Her cheeks were still puffed. Kaiden couldn’t help smiling at her, far too fond of the woman defending her hair from him with such earnest outrage.
"You find this amusing?"
"To be honest with you, yeah. Your relentless assault was very cute."
Yunohana blinked, then looked down at the hair resting across her palm.
"That is a very convenient observation to make while I am explaining your mistakes."
"It’s also true."
"Then perhaps you could help me remain more than a mangled dog by listening to my instructions very carefully."
She placed the towel over his open palm and laid the damp ends of her hair across it. Her right hand guided his other hand over the fold.
"Press gently. Let the towel absorb the water, then move to the next section. Could you try that for me?"
"I was about to do just that, though."
Yunohana slowly, with robotic motions, turned her neck sideways. The nastiest of looks reached his eyes.
"Never mind. I apologize for misspeaking."
Her glare faded as she turned forward again with the same robotic motions.
Kaiden followed her guidance with extreme care not to mess up again, knowing such a maniac would not let him try a third time.
He squeezed lightly before releasing the fold. "Like this?"
Yunohana watched his hands through the next careful press before her expression softened.
"Yes. Much better. There is hope for you as a proper man yet."
"I’m relieved to hear it."
She let him continue, keeping her hair gathered over her uninjured shoulder. Whenever he glanced up, she was watching his hands, and he took considerable care to remain worthy of his second chance.
By the time he laid the towel aside, Yunohana was smiling again. She ran her fingers through the ends, satisfied, and let her hair fall over the back of the bench.
Yunohana began to turn toward him, then stopped as the movement pulled at her shoulder.
"Still?" he asked.
"Only when I move carelessly."
"Could I help? Around it, I mean. You look as though you’ve been holding it in the same position since we got here."
She looked at his hand resting on the bench between them.
"Would you turn this way? It will be easier if you sit behind me."
Yunohana stood beside the bench while Kaiden turned lengthwise on the cushions. He spread his knees to make room, and she sat between them with her legs folded to one side and her back toward him.
She gathered her hair over her right shoulder, then loosened her robe.
Kaiden watched the silk slip down her back. Yunohana freed her right arm, carefully eased her sore left arm out of its sleeve, and let the back of the robe fall to her waist.
"Yunohana?"
She glanced back at him, holding the front against her breasts with her right hand. The rest remained wrapped around her hips and legs, leaving him a view of her bare shoulders and the smooth curve of her back.
"Yes?"
"You’re taking your robe off."
"You offered to massage me."
"I did, but-"
"I’m starting to think that you Westerners lack common sense. How do you hope to do that properly without even seeing where you’re touching? My shoulder is already sore. I don’t need you pressing the wrong spot. This is a serious matter."
He looked down at his hands, still hovering uselessly behind her. She had sounded exactly this earnest while explaining the towel, too.
"Right. Of course."
"You sound unconvinced."
"No, your logic is sound this time-"
"This time?"
Kaiden elected to ignore that. "I was just surprised."
Yunohana inspected his face for another moment before turning forward again.


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