You smile, taking it as a gesture of kindness and heading in to change.
Somethings a little strange when you walk in. There's only one locker and one shower present in the changing room. You pause, you were pretty sure the entrance way to such a busy hot spring should have more than one locker, but you carry on. Only when you leave the shower room does it hit you why the changing room is set out so. This wasn't the entrance way to the public baths, but a private one.
A large wooden tub is set in the middle of the floor. One side lined with a partition style wooden slates, the other half looking out high over the moonlit wilderness that lay just beyond the hotel grounds. It's beautiful enough to take a bit of your breath away as you gaze out at the achingly vast expanse of forestry and wildlife in front of you.
The padding sound of feet on wooden flooring breaks your concentration and quickly you step back into the changing room, hiding behind the door. The thought crosses your mind that Hibari might be taking this bath traditionally and you're not sure if you're quite ready to follow suit.
Thankfully, Hibari has a towel round his waist, not that that helps much with your less than innocent thoughts. He's as pale as you imagined, a feature only highlighted against the waxing light of the moon, it catches his skin as he moves towards the tub. There's something incredibly gorgeous about the way he moves, it catches you off guard seeing his movements so, exposed, without his clothes. The muscles in his shoulders and arms on full display as he slips into the warm water. It strikes you only now how handsome Hibari is, the contrast of his dark hair as it curls neatly against his face as he closes his eyes and leans back.
"Are you going to stand there all day little animal?" he asks flatly after a moment, not opening his eyes.
Taking a deep breath, you tighten the small towel around your chest and make the few small steps towards the hot spring tub. It's hot, hot enough that you can see steam rise and lick the air around the tub as it pools up and away from the water. As you slip into the tub you can't hold back a satisfied groan, the heat brushing against your skin in a soothing gentle motion. Once you sink in low enough, you rest your head on the edge, enjoying the slight burn that comes with the intense temperature of the bath.
"The heat will help." Hibari informs you after a few minutes. Despite his regular stoic tone, you sense the care behind his words. The paper work had pushed your tired body over the edge, and made you miss a chance to try your first bath with friends. You wonder if this was possibly a way of showing that he cared, that he cared about how you were doing. Hibari -like you- being a person of action rather than words. You look at him for a moment, trying to read his face, trying to discern how much of this was chance, and how much was a gesture of kindness.
"Thank you." You manage after a moment. You focus your attention on the view as you move over to the far side of the bath, settling your arms on the side of the tub and gazing out with your chin resting on your forearms. You imagine all the life that lay below you, the quiet bustle of animals and plants, the lives that passed through the hotel and onto other paths, all linked by a few moments and memories.
You have no idea how much time passes like that, basking in the comfortable quiet of the night. But when you look back you catch Hibari staring at you, steel eyes not shifting as they meet yours. A few months ago, it may have been a look that scared you, but now, in the moonlight shine of the night, it almost seems pleasantly familiar. If everything in this world changed, the one constant would be that look.
You move over to Hibari, taking a seat a few inches away from him. You can feel your heart start to drum in your chest as he allows you the proximity. Gradually, as you shimmy closer, remembering the last time you were this close to Hibari. The ferris wheel, the way you'd ashamedly fallen asleep on his lap, the kiss he'd stolen from you. There's heat on your cheeks that you hope is just the steam from the bath as you settle against Hibaris side.
Hibari doesn't stir or move away and you take that as a good sign, head feeling a little dizzy as you turn your face up to look at him. What exactly were you to him? His little animal, a fellow guardian, a kohai? Did Senpais make habits of kissing their kohais? His eyes meet yours and slowly you feel the pull between you tightening. Through the steam and the sheer temperature of the bath you see his face move closer to yours. Your whole body feels hot, no doubt a little red, but you feel your eyes close instinctively as you lean your head up to meet his.
A soft high pitched song breaks your actions as you turn towards its source. Hibird is perched on the edge of the tub, chirping the Namimori anthem as she tilts her head at the two of you. She flits over and settles in Hibaris hair, nestling her wings. You laugh a little at the action. Whatever moment had passed between the two of you was gone, but you didn't mind. Hibird was a welcome presence as Hibari readjusted himself against the wall of the tub. You do the same, letting your arm rest against his as Hibird continues her song. It was alright, whatever you were to Hibari, you enjoyed moments like these.