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Senku sighed to himself as he walked through the forest carrying a bucket with a towel and soap, on his way to the hot springs near Ishigami Village.
Now, normally he was perfectly fine washing himself quickly in the river, but even he got tired of always using cold water and just wanted the comfort of a hot bath.
He saw the rising steam first before reaching the springs, jogging the last bit.
He wasted no time stripping and getting in, pleasently surprised that the water was at the perfect temperature, hot but not too hot for him.
He sank till the water was up to his shoulders and couldn't help letting out a low groan.
Even before the petrification, how long had it been since he had a proper bath? He should add making a couple actual baths and showers to the list of projects that weren't top priority but would definately have to be made sometime.
He was jerked from his train of thought when he heard water sloshing near him, and looking over he saw something through the steam.
Curious he carefully waded closer, eyes going wide when he the steam thinned what was only a couple meters away from him.
There, with her back mostly to him and water coming to just up her hips stood Kohaku, just as naked as him, scooping water in her hands and pouring it over her head, her hair down from it's usual spiky ponytail.
He wasn't sure what caught her attention but suddenly she glanced back and upon seeing him her eyes went comically wide and her face turned bright red as she yelped and sat down, arms coming up to cover her breasts.
"SENKU?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" she shrieked.
"Easy, Lioness! I'm just here taking bath, just like you, I assume! Also, calm down, I didn't see anyhting!" he told her, holding up his hands as if to placate her.
He wasn't lying. He had only seen her back and nothing else.
"Want me to leave you to it?" he offered, already wadding backwards to where he left his things.
What he didn't expect however was for Kohaku to actually follow, though still making sure to not stand taller and keeping the water till her clavicles.
"N-No, it's fine! I mean, I've been here for a while and you just got here. I'll just leave." she told him.
"Eh," Senku shrugged, "Personally I don't care very much. You can stay if you want. Promise I won't try and take a peak."
"If you're sure..." she trailed off and that was that as they both settled down, relaxing once again.
"I gotta say, Senku, I didn't expect to find you of all people here." Kohaku spoke up again after a few moments of silence.
Senku hummed and raised an eyesbrow, signaling for her to explain herself.
"I mean, with everything we have been putting together lately, you barely ever leave the lab. Me and Gen have to literally drag you out to to eat and sleep after all." she did so with a knowing smirk, making him huff.
"I know how to take care of myself, Lioness. Don't forget which of us introduced soap for hygiene here." he drawled, pointedly reaching to his things and grabbing a bottle shampoo.
He winced as she action put strain on his arm and shoulder.
Right. Contrary to populair belief he didn't leave all the hard manual labour to those stronger than him. Sure, maybe most of it but that was usually because he had other tasks that often only he could do, but when he got the chance he tried to help with carrying and dragging things too.
This, along with Kaseki accidentally getting too excited and sending Senku and several others flying with his aura had all together resulted in Senku getting a small injury.
It wasn't too serious, nothing a couple days of taking it as easy as he could afford couldn't fix.
Only right now to was pretty painful to move or lift his right arm.
"Are you okay?" Kohaku of course had to notice and ask.
"Yeah, just a little sore is all." he assured her, though he couldn't help but wince as he tried to lift his arm higher.
"Wait, hang on! Turn around!" she suddenly ordered, getting closer.
Bemused, Senku dud as instructed till he felt her presence right behind him.
"Kohaku?" he called out, daring to peak behind him when she suddenly scooped water over his head.
"Ack! Hey!" he protested as some got in his eyes.
"Sorry, I should have warned you." Kohaku apologizes sheepishly before grabbing his shampoo from his hand.
"Kohaku, you don't have to do that." Senku tried to protest as he realized what she was doing and was promptly met with a light swat on his head.
"Don't give me that. You're hurt and can barely lift your arm. It only makes sense for me to help you, doesn't it?" she shot back, using his own kind of logic that he couldn't deny.
