It was an encounter. That was it. Jiehong thought nothing of it. Until, that is, he reached Zan and sat down on his cot. "What did he mean 'after what I've been through'? He doesn't know anything about me or my situation. Weird? Unbalanced? Or more horrifying yet, magical in some omnipotent way? No... He must simply assume all travelers have been through tough times." Jiehong told himself these things and then slept. It was one reason among many he liked city life. You met a lot of folks and a lot of them something about them. For someone as extroverted as Jiehong, urbanism was like a drug.

Waking. Light streamed in through the windows. Many bugs and insects flew in and out through the screenless holes in the building; on his walk, however, Jiehong noticed many blankets and sheet adoring windowpanes. Likely there for privacy reasons, Jiehong knew he would want something between him and the world at large, especially if he was becoming intimate with a person or was sick or had to care for the overly young or overly elderly.

Finding Zan on his feet, Jiehong's heart skipped a beat before resettling into 'bro mode.'

"Good to see you up, man," Jiehong said, walking the few feet to stand by Zan as he breathed in deep from the window.

"Wow. It smells so bad here..." Zan's first words were while as a traveler in a new place.

"Yeah! It stinks!" Jiehong laughed. "It's good to see you up and on your feet. I was worried about you."

"I was worried about me. Help me find a chair. I want to sit in front of the window," Zan asked of Jiehong.

Jiehong found a lone chair packed to the back of the room. He dragged it over and plopped it right behind Zan. "Okay. Sit."

Sitting, Zan exhaled, sweat visible on his forehead.

"You're really exhausted, aren't you?" Jiehong asked.

Zan muttered a response. It amounted to 'yeah, please don't expect me to talk a lot.'

Looking at Zan as he saw and enjoyed the incoming breeze, garbage smell or no, Jiehong realized something: Those stains on his clothes. They are not from dirt or grease. I don't remember ever pulling to the side of the road while traveling for a bathroom break. Nor do I remember helping Zan to use the chamber-pot when I was watching over him. So, those stains are...

Gaging at the realization, and likely where part of the awful stench had come from, Jiehong told Zan, "We need to get you clean. I am going to see if there is a bath somewhere in this building or a public wash somewhere."

"Good idea..." Zan panted. "I feel gross."

Although Zan did find a wash tub in the building, the spigot to fill the tub was inconveniently located. Joined with the fact he saw no wood nearby to light a fire under the tub for warm water, Jiehong thought they would be better off finding a public wash. Filling and heating the tub alone would take up a quarter of the day, let alone cleaning Zan.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

With his exo-suit cage still back in their shared flat, Jiehong had Zan grab hold of him, with Zan's arms around his neck and his legs around his waist. Jiehong brought his brother to the city's best public wash and paid for a private room so he could help heal his brother in privacy.

Once in their private washing chamber, Jiehong helped Zan removed his clothes. He averted his eyes when he saw the mess in Zan's breeches, socks, and undergarments. "Gods-be! I am so sorry Zan. I should've asked if you needed to relieve yourself. This is so gross, and I am so sorry!"

"Don't worry about it," Zan said, directing his gaze to a corner of the room to avoid linking eyes with Jiehong. Awkwardness and modesty, even in small amounts, went a long way when you and family were naked together in a public bath.

"I think we can just toss those clothes," Jiehong said low. "They're way too messy. Way beyond saving. It's not like any of this is your war gear."

Zan nodded along and muttered acquiescence. He still seemed drained. That and humbled.

Jiehong used the bucket provided and gently dumped water over Zan's lean body. Zan took care of his scrubbing. Family or no, Jiehong didn't want to touch his brother's skin and bodily despair unless he absolutely had to, and only if it was in a medical way.

The better part of an hour elapsed. By then, Zan's body looked -- and smelled -- much better. Thanks in part to subtle perfumes mixed into the scrubbing brushes. As Zan attended to cleaning his Ranger-Knight gear, Jiehong told him he was going out to buy Zan some civilian wear to replace the garments he lost.

He was not out for long before returning. In hand were an inexpensive set of garments he bought from a stall vendor in the market district.

By the time Jiehong returned, Zan had finished scrubbing his badly soiled ranger-knight gear. It looked a pain to clean, but Zan had no other choice than to clean as it were tools and special garments which defended his life in battle. Zan thanked Jiehong for the clothes. Jiehong helped Zan in putting the clothes on. Before heading back to the flat, Jiehong assisted in cleaning and combing Zan's hair; thanks to his headset, Zan's hair grew unbalanced, as it stood between several wires which threaded through his skin and bone. This left his hair in an odd position.

No matter the cleaning issue before him, Jiehong helped Zan in any way he could. It wasn't long before Zan stood upright and asked, "How do I look?"

"Like a new man. Let's get you back to the flat. You can get some rest, and I will maintain my vigil for the others," Jiehong said.

Part way back, Zan's stomach growled so loudly, Zan did not have to ask for food before Jiehong jokingly groaned, "Okay, okay! I'll get you something to eat!"

They both dropped by a food vendor selling street food. Pieces of meat and vegetables on a stick.

They eat three sticks a piece plus paid for two more each. Jiehong said he wanted a couple for later munching. Zan did not argue as Jiehong was the one paying for everything.

Zan thanked Jiehong for his generosity, though both knew it was only a formality. One of them had said it before: but when they are traveling together, one's expense is the expense of all. No way around it.

Stumbling up to the room, Zan was about to sit down before Jiehong stopped him. "It's dirty. Look! The bedding."

Zan looked and saw what Jiehong meant. Zan's bedroll was covered in a thin layer of muck.

"I'll replace it. Don't worry," Jiehong said and did exactly that. He found Mimsy, asked how to go about in paying for a replacement, as Zan had ruined it totally, and with a giggle, Mimsy said, "That is all right. I or one of the maids will clean it. We're used to extreme sums of filth in our traveling rooms. If you would like to make a donation, however, I never refuse coin, not when it goes to bettering the building."

Jiehong made a donation, larger than expected of him, and Mimsy removed the dirty bedspread and replaced it with a clean one. Zan fell asleep instantly, though he managed one question before he slept. "Where are you getting this money?"

"The parents," was all Jiehong replied before Zan lost his battle with drowsiness.