Holding the blue dress close to his chest, Viktor carefully placed his left hand on the knob and turned it. He pushed the door open and stepped in, eyes wandering over the room in amazement. There was a skylight here as well, although the glass texture was bubbled so that if a fairy was flying overhead they wouldn't be able to see inside.
The floor was exquisite marble tile with pink veins running through it, stunning even though it clearly hadn't been polished in quite some time. Viktor would make sure to do that, he wanted to prove to Yuuri that he could work hard. There was a lovely counter made of the same stone; a vase containing dried, cobweb-blanketed flowers was against the mirror.
The mirror. Viktor's eyes widened as he looked at his own reflection. He quickly turned away when he glimpsed a ghostly and emaciated form. He glanced back at himself for a moment, observing his smeared, crude makeup. A wry smile graced his crimson lips. He was just a dirty slave.
Finally, he couldn't bear it any longer and tore his gaze from the pitiful sight. In the center of the room was an ornate, porcelain, slipper-style bathtub. Its claw feet, spout, and handles were golden.
Nailed to the wall with detailed, jaded metal brackets was a shelf stuffed with a collection of dust-covered vials and bottles. They were made of green and cobalt blue glass, and full of various liquids and cremes.
Softly, Viktor pushed the door shut behind him. There wasn't a lock on it, but he figured that Yuuri wouldn't enter without knocking first. He tenderly folded the dress and placed it on the counter, smoothing and sleeve and trailing a hand down its embroidery and lace.
He stepped over to the bath and pressed the stopper on the drain so that water couldn't escape. Cautiously, he tapped the handle before he turned it. (He was making sure that it wasn't iron, which burned fairies.) Steam hissed up as the water hit the cool surface of the tub.
Viktor kneeled and watched it fill up, smiling in wonder. The water was incredibly clear, with no particles of dirt or rust like he was accustomed to. It was hot, too- he could feel its warmth on his face, and mist soon veiled the room like stepping into a cloud. He took a white washcloth from an open cabinet and draped it over the lip of the bath, then also placed a fluffy towel on the rug.
While he waited, Viktor stripped off his various kimono layers, obi, and ties. He was left only in his corset, drawers, and stockings. He folded the clothing as neatly as he could, then set them on a nearby wicker chair. Carefully, he slipped off his frilly tabi (which were gray from age), and rested them on the stack of other garments. The drawers were pulled down, and then joined the pile.
Finally, the part that he'd been dreading the most. Bracing himself, he undid the tattered ribbon lacing up his corset. It took a while; the knot was incredibly tight, and his crudely painted nails were too long to get a good grip. Additionally, having an agonizing stump for a right index finger certainly wasn't helping.
When it was eventually undone, he tugged on the crossing xes running up his spine to loosen the ribcage prison. Once the tension was gone, he began unhooking the busk studs. He undid the bottom clasp first, and then worked his way up. The corset was peeled off and then placed on the tile.
Viktor's torso finally relaxed after having been confined for so long. He looked down and winced. His chest and hips were covered with inflamed red marks and yellow, vertical stripes of blisters brimming with pus. Sighing, he forced a smile. Pain was a small price to pay for a small waist and nicely shaped figure.
He noticed that the water was lapping about two-thirds of the way up the tub, and twisted the handle off with a squeak; the flow abruptly stopped. Delicately, he dipped a toe in to test the temperature. He found it to be pleasantly hot. Gradually, he eased his foot down and then stepped in with the other. He lowered himself down and embraced the warmth. He'd never been allowed a bath like this before.
Slowly, Viktor maneuvered his body and scooted back so that he could rest his wings on the lip and stretch his legs out more. His back was against the lower side of the slipper bath, because there was no space on the higher side to lay his wings. It was clearly not designed with fairies in mind. (However, he didn't really care. He was just grateful that he could bathe himself.)
Silver hair floated all around Viktor, obscuring a lot of his legs like fine netting. It waved back and forth softly, brushing over his skin. Humming blissfully, he closed his eyes and tilted his chin up. He sat there for a while, enjoying the feeling of heat enveloping him.
Eventually, he lifted his eyelids and moved to see the shelf beside him. He scanned over the amalgamation of containers, utterly lost. Where to even begin? He took a bar of what appeared to be soap to begin with. At least he knew what that was. With his left hand, he began clumsily rubbing up suds on his skin. He felt so slippery, all lathered up. Gently, he stroked the wash cloth along his body and watched the layers of grime disappear like magic.
Viktor got onto his knees and rubbed the soap a bit onto his scalp, then switched the tao back on and leaned under the stream. He carded his fingers through his hair until all of the bubbles has vanished. Setting the bar back where he had procured it from, he returned his attention to the other concoctions. Selecting a couple of bottles, he held them up to the light. (He held the one in his right hand gingerly so that it wouldn't touch his wound.)
He stared at them intensely, pursing his lips. It was a shame that he hadn't the faintest idea of how to read. It wasn't exactly common practice for slaves to be literate and educated. He supposed that he could call to Yuuri for assistance, but that would just be admitting his own stupidity. Instead, he tried to find clues that indicated a purpose.
One of the bottles had lavender flowers printed on the side. He uncorked it and placed the other where it belonged on the shelf. He peeked inside to examine the contents. Within the bottle was a clear liquid with an ochroid tint to it. Could this be "hair oil?"
Just as Viktor was about to pour some onto his palm, there was a rapping at the door. He fumbled with the bottle in surprise, and it dropped out of his fingers. It landed in the water with a plop and launched a tidal wave that surged out onto the floor and splashed his face.
"Are you alright in there?" came Yuuri's timid voice. Heart still pounding from shock, Viktor spluttered and blinked away droplets.
"I'm fine," he assured.
"Okay. Well, I just wanted to let you know that the doctor is on his way. I set some food out for you on the dresser. I hope it will be enough until I can go to the store and buy you something more adequate."
"Thank you! I'll be out soon!" Viktor told him cheerfully as he attempted to fish the bottle out of the water to no avail.
"Alright. Um…" Yuuri sounded like there was something else that he wanted to say, but he didn't. "Goodbye," he made out, hastily and awkwardly, and Viktor heard his retreating footsteps.
He scooped up the bottle, stood, and pulled the plug. The water drained out, forming a miniature whirlpool. Wrapping the towel around himself, he marvelled at its softness against his various sores.
With a bit of difficulty, he lifted up his hair. It clung to his legs in wet tendrils. He decided to put some of the serum in the bottle on it. The cleansing scent of lavender filled the air, mingling with the humidity, when he applied it to the ends of his tresses. As he did so, he pondered whether or not Yuuri would make him cut off all of his treasured hair. It seemed unlikely that his new master would do that to him, but it was too early to tell. His previous owner had constantly threatened to do it. "Too much money to take care of," Augustus Winthrop had told him as he dined on saffron-seasoned pheasant.
Viktor recorked the bottle, along with the bad memories. He had other things to worry about at the moment. Trepidation of the doctor's visit looming before him clenched at his throat. He began the process of getting dressed.
(Lots of pain in the coming parts. Hope you guys liked this!)