> Ah, long hot showers.
> A luxury worthy of the gods.
> It's been a looong day.
> Work and shopping and cleaning the house.
> Sweet Zombie Raptor Jesus, the cleaning.
> Life was much easier when it was just you.
> You never care if you had to wade through an ocean of mess.
> But they do. These three girls.
> Why they're living with you still escapes you.
> Hell why they haven't been arrested or disappeared into a research lab also escapes you.
> But it /still/ hasn't happened to that bacon haired girl either, so it probably won't for these three.
> You are however very sure that it's a good thing the girls aren't actually high school aged.
> 4 shitty incomes are a lot better than 1.
> That alone makes cleaning worthwhile.
> "Anon are you done in there?"
> Aria's home? Wow you have been in here for ages.
"I'm getting out now, be less than a minute."
> And you mean that too.
> Aria works as a mechanic.
> She loves cars and it's good money (actually the best money out of all four of you by a pretty big margin).
> But it's also long hours of hard, grimy work.
> Nobody in this house denies Aria shower access after work. Nobody.
> A rapid towel off later and you're out of the bathroom in less than 40 seconds.
"All yours, Aria. Do you want me to warm up your dinner?"
> She gives you a tired smile.
> "Yeah, thanks."
> You leaver her to it.
> After a moment the water starts up again.
> Wrapped up in your warm pajamas and slippers you sit down to read a book.
> Sure it's not that late, but if you want to wear pajamas in your own home, then you are going to wear them.
> After a while you hear the water and fan turn off.
> You lever yourself off the chair and head into the kitchen to start up the microwave.
> You return to your book.
> You glance up at the sound of footsteps.
> Aria comes into the lounge room.
> She's wrapped up in a slightly too big dressing gown she nicked from you that she insists is hers.
> Her skin is still a little flushed from the hot water.
> She's also armed with a hairbrush.
> Sinking into the couch she starts to slowly work at her long tresses.
> When the microwave goes off it doesn't look like she's going to be able to get up.
"I'll get it."
> As you come back into the room you hear Aria softly grunt in a mix of irritation and pain.
> A bunch of hair has gotten knotted and isn't coming undone.
> You slide the gently steaming bowl onto the coffee table in front of her and present one open hand, palm up.
"Give me the brush and you get to eating."
> She gives you an 'No. 3 Aria Look, TM'
> The 'This is a new level of stupid from you.' look.
> You just twitch the fingers of your open hand at the hair brush.
> With an eye roll she hands off the brush and grabs her dinner.
> Food begins to disappear rapidly.
> You start at the bottom and slowly work your way up.
> Sure she already did the lower areas but her hair is like liquid silk.
> You take your time making sure not to let any knots form as her hair dries.
> With so much hair to brush you're only two thirds done by the time Aria finishes devouring her food.
> "Hold up a sec"
> Rather than the expected request for the return of the brush, Aria shifts her green and purple locks to one side and leans back against you.
> Even with only the upper portions remaining it's awkward brushing like this.
> Still you're not complaining.
> Soon enough it's done.
> You place the brush next to the now empty bowl.
"All done, Aria."
> The only response is slow, soft breathing.
> She actually dozed off on top of you.
> If she's really that tired, you shouldn't wake her.
> Reaching as best you can, you grab the quilt off on the couch and wrap it around you both.
> Aria shifts herself further backwards giving you a face full of vaguely fruity smelling hair.
> It might just be the aftermath of the shower but Aria is seriously warm.
> Deciding to let her nap, you settle yourself.
> If you need it your book is within arms reach.
> But for the moment you just close your eyes.
> You feel so warm. A little stiff, but deliciously warm. And a little weighed down.
> You hear footsteps and try to open your eyes.
> Oh, that's bright.
> With some blinking you focus your eyes and see Adagio standing in the kitchen doorway, smirking at you over a mug of coffee.
> She quietly slinks out before you can question her.
> Once she's gone though, you can see sunlight coming through the kitchen door.
> Oh.
> Then something very warm and weighty shifts on top of you.
> Oh.
> Well that explains the smirk.
> Your back twinges and you flex a little to alleviate it.
> The slight movement is enough to disturb Aria and she starts to open her eyes.
> With slow blinks she focuses in on you.
> A furious blush races across her face and she whips her face around, away from yours.
"...do..do you want to get up?"
> "...no."
> With a grin Aria can't see you slide your arms around her middle and gently hug her.
> Aria actually squeaks and tenses up when you move but then relaxes back against you.
> It's a long time before either of you get up.
 
The End.