The Chantry bathhouse, after dark…

Soap, lightly perfumed with the scent of lavender and roses, fills the air. Hot steam cloaks the room in shifting shades of colourless vapour roiling all over.

Communal bathing is how we wash up in the Chantry of Eternal Light. It’s a time-worn tradition of the Order of Selene, one sacred custom among many. Bars of soap in hand, we sit butt-naked on little wooden stools set in front of mirrors cloaked in vapour, drawing warm water from iron taps into wooden pails to wash up.

Yep. It’s definitely something. I wasn’t too comfortable with this way of doing things in the previous timeline when I was new to the Order. But now? I don’t mind it too much anymore. Maybe except when it’s crowded, usually during the hour just before dinner. Oh, and sometimes… I do miss the quiet privacy of a personal shower all to myself.

Tonight, Anna and I are alone in here. Cleaning up that Slime-invaded house took a little bit longer than expected! We got a nice homecooked meal as a little thank you from that family, who were overjoyed that the Slime was no longer devouring their stuff. When we returned to the Chantry, the skies were already dark.

It’s all good, though. In those hours spent helping to clean and tidy up a Slime-ruined home, I didn’t think about that nightmare I had of the Demon Lord. I don’t know why I keep thinking about it. I mean, it might just be a bad dream, right? And yet…

“Umm… Arisa?” Anna gently calls out as she sits beside me, washing up. “Is everything alright? I think you’re staring at the ceiling…”

Focusing myself back into reality, I look away from the steamy lights up above, back down towards the demureness of Anna’s smile. And uh… damn! Her breasts are... well, y’know!? Yeah! Even compared to me. To think I pride myself on having a healthy body!

“Arisa…?”

“Oh. Sorry about that!” I exclaim, smiling sheepishly as I try to play it cool. “What’d I miss?”

“You were staring up at the ceiling, and your soap fell out of your hands…” Anna says worriedly with her hand on her cheek, eyes momentarily glancing at the bar of soap on the floor between us. “And now you’re… umm…”

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As soon as it dawns upon her, Anna covers her mouth with her hands. Her cheeks are flushed red. Like I said before, being subtle ain’t me.

“Oh, shit!” I exclaim, the gaze of my eyes quickly darting away to anywhere but where they’d been just moments prior. “My bad! I swear, I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s okay…” Anna states gently, lowering one of her hands and placing it on her breast while the other remains pressed softly upon the wetness of her cheek. “Miss Luna… even Mom… they like to say that I’m… umm…”

“Blessed by Rinnah herself?”

“Oh! Umm... that’s one way to put it…”

“They’re right, y’know!” I exclaim, laughing heartily. “Take it from me. I’m totally an expert on such matters. Trust me!”

“Arisa…”

“You’re right, though,” I add quietly, my gaze going down to my thighs. “Something’s been bugging me. Just a little bit, but…”

I feel a strong, firm, yet gentle, familiar touch upon my shoulders, hands squeezing them tightly. And as I look at her, my Paladin… I feel a little better.

“Anna…”

“Whatever it is, I’m here to help,” Anna offers reassuringly, her smile warm like the water in our pails. “And if I can’t… I can at least listen!”

“Well…”

I look away momentarily, staring into the colourless steam warming up the room. Perhaps in there, I thought I’d find the little extra nerve to talk about my feelings, ridiculous as it sounds. Or maybe I just wanna play coy. But soon enough, I look back to Anna, into her eyes.

“I dreamt of the Demon Lord two nights ago,” I say quietly, looking at the floor again. “It was a little scary, and uh… it’s been fucking with my head. I don’t know what it means, and I dunno. I’m just overthinking it, maybe.”

“If you dream of the Demon Lord again…” Anna says, gently nudging me until I look her in the eye anew. “Dream of me too, won’t you? We’ll fight it together! You did say that we slew it in your old timeline, right?”

“Yup, I did say that…”

“Then it’s settled! We’ll fight the Demon Lord together in your dreams!” Anna exclaims confidently, puffing up her chest. “We’ll slay all the Demon Lords, wherever they may appear – you and me, together!”

“That does sound like a plan! I’m in!”

“Yay! You’ll have nothing to fear, then!”

I smile at Anna, and she smiles at me. Good grief. She can be a real sweetheart sometimes, y’know? I’m glad she’s here.

“Thanks a lot, by the way…” I say sheepishly, scratching the back of my head. “I’m feeling a lot better now. It’s what I needed to hear.”

“No problem!” Anna declares enthusiastically. “As a wise Healer once said to me… ‘always happy to help!’ And so, I’ll do the same for my Healer!”

“Hey, that’s me on both counts!” I exclaim happily. “Man, I do say some zingers from time to time…”

With newfound joy, Anna and I continue washing up, stealing glances as we bathe in soap and warm water. Sometimes, for the briefest moments, our eyes meet… and we smile shyly at each other. Over and over, time and time again.

Good grief. I’m living the dream.