"I guess so..." he muttered, obediently turning around and trying not to jump as she poured it on his head.
When she started scrubbing the previous tenseness that had entered Senku's body when she'd come close leave his body.
Despite how strong Kohaku was and how often she'd beat up Chrome and Ginro, she could be real gentle when she wanted.
Then again, she was probably used to these kinds of things from helping Ruri and maybe Suika and other children when bathing.
He couldn't help but sigh again as he melted under her touch.
"Look who's enjoying himself now." Kohaku teased smugly.
"Yeah, yeah. Thanks for this, Lioness. You didn't have to do this, but I appriciate it." he admitted softly.
"I know, but you're always taking care of everyone, Senku. If I can return the favor just a little bit like this, I really don't mind." she told him and he nearly jumped out of his skin when he helt her lean her forehead against his back.
Luckily for him she pulled back barely a second later and lightly tugged on his head.
"Tilt your head back and close your eyes." she insctructed and he obediently allowed her to guide him backwards, peaking his eyes open for a second and looking in her tender blue eyes before closer them again as she poured ater over him again, ruffling his hair gently and repeating a few times till she got all shampoo out.
"There you go." she said before making him stand straight again and then started scrubbing his back.
When she was done with this too he expected her to finally step back but she once again caught him off guard by turning him around and starting to rub his chest.
"Uhm, Kohaku?" he asked, the heat in his cheeks now definately not only from the water.
After all, they were standing very close, touching his chest while both of them were still naked.
his only savior was probably the fact that
"Hm?" she hummed back too focused on her task.
"I... I think I can manage by myself from here." he told her, seeing her blink to herself before jerking back as if she just realised what she was doing.
"R-Right! sorry, I guess I got a little carried away!" she giggled awkwardly.
"Yeah, I got that." Senku nodded.
An awkward silence followed.
"Sooo... I'm assuming you already washed your own hair, right?" he then asked, earning a surprised look before Kohaku smiled.
"Yeah, I did. But even if I didn't, you're not washing it for me. You can barely lift your arm and you're not putting strain on it." she told him.
"Okay, just thought I'd return the favor with this since we're already here anyway." he shrugged.
"First heal up and then I'll make sure to let you wash my hair next time." she offered.
"Next time?" Senku repeated before smirking as a wave o bold confidence hit him and he stepped closer again till the were almost touching and grabbed her chin.
"You already planning for a next time, Lioness? You must really want like or your hair washed, or are you actually simply that eager to get naked with me again~?"
As he talked he delighted in seeing how red her face turned, before at the end she glared and promptly shoved him underwater.
Alright, he deserved that one for going too far in his teasing. Or flirting? Teasing and flirting?
"Ack! *cough couch* I swear I didn't see anything!" he blurted when she let him up again.
He really hadn't due to automatically closing his eyes against the hot water from the spring.
He definately wouldn't have had complained if he did see anything but he wasn't telling her that. He didn't want to actually drown, thank you very much.
Looking up he found her making her way to the edge of the spring.
"Hey, come on! I'm sorry for what I said!" he cried after her, worried he'd seriously angered her.
"Senku, I'm not leaving because of what you said." Kohaku turned around and to his relief didn't look angry at all, if still a little flustered.
"I just remembered I promised Ruri to help her with something." she assured him.
When she placed her hands on the rounds at the edge of the spring Senku turned around again to give her privacy to get out and dress herself.
"Alright, I'm decent now." she called out to when he turned around again she was wearing her usual blue dress and her hair was up in it's signature ponytail again.
"Hey, before you go, thanks again." he told her again, coming closer to the edge too.
"You're welcome." Kohaku said back before her smile turned sultry and she kneeled down and grabbed his chin the same way he'd done to her.
"Just return the favor next time." she told him before letting go and walking away, leaving a stunned Senku behind.
"Damn," he chuckled when she was gone, "I'm in deep trouble."